Mere Christianity Summary

In reading Bill Davis’ book, In All Things Christ Preeminent, it is evident that receiving an education at Covenant College will be a unique spiritual and intellectual experience. With Christ present in all areas of the school, the structure of the college and what it as an institution aspires to accomplish varies greatly from that of the high school I attended. Based on the Christ-like goals, instruction, and student body of Covenant College depicted in In All Things Christ Preeminent, receiving an education from Covenant seems vastly different from my secular experience at LaFayette High School.

Through Mere Christianity, much of the Catholic faith are shown. For example, God sent Jesus to save humanity because He is both God and man to perform the perfect suffering - perfect for He is God, and human because the Divine nature cannot suffer. Within the first half of the book, C.S. Lewis proves logical proof of God, intriguingly, by comparing to everyday life. In one small instance, he explains that reality and truth are not simple. A piece of paper may look simple, but it is made of thousands of atoms which light reflects to the eyes; then, interpreted by the brain in a more complex process. As a result, religion is not simple either. The book challenges one’s thinking of the world like the concept of evil. According to C.S. Lewis,

C.S. Lewis covers many topics in his fourth book contained in Mere Christianity titled BEYOND PERSONALITY: OR FIRST STEPS IN THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY. He addresses such topics as theology, what it means to be the Son of God, the three personal God, the relationship of God and time, the cost of being a Christian, how God works to turn us into image of Christ, why Christian growth is both hard and easy, and also what he thinks about our old personalities before becoming Christians. These are all relative topics that apply to us and our daily lives. Learning and understanding this book can help a Christian tremendously in forming a deeper relationship with God.

Lewis' argument in the third book is most important to the point I want to discuss. He argues through this chapter the Christian behavior. Morality is what he considers to be the basics of good Christian behavior. Lewis states that morality is not simply, "something that prevents you from having a good time", but rather morals are the "directions for running the human machine". Every moral rule is there to prevent wear and tear on the way machine operates. He realizes that is why the rules seem to be constantly getting in the way of are natural behavior. Lewis sees that some people think in terms of moral ideals not rules and obedience. Ideals suggest preference to personal taste. Something that subjective would be meaningless in practice. Idealistic notions are meaningless unless we try to carry them out. Acting on ideals requires rules. Lewis uses the analogy of the ship to show how ideals without rules can go wrong. If the ships keep on having crashes they will not be able to sail. If their steering gears do not work they will not be able to avoid crashes.

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis stands as a work in Christian apologetics, serving as a defense to the faith. The book was originally presented by C.S. Lewis during World War II, and aimed to be a simple, precise explanation of the Christian faith (Lewis 1). Lewis uses easy-to-understand language and vivid analogies to present a coherent case for Christianity, and addresses fundamental questions about morality, human nature, and God’s existence. A former atheist turned devout Christian, C.S. Lewis invites readers to inquire intellectually about faith and challenges them to consider the implications of their current beliefs and search for profound truth. While Christianity has many denominations, Mere Christianity aims to create a common ground

Book 3 of Mere Christianity contains 12 separate chapters, which has far too great a scope to address properly here, so a glimpse will have to suffice. In the first, Lewis examines three components of morality; the relations between men, the interior moral mechanics of a man, and the relationship between a man and the God who made him. Lewis makes the case that, since we are destined to live forever in one state or another, it is desperately important that we pay attention to the sort of Being we are becoming. Lewis points out that most of humanity can agree that keeping relations between men running smoothly are important, but varying world views and religions-or lack of religion, have produced some disagreements on the necessity of keeping one’s own ship in order, as it were, and it completely breaks down when the relationship between a man and his Maker are addressed, as there is virtually no agreement there.

Lewis upholds his focus on “mere” Christianity by not focusing on a certain denomination’s beliefs, but he focuses on what is accepted by Christians, of all sects, as a

Throughout the book, the author examines the problem with humanity and why humans lack belief. Guiding readers to the truth, C. S. Lewis demonstrates the bumper sticker that “truth lies beyond morals” through a Christian ethical system in his book “Mere Christianity.”

• Question 1: According to Lewis in Book III, chapter 1 ‘The three parts of morality,’ what are the three parts of morality listed. Give one illustration that Lewis uses to explain the three parts of morality. Do you agree with his assessment of culture’s acceptance of morality? Why or Why not?

Christian initially accepts this suggestion, for he is told by Mr. Worldly-Wiseman that Legality is a man who is known for his good works (Bunyan, 19). Christian them embarks on the trip to the Village of Morality, but in transit he encounters a hill that proved an insurmountable obstacle, along with the reappearance of Evangelist who shames him for trusting in the earthly qualities of morality and legality (Bunyan, 20-22). Therein we see confirmation of the notion that justification is by faith alone. For Christian, via the instruction and teachings of Evangelist, discards the knowledge and virtues of the concepts of morality and legality as nothing more than a fruitless diversion in comparison to seeking the Celestial City (Bunyan, 22).

In “Whose Religion is Christianity? The Gospel beyond the West,” by Lamin Sanneh, Christianity is told as a global faith whose most vibrant expressions and growth today are found in the non-Western world. The author explores these implications in context to modern life with in-depth intentions towards Christian learning and personal insight. Sanneh’s distinct narrative takes the form of a self-interview, in which he asks analytical questions on the cross-cultural development of Christianity to determine answers and predictions about the future. He believes religion contributes to intercultural understanding and has a large role to play in civil society.

Over time, religious roles have been shifting for many years which mold religious movements by the influence of other concepts and traditions. Chapter 3 of Torkel Brekke’s text, Fundamentalism: Prophecy and Protest in an age of Globalization, provides a greater insight on the shift of religious authorities. The chapter begins to introduce the meaning of religious authority and prophecy. The author expands on the three important types of religious specialists, the magicians, the prophets, and the priests (66), as well as the two types of prophetic roles, the ethical and the exemplary prophet (67). After giving a background on religious authority and prophecy, Brekke then goes into depth of the religious authority in the Muslim world and their changes in religious authority caused by secular movements which stirred reactions and change of views (72).

The Moral Law is the theme of the first book in C.S Lewis’ “Mere Christianity.” The Moral Law, as Lewis states, is the Law of Human Nature, which is a spoken or unspoken law that most humans in the world abide by. For example, Human Nature dictates that people should not kill each other because it is unethical and goes against human instinct. This type of behavior is understood in most civilised societies, even if people disobey the Natural Law. Humans come to this understanding and/or are taught to come to this understanding of the Moral Law.

“This parable, unique to Luke, requires the utmost care in its interpretation.  It must neither be over-allegorized as it was by the early church fathers, nor reduced to a simplistic meaning hardly worthy of Jesus’ teaching.  Above all, it must be understood in its context, with attention to the questions of vv.25 and 29 and to Jesus’ application in vv.36-37,” write Liefeld and Pao (The Expositor’s Bible Commentary 2007: 197).  It is highly important to an exegetical reading of this passage, found in St. Luke’s gospel in chapter ten, verses twenty-five through thirty-seven, that the focus lie on the context of the passage.  The central theme of this passage is that “one cannot define one’s neighbor; one can only be a neighbor” (Greek Testament

have often wondered throughout my life, as my literature and film interests grew and expanded, where my lines should be drawn. How far is too far, and where do excursions into more adult fiction turn from innocent interest into sin? I know that I have fairly strict lines on when sexual content or humor becomes inappropriate, and this is assisted by my lake of interest in the majority of genres that typically showcase such things. Additionally, my interest in genres that showcase gratuitous violence or cursing is also fairly minimal. However, I have always loved works of fantasy, mythology, and even supernatural, which has, on occasion, upset my grandparents. They would much prefer that my brother and I forgo Greek mythology in favor of C.S. Lewis.