Has anyone read books by C.S. Lewis

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I recently got the book Mere Christians by C.S. Lewis and i later found out that he considered himself an Anglican so I wanted to know how seriously i should consider his books.
 
I have read some of his books, and I thought Mere Christianity was rather good.

From what I’ve heard, his views generally line up pretty well with those of the Catholic Church, but you might want to read through a recent thread that talked about how accurately he reflected Catholic views.
 
C.S. Lewis was raised in an anti-catholic environment. Ironically his theology is SO Catholic that many Catholics think he converted. He didn’t and despite his Catholic theology, he perceived himself as being anti-catholic.
 
Lewis intentionally focused on common ground in orthodox Christianity. So, his writing is not obviously Anglican (or anything else) and he has broad appeal. Most of what I’ve read (which is a lot) I would characterize as basic Christian apologetics with a distinctively classical and intellectual style.
 
Marsha_Adams said:
C.S. Lewis was raised in an anti-catholic environment. Ironically his theology is SO Catholic that many Catholics think he converted. He didn’t and despite his Catholic theology, he perceived himself as being anti-catholic.
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No, he didn’t consider himself to be anti-Catholic. He just didn’t see any compelling reason to join the Roman Communion. Catholic apologists of a triumphalistic sort can’t stand this, so they come up with clever arguments to answer the non-problem of why Lewis didn’t “become a Catholic.”

And he didn’t just “consider himself an Anglican.” He was a baptized and confirmed Anglican, although by his own admission his confirmation and First Communion took place when he was in a state of unbelief and deliberate hypocrisy (he had become an atheist but went through with confirmation anyway because he didn’t want a fight with his father). He returned to the practice of the Christian Faith in his thirties, and quite naturally and properly returned to the communion in which he had been baptized and confirmed. One would think that Catholics would understand this. But I guess we are all Protestants now in some ways.

Edwin
 
Interestingly, he started a lot of his students on the path to the Catholic Church. Sheldon Vanauken and his wife Davy [A Severe Mercy] are good examples.
 
JerryS said:
Lewis intentionally focused on common ground in orthodox Christianity. So, his writing is not obviously Anglican (or anything else) and he has broad appeal. Most of what I’ve read (which is a lot) I would characterize as basic Christian apologetics with a distinctively classical and intellectual style.
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I would agree with this assessment. The occasion behind “Mere Christianity” was a series of broadcast talks Lewis was asked to give by the BBC. When Lewis committed the talks to writing for publication, he sent significant portions of the manuscripts to members of the Anglican, Catholic, Methodist, and Presbyterian clergy in order to obtain their opinions as to whether he was successfully engaging those important matters upon which Christians agree – and all four members of the clergy applied in the affirmative.
 
Pretty much anything you read in Lewis is a-ok on Catholic grounds. He very rarely touches on things that are disputed between the two groups. Certainly Mere Christianity is specifically meant to avoid discussing denominational differences, and was “vetted” by people from a number of denominations to help him be sure of that.

The biggest critics I have met of his theology were Calvinists, and I think it would indeed be a bit more difficult to reconcile Lewis understanding of sin and salvation with Calvinism.

As far as being “antiCatholic” one can not agree with something totally, but not be “anti” whatever it is.
 
I suggest The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis. In it, Conditioners decide what man is and what man will become. This is being realized in some ways right now. There is no right or wrong. Man will conquer nature. In the end, man will abolish man.

Peace,
Ed
 
Has anyone not read books by C.S. Lewis? He’s one of the most popular writers in Catholic circles during the last century, almost certainly the most popular non-Catholic writer among Catholics since Jesus Christ, and, through his lifelong friendship with JRR Tolkien, helped shape The Lord of The Rings… another book of incredible popularity among Catholics.

Lewis was an Anglican, but I’ve heard no less an authority than George Weigel (a very smart, very Catholic writer in his own right) give C.S. the official Catholic Seal of Approval. If you read it in Lewis, it is almost certainly bona fide okay with the Church, even if some of his ideas about heaven and salvation and such like could only be considered speculative. Weigel went so far as to say that “The reason C.S. Lewis never converted was so the Protestants would keep reading him.” Mr. Weigel was joking, of course, and we will probably never know why C.S. Lewis failed to see the light of Rome as so many members of the English Literary Revival already had (Newman, Waugh, Belloc, Chesterton)… but he was close. Very close. Close enough that his friend Mr. Tolkien held it against Lewis for the rest of his life when what Tolkien saw as Lewis’s anti-Catholic (and especially anti-clerical) prejudices ultimately held him back from seriously considering Catholicism.

In short, do continue reading Lewis. Grab The Screwtape Letters and The Great Divorce if you haven’t already.
 
Lewis might not have been Catholic, but even to Catholics he is one of the greatest Christian writers of all time. I see no reason why a Catholic cannot read his books, and in fact I think all Christians should read as many of his books as possible, as the man was one of the greatest minds of the past century and wrote so many books that can greatly effect your life in a positive way.

My big recommendation is The Screwtape Letters, but I also though Mere Christianity was great. I’m hoping to read the Out of the Silent Planet series soon, once I find the time.
 
Lweis’ work (God In The Dock and Mere Christianity) helped bring me back to the Church after I had fallen away. He is an excellent writer and while not specifically Catholic, he writes nothing that is against doctine. His sources include Catholic writers (Chesterton and others), He has IMHO the best argument for the existance of Jesus I have ever heard.
 
green889 said:
I recently got the book Mere Christians by C.S. Lewis and i later found out that he considered himself an Anglican so I wanted to know how seriously i should consider his books.
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My understanding is that C.S. Lewis attempted Christian apologetics that could be used by any Christian – Catholic or Protestant – hence the name Mere Christianity. As I’ve not read this book I cannot be sure about it. I have read The Screwtape Letters and I’m pretty sure the information in there could be used by any Christian to help avoid temptation.
 
Drawmack said:
My understanding is that C.S. Lewis attempted Christian apologetics that could be used by any Christian – Catholic or Protestant – hence the name Mere Christianity. As I’ve not read this book I cannot be sure about it. I have read The Screwtape Letters and I’m pretty sure the information in there could be used by any Christian to help avoid temptation.
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I teach theology at a Catholic university and have used “The Abolition of Man”, “Mere Christianity”, “The Screwtape Letters”, “The Great Divorce”, and “That Hideous Strength”. If you’re looking for specific Catholic dogma – you don’t use Lewis. But for discussions of those things which (as St. Vincent of Lerins stated") have been believed everywhere, at all times, by all Christians, it’s hard to top him.
 
There are the authors whose books you can read with intellectual pleasure .
Lewis is one of them.
I think I must re-new to study his works again.
There was some thing Catholic in him.
In my young years , I liked very much one of his chapters from the ‘‘Problem of pain’’ , some chapters of ‘‘mer christianity’’ , the abolishion of man.
As for me , his arguments were very evident , even simple and understandable , but actually they were just proving that - atheism is monstrous and unhuman ! that atheism is even criminal and illegal !!

I think that today C.S. Lewis must be widely read !
and he must be understood , especially by the secular humanists !

Reading Lewis , I understand that the values , law , justice , good , beauty , right and wrong ; can not be judged by man-made rules with no credence to God ! the Supreme Being ! who gives the sense to this life !

Without God , there is no true standards of justice and values , because all is just a matter of opinions .
Whatever happens – its without any sense , purpose and value !
Therefore atheism is monstrous and even criminal !
Because , ‘’ God IS ‘’ He is the higher standard of authority !

I don’t know
I think Lewis is revelational like Dostoevskiy !
Lewis just proves that humanism does not solve problems but actually creates the problems for humanity.
I must renew the study of the works of my good and old Lewis.

Of course , some of his theories are just opinions his opinions , actually he was more philosopher than theologist.
But his philosophical mind made him a good theologist as well .
In some opinions he just followed Augustine , Jerome.
( The same like Chesterton and Belloc were not economists but they revealed a great source of wisdom in understanding of socio-economics. )
C.S.Lewis was my favorite writer in my youth , and if I shall find his complete works , I shall definitely buy them and shall study again .
 
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