Grand Miracle

Rating:
Summary: A Compilation
Review: As a fan of Jack Lewis I was somewhat disappointed that this collection didn't live up to some of his other works. It should be noted that there are a few good insights to be found here, but not nearly what one would expect when compared to Lewis's other books. Furthermore, this is a posthumous collection that was edited from various sources including articles, speeches, interviews, which explains some of the reason for it being a departure from traditional Lewis work. I found the essay, "God in the Dock" to be helpful in that he argues for making the truths of the Scriptures understandable to people in the language to which they're accustomed. He explains, "The popular English language, then, simply has to be learned by him who would preach to the English: just as a missionary learns Bantu before preaching to the Bantus" (p. 149).
Chapter 24 is the transcript of an interview Lewis did with Sherwood E. Wirt. It contains a pithy quote on writing. Lewis says "Writing comes as a result of a very strong impulse, and when it does come, I for one must get it out" (p. 151).
Lewis addresses the issue of the preisthood of all believers by observing "...a sacred calling is not limited to ecclesiastical functions. The man who is weeding a field of turnips is also serving God" (p. 157).
I had difficulty deciding whether to give this book a 3 or 4 rating. The way I arrived at my decision was: compared to other Lewis writings it's a 3, compared to most other communicators it's a 4. As a result I went with the latter.

Rating:
Summary: For those who thought "god," not "God"
Review: God is not cool because He's not seen as God. He's not seen as incredible and yet always near. The Grand Miracle knocks the wall down and helps the reader to think of God as the most astounding and needed being you will ever encounter--and there's not a bit of academic bilge anywhere in this book. Pour a cup of tea and read till you're crying.

Rating:
Summary: Completely Dispensable
Review: Lewis's shorter works were generally originally composed as speeches or as articles for periodicals. Various sets of them were collected and published in book form both during his life and after his death. Trying to determine what works are in what collections is difficult - most works appear in more than one collection, some works appear under more than one title, and some collections appear under more than one title.

To aid readers, in this review I've listed the works in this collection, with notes indicating other collections they have appeared in. Where a work has appeared under more than one title, I give both titles separated by a slash.

Table of Contents:

"Miracles" (1), (2)

"Dogma and the Universe" / "Dogma and the Universe" & "Dogma and Science" (1), (2)

"Answers to Questions on Christianity" (1), (2), (3)

"Myth Became Fact" (1), (2)

"'Horrid Red Things'" (1), (2), (4), (5)

"Religion and Science" (1), (2)

"The Laws of Nature" (1), (2)

"The Grand Miracle" (1), (2)

"Christian Apologetics" (1), (2), (3), (5)

"Work and Prayer" (1), (2)

"Man or Rabbit?" (1), (2)

"Religion Without Dogma?" / "A Christian Reply to Professor Price" (1), (2), (3), (5)

"Some Thoughts" (1), (2), (4), (5)

"'The Trouble With "X" ...'" (1), (2)

"What are We to Make of Jesus Christ?" (1), (2)

"Dangers of National Repentance" (1), (2), (6)

"Two Ways With the Self" (1), (2), (6)

"On the Reading of Old Books" (1), (2), (4)

"Scraps" (1), (2), (6)

"The Decline of Religion" (1), (2), (4), (5)

"Vivisection" (1), (2), (4), (5)

"Modern Translations of the Bible" (1), (2), (4), (5)

"God in the Dock" / "Difficulties in Presenting the Christian Faith to Unbelievers" (1), (2)

"Cross-Examination" / "I was Decided Upon" & "Heaven, Earth and Outer Space" (1), (2), (6)

"The Sermon and the Lunch" (1), (2), (4)

"What Christmas Means to Me" (1), (2), (6)

Notes:

(1) also published in "God in the Dock - Essays on Theology and Ethics" / "Undeceptions - Essays on Theology and Ethics"

(2) also published in "Essay Collection & Other Short Pieces"

(3) also published in "Timeless at Heart: Essays on Theology"

(4) also published in "First and Second Things: Essays on Theology and Ethics"

(6) also published in "Christian Reunion and Other Essays"

Recommendations:

This is an unnecessary collection. Everything in it is already available in "God in the Dock - Essays on Theology and Ethics", it will overlap almost any other collection of Lewis' shorter writings on Christianity you might buy, and will give you no work you cannot get elsewhere. Don't buy it.

So what should you get?

If you are interested in Lewis's shorter works, my best advice is to get "Essay Collection & Other Short Pieces", which, as of the time of this writing, is available from .... That collection consists of about 130 short works by Lewis. The works in that collection are mostly, but not exclusively, Christian.

If your interest in Lewis's shorter works is restricted to those on Christianity, and your budget or enthusiasm does not run to "Essay Collection & Other Short Pieces", then my second-best advice is to get any or all of the following (they don't overlap significantly, and between them they include most of Lewis's shorter Christian writings):

"God in the Dock - Essays on Theology and Ethics"*

"The World's Last Night and Other Essays"

"Christian Reflections"

"The Weight of Glory and Other Addresses"

* Be careful - there is a UK Fontana paperback lurking about called "God in the Dock - Essays on Theology" that is substantially shorter than the "God in the Dock - Essays on Theology and Ethics" collection. A full version of "God in the Dock - Essays on Theology and Ethics" was published in the UK under the title "Undeceptions - Essays on Theology and Ethics".