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Summary: This is one of the greatest Christian books ever written
Review: This is one of the greatest Christian books ever written, and it is more than very exciting indeed to see that, years after it first came out, Christians are still reading from it and profiting from it. This is one of those life-changing books that every Christian ought to read - and one that they can easily give to their non-Christian friends, especially in the mushy post-modern age that we live in now. Buy it now! Christopher Catherwood, someone who corresponded with CS Lewis in the great man's lifetime and now the author of CHRISTIANS MUSLIMS AND ISLAMIC RAGE (Zondervan, 2003)
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Summary: has long been a favorite of God's people
Review: One of the peculiar aspects of this treatise is the void of scriptural references. The famed Dr. Lewis makes his appeal to human logic, not to the spirit of man. While this man seem repugnant to some believers, keep in mind that Lewis is addressing - not Christians - but the uncoverted, whose understanding is not spiritual but carnal. Even so, this book has long been a favorite of God's people who find great assurance in the arguments of Lewis.For more on apologetics, you will find Dr. Hugh Ross has excellent works. For an interesting, enlightening and uplifting book that speaks to the spirit, I heartily recommend The Prayer of Hannah by Kenn Gividen. Just type Gividen in the search engine, and it will come up.
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Summary: Interesting, but not convincing to me
Review: I'll be right up front with my own religious orientation and say that I'm an atheist. As such, I suppose I am the ideal audience for this book, since CS Lewis undertakes to explain the fundamental unifying beliefs of the various Christian denominations in simple language and analogy that should be clear to anyone. In this, he succeeds admirably, although his tone often comes off as condescending. In the end, however, I was not persuaded. I am put off by his views on homosexuals and the role of women as well as his acceptance of the Christian's permission (if not obligation) to kill in cases such as war or criminal punishment. I was also not convinced by his basic premise that God must exist because humans everywhere share a basic moral sense. It is easier for me to believe that we evolved certain behaviors because they allowed us to coexist relatively peacefully in communities; these behaviors had survival value for us because we are best able to thrive in communities. Being the intellectually complex beings that we are, we have developed sets of religious belief to explain these behaviors and tendencies to ourselves. These problems notwithstanding, "Mere Christianity" is a readable and illuminating introduction to Christian thought and merits reading.
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Summary: Wow...
Review: One night, several years ago, a great figure stepped into my life, someone whom I have read and admired ever since. I was waiting with my mother in a Christian bookstore for my father, when I spied a book, titled Mere Christianity. Thinking it looked like good book(And already familiar with the Chronicles of Narnia), I bought it. Now, as I sit here, I think of the books I have to read- works by Anselm, Aquinas, Augustine, Plato, Aristotle, Kierkergaard- and it is the influence Clive Staples Lewis had on my life. In simple language, C. S. Lewis explains basic Christian doctrine and theology. Only the Epistles are a better introduction to Christian thought. Personally, I liked the fact that C. S. Lewis didn't use too many Bible quotes- it's easy to find them yourself, and it makes the book more readable for an atheist. A truly great book.
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Summary: A Powerful Defense
Review: This book is startlingly simple. I have read many books that defend the Christian faith, but never have I read one that is more accessible and truthful. C.S. Lewis takes a simple idea (the fact all humans have a general sense of what is right and wrong), and from that simple premise builds a faith around it. He makes comparisons between the Christian faith and everyday events that might seem overly simple at first, but upon further speculation one realizes that it really does make sense. Lewis kills the notion that Christianity is a simple leap of faith; rather it is the thinking man's religion. This book certainly will not change your life, only God can do that, but it can certainly prompt you to look to the heavens in search of help. If you are already a Christian, you will discover comfort in your belief from this book, I surely did.
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Summary: C. S. Lewis At His Best....
Review: I've never seen C. S. Lewis do such an incredible job at explaining something, especially something so complex as Christianity. He knows how to keep it simple and level so it's usually easy to understand but uses interesting analogies along the way. This is a book I would want any atheist friend of mine reading just to take it into perspective and think on it. It would be well worth the money.
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Summary: Pure Genius
Review: Though this book may be hard for younger readers, for those who understand the vocabulary and can grasp Lewis' style, this piece contains a wealth of insight on Christianity. It is a book you must read multiple times to catch everything, only because there is so much to it. CS Lewis is my favorite author, this book a large reason why.
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Summary: Well written and occasionally thought provoking
Review: I was very much looking forward to borrowing this book, held by many as the be-all end-all of Christian apologetics, from my brother. In many respects, I was very pleased with what I found -- Lewis is a very strong writer, with a clear voice, clear non-ambiguous argumentative style, and it always seems as though he's speaking with you, rather than at you. He's not a preacher or an evangelist -- he's a man who just wants to put what he believes out there in the open, take it or leave. At several instances, he acknowledges the boundaries of his words: for instance, in his chapter on faith, he says "I am not asking anyone to accept Christianity if his best reasoning tells him that the weight of the evidence is against" (p. 140), recognizing the possibility without being condescending to the person who holds it. For bringing logical, rational thought to an area of thought of dominated by televangelists and mindless cliches, it's a breathe of fresh air to see somebody actually arguing on basic principles for their beliefs, and accepting that if somebody disagree that is fully within their rights as well. It's something I wish more people would do, and if reading this book is a good way to promote that, I recommend this to everyone. I suspect this book with be regarded the strongest by Christians who wish to strengthen their beliefs, and will be a useful tool for people who wish to come into belief but don't know quite what that entails. For the wavering Christian, I don't think you can do better than this book: it's well written, clear, and so far as I can gather from the lauding, accurate to its source, the Bible. That said, I was surprised at points -- given how highly regarded this book is not only as a theology book, but as a apologistic/philosophy book -- to see some of the arguments used. He has many good points, of course, which I should not overlook mentioning. His argument against the problem of evil is nearly classic -- I've seen it quote a couple dozen times. One does not know evil, he argues, unless he measures it against good, just as one does not know a crooked like unless he sees a straight one. Far from a universal truth (opinions on good and evil differ) but a strong point about the subjectivity of the argument. His arguments for Christian charity and the value of deliberation are likely to strike a strong chord with all. But I think there are some shortcomings. He uses the example of witches to show that people do not disagree directly on morality unless they disagree on the facts (witches were believed to be "people going about who had sold themselves to the devil and received supernatural powers from him in return and were using these powers to kill their neighbours or drive them amd or bring bad weather"). But there are many instances where the facts are clear but people directly disagree about the moral implications, aren't there? How about masturbation? Or homosexuality? Or animal rights? Or abortion? Certainly with the first two the facts are amply clear, but there appears to be a great moral divide -- some feel these are moral permissable, and others feel they are a moral abomination. Why isn't the inner voice clearer on these obviously moral issues? He argues for the Christian devil by taking the Dualist point of view (there is an absolute good and an absolute bad power, equally powerful) and reducing it down to a more Christian-friendly idea (there is an absolute good power, and a rebelling, but lesser powerful, evil power). I was left with the impression: What of the person who simply believes the devil isn't a necessary being? He never directly argues for a devil, or defends against critisisms of the Christian conception of the devil, both of which are critical elements in any argument which comes to his conclusion. His argument for Christ as the one and only Son of God goes basically along these lines: if somebody makes a claim about who they are, they are either correct or crazy; since Christ claimed to be God and appears to be a good and rationally sane person, he cannot be crazy; therefore he is the God. I know this isn't the only reason C. S. Lewis believed what he believed (although it's the only one cited), but I honestly could not believe reading this in print. If Gandhi had but claimed to have been God, we would be praising his name? Come on... His forays into God-time logic are interesting. I disagree with his assessment that "Everyone who believes in God at all believes that He knows what you are and I are going to do tomorrow" (p. 170). I'm a theist, and I believe no such thing; it's is entirely incompatable with free will, which I hold to be a self-evident truth. Perhaps this was a reasonable statement at the time, but even the last few theist debaters I've seen haven't held such a view, usually limiting God's omniscience to present state knowledge rather than pre-cognition. Granted, one was Muslim, but doesn't he fall under Lewis' statement as well? Lewis is usually very good at his choice of analogy, although I found one oddity later in the book (if they hadn't been in consecutive chapters, I may not have noticed it). He argues that individuality cannot be maintained through collectivity, as if life became one in the afterlife, because a drop ceases to be a drop when it is placed in an ocean. He then argues that individual *can* be maintained through collectivity, as in the trinity of God, because they are merely dimensions of the same thing and dimensions are distinct. But couldn't one just as easily argue that the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ lose their individuality, like a drop in the ocean (God), or that people in an afterlife maintain their individuality in a collective afterlife, just as dimensions keep their individuality when more is added? Anyway, enough brain fodder. Recommended reading. Matthew D. Johnston
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Summary: The Best Christian Book - After The Bible!
Review: Never part from the Bible, of course, but if you want insights from a brilliant mind on practical Christian living, look no further. This book has relevance to every Christian and deserves a place on any believer's shelf.
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Summary: Gentle Humor and Reason in an Intro to Christianity
Review: There's a reason Mere Christianity is one of the "most popular books written in the last 100 years". Lewis put his extraordinary writing talent to use to present yet another wonderful case for Christianity. He aimed this book at normal readers who might have questions about the basic beliefs of Christianity. The great majority of readers and reviewers feel that he succeeeded brilliantly, as do I. I've read it three times over the past few years and it always brings me smiles. A bonus is the gentle humor that Lewis uses in describing some of his examples. This book clarified many points for me and truly made me want to read the bible even more.
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