Enduring Evangelism Tool for Skeptics

books:


	• Mere Christianity C. S. Lewis HarperOne, 2001 - 227 pages average customer review:based on 447 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

The Place to Start

MERE CHRISTIANITY represents an excellent distillation of Lewis' thought on the essential elements of Christianity. He knows, of course, that the word 'mere' can mean 'simple' or 'basic' but that it once meant 'pure' or 'essential'. This book gives you the supreme elements of Christian thought, but in simple, accessible terms. That is, of course, Lewis' forte--to depict the complex with a very light touch. Here he talks about such notions as human nature, Christian morality, virtue, and the triune God and he does so in chapter/segments slightly longer than sound bites. The reader is neither stretched on a rack of jargon and chop-logic nor asked to bear up under an onslaught of endless, vague verbiage. S/he is given the unvarnished truth of Christianity in clear terms and manageable segments. One can 'read in' the book, as one reads in the Bible or the Book of Common Prayer. This is the perfect introduction to Christian thought and the perfect introduction to the insights of Lewis the believer.

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Enduring Evangelism Tool for Skeptics

Along with some of his other works, and despite a few flaws, C.S. Lewis' "Mere Christianity" remains one of the more effective apologetics and evangelism tools available to use with those of a Western mindset grounded in science and logic.

Besides one of his more famous quotes about what everyone must make of Jesus Christ--Son of God, fool, demon, or a great human teacher, there is another quote in the chapter on "What Christians Believe" that stands out as well. It has been well noted that the extreme doctrines held by some evangelicals actually encourage atheism--Lewis sets both the skeptics and extremists straight.

"God created things which had free well. That means creatures which can go either wrong or right. Some people think they can imagine a creature which was free but had no possibility of going wrong; I cannot. If a thing is free to be good it is also free to be bad. And free will is what has made evil possible. Why, then, did God give them free will? Because free will, through it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having. A world of automata--of creatures that worked like machines--would hardly be worth creating. The happiness which God designs for His higher creatures is the happiness of being freely, voluntarily united to Him and to each other in an ecstasy of love and delight compared with which the most rapturous love between a man and woman on this earth is mere milk and water. And for that they must be free."

"Of course God knew what would happen if they used their freedom the wrong way: apparently He thought it worth the risk. Perhaps we feel inclined to disagree with Him. But there is a difficulty about disagreeing with God...If God thinks this state of war in the universe a price worth paying for fee will--that is, for making a live world in which creatures can do real good or harm and something of real importance can happen, instead of a toy world which only moves when He pulls the strings--then we may take it it is worth paying."

Some areas where I disagree with Lewis are:
1) That there may be life in other "worlds"
2) His position as a theistic evolutionist
3) "There are people in other religions who are being led by God's secret influence to concentrate on those parts of their religion which are in agreement with Christianity, and who thus belong to Christ without knowing it."

Besides these criticisms, Lewis' writings have been used quite successfully as a bridge to help bring many to a skeptic to a saving knowledge of Christ. Lewis remains a timeless and unique legacy to our Christian heritage. Go beyond Narnia and try Lewis' "The Screwtape Letters" as well!

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Timeless and Profound

C.S. Lewis provides a non-denominational view that penetrates the heart of the issues which make Christianity what it is. A must for anyone interested in understanding the tenets of Christianity.

Buy It!!

This is one of my favorite C.S. Lewis books, which is saying a lot.If you enjoy Lewis' apologetic books and his piercing intellect, this book is a must have.Many of the arguments he makes in this book I have used in talking to people, because they are so compelling.It is a classic for a reason.Buy it!!

reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

A forceful and accessible discussion of Christian belief that has become one of the most popular introductions to Christianity and one of the most popular of Lewis's books. Uncovers common ground upon which all Christians can stand together.

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