The four loves summarizes four kinds of human love affection, friendship, erotic love, and the love of god. In the book mere christianity, published in 1952, but adapted from a series of talks lewis gave during world war ii, lewis discussed the influences satan and god have had on humankind. Heres a synopsis of lewis s thoughts, published in 1960 and based on a radio series he did with the bbc a few years previous. Letters to malcolm, are only a few of his bestselling works.
Lewis, however, cautions against misunderstanding such language. What most people dont realize is that it was first created as a series of radio broadcasts that came about due to the conflict and adversity faced by britain during world war ii. Lewis is regarded by many as the greatest contemporary lay writer for the christian faith. Lewis has won the admiration of millions of fans in england and here in the united states. Lewis suggests that, while god and christ are definite beings, the relationship between god and christ is also a person. Lewis argues for the existence of god, and then proceeds to outline what he believes are the fundamental tenants of christianity. The topic is, after all, cs lewis description of the trinity in mere christianity. Lewis means the agreed upon, common or essentials of christianity, not the peripheral or tangential.
At the end of the first chapter in mere christianity, lewis lays out the scope of his argument. Lewis quotes on faith humans are amphibianhalf spirit and half animal. Both christian and nonchristians benefit from reading this book. Christians will gain new insights as to why they believe nonchristians will find a brilliant exposition. Lewiss mere christianity, book 4 chapter 11 summary. What, in your opinion, is lewis offering us in mere christianity. And so the title of the new book was meant to suggest that on its pages one could find mere christianity. Once i opened the book, and read the first chapter, i questioned what took me so long to get to this masterpiece, centered on mans reaction to moral concepts and what it. The only place outside heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is hell.
He also wrote some delightful books for children and some science fiction, besides many works of literary criticism. We hope this study program provides you with greater understanding as you explore lewiss timeless book. I love lewis and by that i mean ive read everything the man wrote, have read different biographies about him, and listen to one of his books on audiobook basically any time im driving. May 22, 2017 i was long overdue, but recently, i finally sat down and read the classic, mere christianity, by 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. Lewis doodle bbc talk 6, mere christianity, bk 2, chapter 1. So the young lewis was deeply influenced by a love books, the verdant and.
First heard as informal radio broadcasts and then published as three separate books the case for christianity, christian behavior, and beyond personality mere christianity brings together what lewis saw as the fundamental truths of the religion. Lewis at war is a powerful and entertaining radio theatrestyle audio drama on cd that. Secondly, that they do not in fact behave in that way. This book is perfect for that because each entry is not more than 2 pages. I think the whole idea of a mere christianity as its been understood as some sort of trans. Good infection we usually imagine that results follow causes, and some of the language used in christianity follows this path e. First, lewis addresses our relationship to god as need love. Find a summary of this and each chapter of mere christianity.
The case for christianity broadcast talks in the uk 1942, christian. Lewis was invited to give a series of radio lectures addressing the central issues of. How does lewis resolve the issue of gods relation to future events and free will. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. I was long overdue, but recently, i finally sat down and read the classic, mere christianity, by c. Free download or read online mere christianity pdf epub book. He says the real christian meaning is love is god, as love is an. Mere christianity archives page 3 of 4 official site. The first edition of the novel was published in 1952, and was written by c. This fourth talk became chapter 5 of lewis book mere christianity and was originally called what do we do about it.
Men or nations who think they can revive the faith. In the past gentleman was used to mean one with a coat of arms and landed property, but today it means someone who is honorable and. Lewis is widely considered one of the greatest christian books of the twentieth century. Do not waste time bothering whether you love your neighbor. First, that human beings, all over the earth, have this curious idea that they ought to behave in a certain way, and cannot really get rid of it. I later became catholic, but it provided a good background for that leap. As i first started reading the book from the preface i found out that before c. Masterful without being magisterial, this books wise, gentle, candid reflections on the virtues and dangers of love draw on sources from jane austen to st. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on. Problem of pain, the screwtape letters, mere christianity, the four loves and the posthumous prayer. Thereare six to seven questions for each of the lectures. God the father, christ the son, and the holy spirit or holy ghost.
Apr 19, 2018 love may forgive all infirmities and love still in spite of them. Or first steps in the doctrine of the trinity chapter 1 summary. Lewis and mere christianity, i discussed lewis take on the concept of eternity. Lewis 1952 book mere christianity with great sadness, respect and hope. Across more than six decades, lewis is talking to me and anyone else who will listen about his christian faith. I enjoyed it mostly because i like reading a little bit each day. When you are behaving as if you loved someone you will presently come to love him p. How to use this study guide these study questions will help you to get the most out of the lectures by dr. Check out our revolutionary sidebyside summary and. Once i opened the book, and read the first chapter, i questioned what took me so long to get to this masterpiece, centered on mans reaction to moral concepts and what it truly means to be christian. Mere christianity book 4 chapter 11 summary course hero. Lewis continues to wrap up his book mere christianity, he addresses the idea in the bible in which god says, be ye perfect. The chapter on charity love of god may be the best thing lewis ever wrote about christianity.
Making and begetting readers want practical religion rather than theology, but lewis believes that readers are intelligent enough to deal with the latter. Book 1 1 there has been a great deal of soft soap talked about god for the last hundred years. A fellow and tutor at oxford until 1954, he spent the rest of his career as chair of medieval and renaissance english at cambridge. Buy a cheap copy of mere christianity journal book by c. Mere christianity book 4 chapter 4 summary course hero. Lewis covers many topics in his fourth book contained in. If you tell everyone reading this blog that lewis explanation, indeed the very concept of the dt, is illogical, you might expect a little bit of pushback from some of us like me who dont agree with you. Such an idea, lewis admits, sounds very strange, but perhaps god and christs relationship is like the spirit of a family or a club. Cs lewis the most beloved heretic the reluctant skeptic. That is not the same thing as the love that exists in god. The screwtape letters my argument against god was that the universe seemed so cruel. This became chapter 1 of book 4 in the book called mere christianity.
Lewis july 11, 2016 patrick t reardon 0 i finish c. Lewiss forceful and accessible doctrine of christian belief. In discussing charity in mere christianity, he says. First, lewis addresses our relationship to god as needlove. In the past gentleman was used to mean one with a coat of arms and landed property, but today it means someone who is honorable and courteous, and it is often used not as a fact but as praise. Find all the books, read about the author, and more.
Lewis turns to the maxim god is love, critiquing it for its implications that love implies a subject and an object whereas god is undifferentiated. Mere christianity paperback deckle edge, april 21, 2015. This study guide is unique in that it begins with an introduction that explains how mere christianity came into being, and also how lewis became a christian. Oct 01, 2015 this fourth talk became chapter 5 of lewis book mere christianity and was originally called what do we do about it. At first, perhaps, you can understand what he is doing. He says the real christian meaning is love is god, as love is an eternal, creative attribute of god. Lewis which explores the nature of love from a christian and philosophical perspective through thought experiments. Considered a classic of christian apologetics, the transcripts of the broadcasts originally appeared in print as three separate pamphlets. Lewis published the book he read them or gave them to someone to read aloud over the radio it was said to have been published into three separate parts the first one being named broadcast talks. The book was based on a set of radio talks from 1958 which had been criticised in the u. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 191 pages and is available in paperback format.
I have divided mere christianity into six discussions. The essentials of christianity are presented in an enlightening, easytograsp narrative. Those who put themselves in his hands will become perfect, as he is perfectperfect in love, wisdom, joy, beauty, and immortality. The main characters of this christian, religion story are. In book i, lewis explores the notion of right and wrong, which he argues is, at its core, an inherently human characteristic that is not, as some would argue, merely a social construct. The four loves summarizes four kinds of human loveaffection, friendship, erotic love, and the love of god. Mere christianity free essay and over 89,000 other research documents. Heres a synopsis of lewiss thoughts, published in 1960 and based on a radio series he did with the bbc a few years previous. He can, however, understand why people who have felt god do not see the need for.
Check out our revolutionary sidebyside summary and analysis. He wrote more than thirty books, both popular and scholarly, inlcuding the chronicles of narnia series, the screwtape letters, the four loves, mere christianity and surprised by joy. They say that christ is the son of god whatever that means. In 1941 england, when all hope was threatened by the inhumanity of war, c. A foundational idea in christianity is the trinity, which holds there is a single god with three aspects or parts. Mere christianity book 4 chapters 12 but as soon as you look at any real christian writings, you find that they are talking about something quite different from this popular religion. Lewis explains the concept of the trinity in terms of a threepersonal god. A human father exists before his son, but there is no before or after in the other realm. The screwtape letters men or nations who think they can revive the faith in order to make a good society might just as well think they can use the stairs of heaven as a short cut to the nearest chemists shop. One of the defining features of christianity is that it defines god as a dynamic, pulsating activity as well as a person. With his witty english humor, sharp and simple logic, and seeming loyalty to the tenets of the christian faith, c.
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