a revised and enlarged edition, with a new introduction of the three books, The case for Christianity, Christian behaviour, and Beyond personality
Hardcover, 175 pages
English language
Published Nov. 7, 1952 by MacMillan Publishing Company.
This is a duplicate. Please update your lists. See openlibrary.org/works/OL71056W.
C.S. Lewis's look at what lies at the heart of Christianity is a pretty interesting read. Makes me want to find recordings from the BBC talks he gave that led to the writing of the book.
I'd always heard this touted as one of the classics of Christian apologetics, and that was what I was really looking to it for. In that regard it was disappointing. The first section of the book puts forth some arguments. Lewis's argument regarding natural law is not entirely convincing, but I can't bring myself to dismiss it entirely, and it needs more consideration than it's given here. Lewis's trilemma regarding Jesus (that he was either inanse, a bad man, or god), is obviously a false trilemma, and even if there were no other options Lewiss discards the other two options for no real reason. After this point there are no arguments to speak of: just assertions. Which is fine--the goal of the book is, I suppose, to describe Christianity rather than to argue for it. The assertions are clear and often thought-provking (although just as often racist, homophobic, and especially …
I'd always heard this touted as one of the classics of Christian apologetics, and that was what I was really looking to it for. In that regard it was disappointing. The first section of the book puts forth some arguments. Lewis's argument regarding natural law is not entirely convincing, but I can't bring myself to dismiss it entirely, and it needs more consideration than it's given here. Lewis's trilemma regarding Jesus (that he was either inanse, a bad man, or god), is obviously a false trilemma, and even if there were no other options Lewiss discards the other two options for no real reason. After this point there are no arguments to speak of: just assertions. Which is fine--the goal of the book is, I suppose, to describe Christianity rather than to argue for it. The assertions are clear and often thought-provking (although just as often racist, homophobic, and especially sexist) but ultimately not especially useful for the purpose that I personally wanted the book to serve. Lewis is a good writer but this book offers me very little.
Great argument for Christianity.
C.S. Lewis has been called the "greatest theologian of the twentieth century" and one would be compelled to see the truth in such a statement after reading the captivating "Mere Christianity." Lewis strips bare all the constructs of Christianity and gets at the heart of the teachings of Christ as relayed in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Beginning with a philosophical insistence upon the Creator's existence, Lewis lays out a step-by-step explanation for why Jesus was who He said He was through both theological points and rational arguments as well as conveying what it "means to be a follower of Christ." Lewis was heralded as the "great convincer," and after reading this gently captivating argument, it is quite easy to understand why.
