How important is it to read C S Lewis for your faith journey?

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bettercallpaul

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Mere Christianity
The Narnia Chronicles
 
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I haven’t read anything by him except random quotes, but my daughter loves his writings. Maybe someday I will get off CAF and read some of his books. 😉
 
I don’t know if it is important or not , but try adding “The Screwtape Letters” to your C.S. Lewis list.
 
I’ve got it now. I think the humour is an acquired taste. Older, veteran wise guy devil advises young apprentice devil. Not sure I am fond of the “gimmick” or style.
 
None really. Cradle Catholic here, educated by sisters and Jesuits.
He’s a great writer though!
 
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I know I should read the Bible more. I just keep getting distracted. 🙂
 
I don’t know. My faith journey has got me pretty darn far without ever touching a CS Lewis book that I can recall. Another one like that is GK Chesterton. On and on people go about how fantastic he is. I could not get through one book, could not get through it. Sorry. I say this sincerely. It’s my loss I am sure.
 
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Chesterton has that pompous style which Lewis sometimes comes across as well. Can be offputting.
 
Thank you. It was something about the whimsicality of it all - except it wasn’t whimsical. Or whatever it was supposed to be. The tone. (Chesterton not Lewis)
 
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I grew up with his books and am still discovering him.
Reading "The Four Loves "at present.A great and humble man.
 
bettercallpaul said:
Mere Christianity
The Narnia Chronicles
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Mere Christianity was the first book I read when I was drifting out of agnosticism/atheism. It lit a spark within me.

If you come from a Catholic background, none of his writing is all that essential, as any number of Catholic saints can - in my opinion - do it even better because of the advantage of 2000 years of Magisterial teaching, but I’m sure he nonetheless would be compelling to read.
 
The Chronicles of Narnia helped me understand the gentleness and protection of Jesus. I find it difficult to relate to Jesus in the Bible. But it was easy to do that with Narnia.
 
Mere Christianity helped me see the plausibility of Christianity and started me on the road that eventually led back to the Catholic Church. I like a lot of his other books, The Great Divorce and Screwtape Letters are good reads. However, as I’ve gotten older I’ve grown more critical of him and of the book Mere Christianity. Lewis was a true English “church man”. He was an Ulster Protestant, and I think it blinded him to the fullness of the Catholic faith, despite his brilliance. As far as “MC” goes I, personally, think it’s responsible for a lot of the “me and Jesus” version of Christianity. Lewis, although an Anglican, never addresses the need for a church or orthodoxy. I realize on the one hand he did so to appeal to a wider base, and I don’t think he would have considered the possible negative implications of the book. At this point I don’t recommend it nearly as often as I used to, although I do enjoy and recommend some of his other works.
 
CS Lewis writes great catholic theology

but his style is old fashioned

i would recommend the audio books over the written text; which frankly make me a little sleepy 😉
 
Do you know Peter Kreeft? He is a huge fan of C S Lewis. Just huge. Think I was influenced by Kreeft’s opinion of him. (Kreeft is an American Catholic Theologian)
 
I’m very familiar with, and have a great admiration for, Kreeft. My view on Lewis comes from seeing first-hand what reading only “MC” and not much else has done to my generation. It gives them the fork and knife, but no entree.
 
that’s the one. He has countless youtube videos. Do you think his Catholic view overly conservative?
 
I think is pretty orthodox, and I appreciate his ability to explain complex ideas in a well-packaged and digestible manner (good quality to have as philosophy prof!). Where philosophy is concerned it’s my general opinion that all theologians are philosophers, but not all philosophers are theologians. But Kreeft navigates both camps quite well, I think. He’s a asset to the Church.
 
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