In the Christian faith, God is a source of power and authority. God is the father of all creation. God does not pursue followers; his followers are in a constant pursuit of God. However, according to C.S Lewis, "when [it comes] to knowing God, the initiative lies on his side" (164). God does not show himself to all of his believers. Through the use of metaphors, Lewis presents and explains why God shows himself to different followers within the Christian faith.
Christians have different views on why god shows himself to different people. Some believe the chosen people are somehow divine or in special need of God or they are God's favorites. C.S Lewis believes that God shows himself to certain people not because they are special but because they are more open to receive him. God cannot "show himself to a man whose whole mind and character are in the wrong condition" (164). Lewis explains how if believers are in the wrong condition, they will not receive God. One can then assume that they must be in good condition to receive God. Being in good condition in the eyes of God
…show more content…
Theological arguments cannot be proved because they are rooted in faith. Regardless of the lack of proof, Lewis presents metaphors that make the idea that god shows himself to those who are open and have pure souls. From a logical point of view, this makes sense. God would probably show himself to a believer who embodies his teachings. However, this is not to say that he chooses his favorite believers, he shows himself to those more open to receiving him which are more likely to be active believers. This is similar to what Lewis was saying about the sun. The sun does not choose to shine brighter on a cleaner mirror than a dirty mirror, it shines brighter because the surface does not have anything hindering the sunlight from reflecting. If the Christian soul has something hindering it, then it cannot receive
He further clarifies that in Christianity, God is not even a person. Instead, he is a dynamic, pulsating activity — almost a kind of drama. Additionally, he says the Holy Spirit also shares in the same love that exists between God and Jesus; and like them, He is eternal also. The author informs us that we too can share in that eternal love, and we can help others share in it as well. Here, he reminds us that those superior traits, as well as appalling ones that we know, come by a kind of infection — we come in contact with the source of the infection. Therefore, we can take part in the shared love that exists between the three persons by coming in contact with that love. Furthermore, we can expose others to that love, so that they might also become infected. Each of us, then, can become a "little Christ," which is the whole purpose of becoming a
The element of fog has been long recognized as a major symbol in That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis. Most scholars view the fog as a symbol of Mark feeling trapped (Cheaney) but in addition to that, it is believed that the fog is symbolizing a dark period of time where the town of Edgestow is being overtaken. The fog that begins to cover Edgestow symbolizes much more than just a thick cloud of tiny water droplets suspended in the atmosphere. The fog, made of water, is a kind of darkness which can be felt.
But in a Christian’s religion they believe that there is a real and living God that can do everything for them, supply their needs, heal, guide and protect them. Their God can talk, hear and direct them in the right path; if they only accept and believe in him. Their religious opinions would lead them to unethical behavior and lower their ability to appreciate the cruel nature of their acts. We must turn the ethical principles to protect ourselves from narrow-minded and cruel religious practices. (Paul,
In 2002, Doctor Armand Nicholi, Jr. sought to put two of the greatest minds of the 20th century together to debate the answer to the lifelong question, “Is there a God, and if so, how should we respond to his existence?” Nicholi is the first scholar to ever put the arguments of C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud side by side in an attempt to recreate as realistic of a debate as possible between the two men. He examines their writings, letters, and lectures in an attempt to accurately represent both men in this debate. His result, the nearly 300 page book, The Question of God: C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life, is one of the most comprehensive, well researched, and unbiased summaries of the debate between
Everyone goes mad in their own particular way. Nowra thinks madness is too generalised, and it is based on each individuals past and experiences etc.
Although there are many turning points in John Lewis’ life. I will be discussing three of his turning points. These turning points are important because it helped him become resilient, determined, and gave him ways to elaborate on an issue that arose during that time which was Civil Rights. His first turning point was at age four when he got his first bible. The second turning point was when he was inspired by Martin Luther King’s speech on the Social Gospel and his view on Civil Rights. John Lewis’ attendance at Jim Lawson’s workshops about non-violent protesting was his third turning point.
At first, his faith in God becomes genuine. He becomes so interested in learning and knowing everything about God. When asked why he prays to God he answers, “Why did I
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.
The Gospel of John’s perspective depicts Jesus proclaiming “‘Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me, and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me’” (John 12:44-45). In this passage Jesus proclaims that belief in him also involves belief in the one who sent him, God. Jesus also says that anyone who sees him can
The book Simply Jesus concludes with N.T. Wright writing about the rule of God, how far God spreads that rule that he has over the world and how far God’s rule goes to his and into his people, his followers. N.T. Wright continues his conclusion of Simply Jesus by writing about Jesus followers, the followers that have displayed and prioritized the use of worship. Wright concludes with worship being the way, the new way, to be human to the everyone and the world as a whole.
Williams gears his argument towards those who have at least an intermediate knowledge of Catholicism. He begins by acknowledging that he has yet to find concrete proof of the existence of God; However, he continues by saying that in order to prove the existence of something he must also consider the counter argument of the existence of God. His references of various saints suggest that hiss argument is geared towards those who have a basic understanding of the faith and have some level of understanding regarding the people who have helped shape the faith. Williams goes on to reference the Bible to convince the audience of the existence of a higher power but never fails to admit that there is a lack of concrete evidence of such a being. Williams’ argument is suited for his perspective audience because he references material that is familiar to readers. He also touches on specific points that
Humans have a tendency to build a wall of pretense around themselves in an effort to have a social standing among their peers. This wall, however, does not stand up to God. He knows what goes on in the hearts of men. And while to everyone else it may seem as though a person may be leading an honest and faithful life, God can see just how much fruitful that person is. After all, in the end – all the believers will be taken to Heaven while the nonbelievers will wither away – just like the fig
As C.S. Lewis stated, “The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles but to irrigate deserts”(The Abolition of Man). To me, this quote means that educators should not strive to shape how student’s mind’s work, but instead teach students how to grow their own strengths and abilities. The Kelley in Oxford program provides students the unique opportunity to create richness and cultivate our minds. It would be an honor to study at such a historic school with my peers, to explore a new surrounding and at the same time be connected with Kelley School and Professors. Not to mention, Oxford is the place C.S. Lewis was very attached, and it would be a dream to see where this amazing author and theologian studied and taught.
Instead of placing one’s self-worth in things of the world, a person can find their value in God alone. For example, ballet often causes an individual to be overly focused on how they look and achieving the perfect dancer’s body to satisfy themselves, their teachers, or their audience. Because of this, many dancers have poor self-image which can lead to eating disorders or other unhealthy lifestyles. However, if Christianity is the focus of the dance studio, much less emphasis is placed on being perfect, and the focus is mainly enjoying dance and using the gift God has given. Furthermore, dancers no longer have to seek approval from the world and others which encourages them to become all God has created them to be. God tells us that we should find our identity and value in Him alone. When an individual values themselves, they also begin to value others and view them differently. In the novel Quo Vadis, Vinicius was infatuated with Lygia’s looks and viewed her as an object that he needed to possess. When God captured his heart, Vinicius’ affection for Lygia was no longer based on her outward appearance. He saw her as a person that he should honor, love, and respect. (Gutenberg.org) When one values others, they consider them and have the attitude of “do to others what you would have them do to you” rather than just considering themselves. (Matthew 7:12) Finally, accepting Christianity changes one’s view of God. C.S. Lewis, a renowned Christian apologist, struggled with his view of God throughout his early life. When he was young, Lewis became angry at God for events in his life that he saw as unfair and cruel. Later on, Lewis realized that God is just and loving and always has a plan and purpose. (cbn.com) After learning who God truly is, Lewis accepted Him as his savior, and his life was forever changed. Instead of being
The Bible provides a wealth of passages that help a person to develop a well-founded knowledge of who God is. Psalm 139 provides evidence of God’s unwavering love for us and His desire to be intimately involved in our lives (Ps. 139:1-5). This passage demonstrates the Lord’s infinite knowledge of who man is and how He understands each person better than anyone else. He is able to fully understand every man’s thought before he even thinks it, which means that God understands men better than they understands themselves^1. The fundamental belief of Christianity is that God is the Creator of all things, yet He is intimately involved with every aspect of our lives (Ps. 139:1-5). Many Christians believe that God loves them and cares about their future, yet they do not act like it. They do not acknowledge Him in their actions. However, if a person truly believes that God is active in their daily life, they should study the scriptures to