Lewis the problem of pain is another attempt at christian theodicy, the defense of gods goodness in the. The opening few pages of lewis s the problem of pain 1940 offer a more compelling case for unbelief than a whole stack of books churned out by the socalled new atheists. Therefore, lewis was fighting with himself concerning god, or rather his idea of god, if he had to persuade himself there was no god or of anything else for that matter. C s lewis vs the new atheists kindle edition by williams. Lewis contemporary apologetics so often focus on the issues of biblical reliability and understanding in relation to science, and on the question of evil, as these are the. Cs lewis documentary the life story from atheism to theism. I was casually scrolling through my facebook feed this evening only to stumble across a post containing c. And then theres the cs lewis who has been reinvented by conservative christians. And i will tell you another view that is also too simple. Lewis, but also the depth to which williams has engaged the writings of the new atheists.
This book is incredibly well researched and leaves no stone unturned. Lewis is the spiritual homecoming story of clive staples lewis, a careful and thoughtful scholar who spent fifteen years journeying the long road from atheism to theism and, eventually, to christianity. Lewis is often described as an apostle to the skeptics that he somehow has a special affinity for the arguments, sensibilities, and perspectives of religious doubters and can, therefore, more easily reach them than other apologists. Cs lewis journey from atheism to faith jeff mckinney. Lewis conversion to christianity appears to have been more emotional than logical, despite some of his later protestations, and the importance of ones inner state is discussed by him as early as the pilgrims regress 1933 and as late as. His apologetic work mere christianity remains a top 5 apologetic for the christian faith, while his childrens books the chronicles of narnia continue to teach the christian faith in a powerful way. Apr 18, 2014 lewis had a lot to do with my conversion to christianity 5 decades ago, but now i obviously think he was mistaken.
Clive staples lewis 18981963 was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably one of the most influential writers of his day. Cs lewis on evil atheist forum engaging modern atheism. Lewis especially enjoyed christian author george macdonald. Since this is a cs lewis discussion, its worth pointing out that chestertons everlasting man was a big influence on lewis coming out of his own atheism.
Unless i believe in god, i cannot believe in thought. Macdonalds book phantastes caused lewis to rethink his atheism. Lewis with which most people are familiar, but there is also another c. His preuniversity tour of duty in world war i only solidified his atheism, since the. Lewiss most distinguished and popular accomplishments include mere christianity, out of the silent planet, the great divorce, the screwtape letters, and the universally acknowledged classics. Mere christianity is a revised and expanded version of three radio talks lewis gave, and was written, as lewis explains in the preface, to present the mere essence of christianity. Lewis is commemorated on 22 november in the church calendar of the episcopal church. Lewis reflections on morality and objective reality. Lewis stayed with the traditional christian belief that christ was fully god and fully human during his life on earth. Lewis 18981963 was a british novelist, poet, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, theologian, broadcaster, and lecturer.
Part of a large selection of christian quotes and sayings in a variety of topics by famous people, authors, theologians. Theres no doubt that cs lewis was a creationist who rejected evolution. The road back to faith was cluttered with obstacles lewis once thought impossible to overcome. I was surprised to learn that cs lewis was an atheist prior to becoming one of the most widely read christian authors in history. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken.
Im amazed that this book seems to get even better with time. He was a fellow and tutor in english literature at oxford university until 1954, when he was unanimously elected to the chair of medieval and renaissance literature at cambridge university, a position he held until his retirement. Disillusioned that god had not healed his mother, lewis set out on a path toward fullbodied rationalism and atheism. Lewis, and the challenges of faith that lewis faced a man who would later become a powerhouse of influence in the christian world with both his fiction and nonfiction writings for children and adults it helped to normalize how she felt. Lewis quotes author of the lion, the witch and the. Lewiss long journey away from, and back to, faith began with his mothers death from cancer when he was a boy. Lewis came centuries after descartes was skewered for trying the same. Many portions have been jumping out at me, as lewis argues brilliantly for the christian worldview that he came to from atheism and agnosticism. This popular difficulty advanced by atheists is gaining traction, because in modern times, according to lewis, the imagination has become more sensitive to bigness. If you think of this world as a place intended simply for our happiness, you find it quite intolerable. Lewis met two christian men who later became close friends.
A voracious reader, lewis was fond of the writings of christian authors george macdonald and g. The lion, the witch, and the wardrobe, the second book in the sevenbook narnia series, often tops mustread lists of classic. Lewis would survive the storm and steel of the first world war. The psychology of atheism, in which vitz turns the tables on the normal psychological charge of.
Lewis, heck provides support for his evidence through references of letters from lewis himself to other individuals. One of the young soldiers with his back to the wall was second lieutenant clive staples lewis. When i referenced hecks book, from atheism to christianity. From childrens books to science fiction, from apologetics to poetry, lewis skilled and inspiring words continue to bring hope and light to a dark world. Lewis, the greatest christian apologist of the twentieth century, respond to the twentyfirst century new atheism of richard dawkins, christopher hitchens and company.
Lewis, thereby appealing to readers interested in both loci and showing that there is nothing especially new about the new atheism. Lewis was himself an atheist for many years, after all, so its understandable why this would make sense. Nov 04, 20 ive recently been reading a fascinating book on c. He is best known for his works of fiction, especially the screwtape letters, the chronicles of narnia, and the space trilogy, and. Unconvincing to one who does not already agree with its basic assumptions. Nov 30, 2014 the most reluctant convert i read an extremely interesting account of cs lewis journey to faith recently and felt compelled to share it with you. New cs lewis documentary follows his journey from atheism to.
Cs lewis documentary the life story from atheism to. If there was ever a question as to the support of this book, the reader has the means through to research it. The 17minute documentary that premiered on youtube is one of three short films based on the book the magicians twin. Since gary wrote that article, the new atheism movement has mushroomed considerably, producing dozens of bestselling books. Contrasting contemporary and medieval mindsets about humanitys place in the cosmos, he argues that our secular conception is a romantic one and that, by extension, modern atheism is a romantic vision. Clive staples lewis was born in 1898, 42 years after freud. In the naturalist world, everything must have a physical cause, whether chemical, electrical, gravitational, or biological. Lewis and sigmund freud debate god, love, sex and the meaning of life by armand m. The case for christianity broadcast talks in the uk 1942, christian. Clive staples lewis 29 november 1898 22 november 1963 was a british writer and lay theologian. He held academic positions in english literature at both oxford university magdalen college, 19251954 and cambridge university magdalene college, 19541963. Rather his christian books are compelling precisely because he spent so many years as an unbeliever. The author of narnia, cs lewis is one of the most incredible writers of all time.
November 4, 20 ive recently been reading a fascinating book on c. Jan 26, 2015 lewis especially enjoyed christian author george macdonald. But if i cant trust my own thinking, of course i cant trust the arguments leading to atheism, and therefore have no reason to be an atheist, or anything else. Jan 02, 2020 macdonalds book phantastes caused lewis to rethink his atheism. Lewis, the greatest christian apologist of the twentieth century, respond to the twentyfirst century new. Lewis vs the new atheists counters the new atheist movement using the arguments of c. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must. Mere christianity is more of an explanation of what basic christianity is than a work of apologetics, though there is always that element in lewis s writings. He is best known for his fictional works, including the screwtape letters, the space trilogy, and the chronicles of narnia. Lewis quotes life you will never know how much you believe something until it is a matter of life and death.
The most reluctant convert i read an extremely interesting account of cs lewis journey to faith recently and felt compelled to share it with you. The second man fears the dog because it has a black coat, and he was once bitten by a black dog in childhood. The romantic vision of atheism in the discarded image, c. Part of a large selection of christian quotes and sayings in a variety of topics by famous people, authors, theologians, pastors, preachers, teachers, and other notable christians. Lewis had a lot to do with my conversion to christianity 5 decades ago, but now i obviously think he was mistaken. Watch his amazing journey from atheism to the theism and how he came across the gospel and gave his life to god. New cs lewis documentary follows his journey from atheism. Lewis argument against atheism is a joke and heres why. The book covers the impact cs lewis had and still has on various philosophers from the past and today, his journey from atheism to christianity, a refutation of scientism and logical positivism, the argument from desire, the argument from reason, the moral argument and lewis jesus. Sep 15, 2019 theres no doubt that cs lewis was a creationist who rejected evolution.
Sep 22, 2012 rare early picture of cs lewis, on the cover of all my road before me from his early and agnostic or atheistic days. In this book, peter williams clearly demonstrates that this is not the case at all. Lewis as some kind of apologetic genius, a true intellectual defender of the logical soundness. Lewis on science, scientism, and society, by author john g. In the same book, he affirmed his belief in the virgin birth of christ. Watch his amazing journey from atheism to the theism and how. Clive staples lewis 18981963, former oxford professor, christian apologist, lay theologian of now legendary status. This coincidence was the inspiration for peter kreefts book between heaven and hell. Apr 16, 2017 the author of narnia, cs lewis is one of the most incredible writers of all time. While macdonald and chesterton were stirring lewiss thoughts, close friend owen barfield pounced on the logic of lewiss atheism.
Lewis vs the new atheists counters the new atheist movement using the. Lewis argument against atheism is a joke and heres. Lewis as atheist turned apostle in an introduction to a broadcast given on 11 january 1942, which was later deleted from the published text, lewis explains why he was chosen to give the talks. Chestertons book the everlasting man led lewis to question his dismissal of religion.
The first man holds this opinion because he has often seen it muzzled and has noticed that the mailman avoids that house. Considered a classic of christian apologetics, the transcripts of the broadcasts originally appeared in print as three separate pamphlets. The book will counter the new atheist movement using the arguments of c. Lewis, adapted from a series of bbc radio talks made between 1941 and 1944, while lewis was at oxford during the second world war. Downing mentions paul vitzs book, faith of the fatherless. Rare early picture of cs lewis, on the cover of all my road before me from his early and agnostic or atheistic days. Inspired by the bestselling book the question of god. This is the story of how one of the worlds most famous atheists became one of its most famous christians. Throughout his life, lewis struggled with what he called the argument from undesign the reality that nature exhibits cruelty and imperfection as well.
I first read it as a young christian forty years ago. Lewis writer, poet, scholar, christian apologist, oxford professor, and theologian continues to be remembered as one of the most quoted and wellknown authors of all time. Lewis, but also the depth to which williams has engaged the writings of the. What it actually did to me, wrote lewis, was to convert, even to baptize my imagination. Lewis makes a counterintuitive point about modern atheism. Lewis uses this simple idea to mount a powerful critique of atheism, or, as he calls it, naturalismthe belief that nothing exists outside the physical world of cause and effect. Mere christianity is more of an explanation of what basic christianity is than a work of apologetics, though there is always that element in lewiss writings. Lewis, thereby appealing to readers interested in both loci and showing that there. It is the view i call christianityandwater, the view which simply says there is a good god in heaven and everything is all rightleaving out all the difficult and terrible doctrines about sin and hell and the devil, and the redemption. Jul 15, 20 since this is a cs lewis discussion, its worth pointing out that chestertons everlasting man was a big influence on lewis coming out of his own atheism.
He was a very skilful writer, and he used arguments which are hard to refute without considerable additional learning. Lewis wrote more than thirty books, allowing him to reach a vast audience, and his works continue to attract thousands of new readers every year. The book will counter the new atheist movement usi. One volume, phantastes, powerfully challenged his atheism. Lewis tells a story about two men who both think that a certain dog is dangerous.
1229 147 1183 978 14 1044 127 1193 199 1240 109 630 1454 1007 1406 885 1264 1012 479 1487 220 1052 913 836 1220 549 948 140 1199 953 727 239 646 1368