Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis
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Book Reviews of Mere Christianity
Book Review: A Touching Explanation of God
Summary: 5 Stars
C.S. Lewis has created a masterpiece in "Mere Christianity." What I have heard about this book is quite true. Lewis does make a convincing case about the existence of God. In doing this, he borrows greatly from other Christian thinkers who have understood the natural law (i.e., what men hold in common as good) as a proof that some outside force has created these laws, or common assumption about good, which we all hold.In short, man is the best evidence for the existence of God. Lewis then makes a case for Christianity as the fulfillment of the God which he has already made effort to demonstrate exists.
Having said what Lewis has done, I should now state what he does not do in this book. He does not argue for dumbed down theology. He does not disdain organized religion. He presents the basics with every expectation that the reader will build upon it.
Lewis writes, "I hope no reader will suppose that 'mere' Chrisianity is put forward as an alternative to the creeds of the existing communions - as if a man could adopt it in preference to Congregationalism or Greek Orthodoxy or anything else. It is more like a hall out of which doors open into several rooms. If I can bring anyone into that hall I shall have done what I attempted. But it is in the rooms, not in the hall, that there are fires and chairs and meals. The hall is a place to wait in, a place from which to try the various doors, not a place to live in."
Lewis teaches that religion is God's statement about certain "quite unalterable facts about His own nature."
In reading Lewis, I cannot tell you that if you are an unbeliever Lewis will convince you. As a Catholic converted from protestantism, I have always accepted the existence of God, and more particular, the Judeo-Christian God.
But I can say, that Lewis writes with such ease and uses such good common sense that his ideas may plant a seed for thought into your mind if you are presently an unbeliever. Lewis may not "bring you into the hall" of mere Christianity, but he does provide some well thought-out ideas that are worthy of any man or woman to ponder in deciding whether Christianity is true.
For this reason, I heartily recommend "Mere Christianity" to all of you.
Book Review: Nothing "mere" about this work
Summary: 5 Stars
What an astounding, impressive, fulfilling read. I am not normally a non-fiction reader unless it is a good historical piece or biography ... those I will lap up. But a book on religion? As a pretty dedicated church goer myself, I must candidly say that unless the book is actual scripture itself, it might as well be one of those desperately snobbish self-help books full of zippy motivation quotes and the same principles you find in all other books of the same genre, just worded slightly differently. Yet in Mere Christianity, I found none of the superficiality I've previously experienced with other books that delve into philosophic explorations of religion. This is a real study, a deep probe. There is nothing artificial about it. Thank goodness my wife is a huge C.S. Lewis fan or I might not have picked it up at all. But she recommended it to me, and I had it on a trip, and for hours and hours I read, mesmerized in a way that few thrillers can even achieve. What did I find? I found that in this work C.S. Lewis single-handedly legitimizes religion as a belief, lifestyle, and philosophy. And what makes Lewis most credible is that Mere Christianity is not designed to make any reader comfortable, from agnostic to new age believer to hard core Christian. His ideas and reasoning are solid and unavoidable. His ability to address concerns is acute and thorough. He is not pompous, but he is confident. Where he is unsure of something, he admits it, though I'd be careful to deviate from such a sound philosopher. Probably his greatest talent is his use of applicable examples and parallel images. Where a concept is vague, he has the ability to nail it down, to apply it to the known. C.S. Lewis rings of truth throughout. And probably the most important thing in his book, or in any book for that matter, is that when I put it down, I was determined to be a better person, to fix up deficiencies in my life. Mere Christianity is not "merely" another book on religion or Sunday School manual; it is a call to arms for every person who picks it up, regardless of their faith. Go to it with an open mind, and be prepared to act afterwards.Book Review: Hats off to a legend, as we go back to the basics!
Summary: 5 Stars
There is the story told of a teacher instructing a martial arts class. 2 of the class mates are squaring off. The one boy doesn't have the training as the other does, although he's giving it everything he has. He's pretty much throwing every bit of technique at the advanced student as he can, and yet he still continues to get beat. The teacher finally pulls the less of the 2 students off to the the sides and says, "I know that you are as tough as nails. I know what you know. Perhaps if you went back to the basics, it might not be so difficult." The boys line up and square off. They circle each other. The lesser student finds his opening, BOOM!!! The other kid is sprawled out on the mat. C.S. Lewis takes us through the basic points, and BOOM!! He floors us with what we thought was just going to be, "Mere Christianity." He wrote this back in the 1940's, yet he used a language that we can all understand, yet you have to take the time to comprehend what he's saying. I looked at this as a complex book on simple issues, and it constantly hit me between the eyes! There are places where you see God in a whole new light. It is like you've never seen it in such a perspective, yet now you find yourself amazed. His illustrations are very simple, yet sometimes you might want to read it again to get the full understanding of what he is saying. Then read it again, and smile, and praise God for this wonderful work! People have labeled this as "The most important book next to the Word of God." It just might be. And it is just the beginning.
C.S. Lewis used to be an atheist, and when he gave his talent to God, he became one of the most influencial writers that Christianity has ever seen! Folks, this is what happens when people might say, "God can't use that." And then God looks at what appears to be impossible and says, "Let's see what I can do!" Did people back then think that a former atheist could pull something like this off? This is just 1 of many wonderful works that Lewis has accomplished for the Kingdom of God! And it is so beautiful. Hats off to a legend!!!
Book Review: Probably the Best Book on Christianity I've Read so Far
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is based on a series of speeches CS Lewis gave on the radio during World War II, to present Christianity to his fellow Brittons. Adapted to book format, those speeches are a precious treasure for any person genuinely interested in Christianity, or plain spirituality and religiousness.
I cannot say enough about this book; it is witty, deeply intelligent, fun to read, never preaching, always convincing, and above all, Lewis always talks to you with honesty and not a bit of condescendence. He presents his arguments in a very clear, concise, and precise manner. The whole book gives you a lot to ponder about and that is true even for people who have already studied Christianity quite a bit, as I did. Never before did I see such a well executed introduction to Christianity and what it really means to be Christian.
I think so much of this relatively little book that I think it deserves a place in the Bible. Think me crazy, but this work is definitely more valuable than a certain amount of text in the Bible as it is today (and I mean no disrespect by saying this).
The best thing about "Mere Christianity", out of all the other things I can't mention here, is that it never gives you the usual dumb perceptions of Christianity, it always makes a lot of sense, and intrigues you. It's a delight of the brain and soul, and heart, to read the words of a most intelligent and faithful man like CS Lewis.
I went for this book because I really wanted to understand Christianity better, and perhaps even find some faith of my own, and even though I didn't think even this highly praised book would help, it did, but not exactly how I expected it to help. It helped me to see how intelligent Christianity could be, and how much sense it could make. Now I may not agree with everything Lewis talks of in that book (the nature of sexual desire, for one) but on the whole this is a book you will never regret reading.
Strongly recommended to anyone with an interest in Christianity, religions, spirituality, and Truth.
Book Review: One of the Best Overall Defenses of Christianity
Summary: 5 Stars
C.S. Lewis' masterpiece "Mere Christianity," which was adapted from a series of radio talks he gave in the 1940s, is both a convincing case for the truth of Christianity and an important reminder of its importance in our own lives. Preferring to forgo denominational debates and dogmatism, Lewis instead offers a case for the basic, essential tenets of the Christian faith.
Lewis accomplishes so much in this valuable book. To start off, Lewis establishes the existence of God via a convincing presentation of the Morality Argument. He argues that humans all have a basic moral code which we know that we should follow but which we know we fail to follow. God, argues Lewis, provides the explanation for this prescriptive moral law that we find ourselves obliged to obey. Near the end of the book, Lewis delves into the more difficult topics of theology including the nature of the Trinity and God's relationship to time. He handles these difficult topics remarkably well with his engaging style of writing.
But more than providing a convincing case for the truth of God's existence and Christianity, Lewis also provides a very powerful explanation of morality. He discusses moral issues that are relevant both for people in general and for Christians in particular. These chapters about morality are simply excellent. Even though they aren't apologetic in nature, I found Lewis' exposition of morality very useful and so persuasive that I think it will have a positive impact on my own life. Near the end of the book, Lewis gives a very convicting argument for the importance of taking Christianity seriously.
Mere Christianity is easy to read, and Lewis' style of providing simple analogies makes complicated topics intelligible and interesting. It may not be a heavily referenced or scholarly tome about Christian apologetics, but it is a convincing, clear, and simple defense of mere Christianity and of Christ's importance in our lives. Overall, "Mere Christianity" is a fantastic book that everyone, believer or unbeliever, should read.