Comments about ‘Defending the Faith: C.S. Lewis still has much to offer us’

RE: C.S. Lewis still has much to offer us. True:
C.S. Lewis: If Christianity was something we were making up, of course we would make it easier. But it is not. We cannot compete, in simplicity, with people who are inventing religions [JS]. How could we? We are dealing with fact. Of course anyone can be simple if he has no facts to bother about." The three personal God “Mere Christianity” C.S. Lewis gives some other analogies of the Tri(3) Unity.

C.S. Lewis ,”I think we probably differ about the meaning of creation. I take it to mean, to cause to be, “with-out pre-existing material,” to cause both form and matter of something pre-conceived in the Causer’s thought which after creation, is other than the Cause.

Excellent article! It says everything as to why he was one of the most brilliant writers of his time. He should be read by - well, by everyone. After reading many of his books, I've recommended him to people who would never, ever read a 'religious' book written by someone outside their denomination, and nearly every one of them have become readers of Lewis. He has something to give to all Christians, no matter their denomination. And that is part of the rare genius of the man.

Agree with Dr. Peterson about "The Screwtape Letters" and Lewis' other works. He is able to portray human nature in an entertaining way that causes us to consider ourselves. Even his more straightforward treatises such as Mere Christianity are entertaining and thought-provoking because his well thought out logic, no matter how deep, is presented in an easily understandable fashion.

C.S. Lewis' writings about faith and religion are ALL premised on a Trinitarian theology and understanding of God and man's relationship with God.

If you repudiate that Trinitarian theology, as the LDS have done and continue to do, then you cannot possibly understand C.S.Lewis or "learn" anything at all from his writings.

C.S.Lewis was one of the most popular apologists In Christendom, but the faith for which he was an outspoken and eloquent defender was the Trinitarian Faith.

RE: Defending the faith(Christian) C.S. Lewis and Francis Schaeffer (“Biblical orthodoxy without compassion is surely the ugliest thing in the world”) the most influential Christian Apologists of our time.

C. S. Lewis, Miracles. The fall of Adam, They say that the story of the fall of Adam in Genesis is not literal: and they go on to say (I have heard it myself)that it was really a fall upwards, which is like saying that because “My heart is broken” contains a metaphor, it therefore means “I feel very cheerful, This mode of interpretation I regard as nonsense.

Lewis, collected letters. ”The man who can dismiss “sinned in Adam” as an ‘idiom’ and identify virtue with the herd instinct is no use to me, despite his great learning.

Lewis, “The moment you have a self at all there is a possibility of putting yourself first, wanting to be centre-wanting to be God, in fact That was the sin of Satan: and that was the sin he taught the human race.

"If you repudiate that Trinitarian theology, as the LDS have done and continue to do, then you cannot possibly understand C.S.Lewis or 'learn' anything at all from his writings."

Huh? Do we have to be cantankerous lapsed Presbyterians to glean anything from Mark Twain? Mormons reading C. S. Lewis are mentally deft enough to separate Lewis' Trinitarianism from his insights on repentance, faith. etc.

Lewis' life and works are worth reading and thinking about. The man was clearly inspired. It is remarkable how many of his ideas dovetail with restoration theology. One of the best presentations on Lewis was put together by Lou Markos of Houston Baptist University. His recorded lecture set titled "The Life and Writings of C.S. Lewis" is a treat.

After listening to it, I went back to Lewis' apologetic writings and re-read them. He was a warm, kind and Christ-like man with a brilliant mind. One could do worse than to borrow a few pages from his life example and writings.

" Mormons reading C. S. Lewis are mentally deft enough to separate Lewis' Trinitarianism from his insights on repentance, faith. etc."

The first part of this statement is arguable, but the second part is to the point: if you presume that you can separate Lewis' insights on repentance, faith, etc. from his Trinitarian theology, then you have completely misunderstood his insights.

You cannot learn from someone you misunderstand.

A Scientist:

I'm a Mormon who actually appreciates when you point out the times we don't live up to the things we profess to believe, particularly in cases where Mormons criticize other religions and their teachings, or when we are close-minded and don't believe we can find anything of value from another religious source.

But now, in a case where Mormons value the words and philosophy of someone who professed a different faith than them, you say that we just can't do that.

One or the other, please.

Anthracite

You claim to appreciate CS Lewis, but you openly (and naively, I might add) repudiate the Trinitarian theology, without which you cannot possibly understand, much less "appreciate" his apologetics?

Right back at you -- one or the other, please.

My position is not inconsistent. The LDS position on CS Lewis is nothing BUT inconsistent.

Trinitarianism isn't nearly as fundamental to Lewis's thought as "A Scientist" claims, and, anyway, "A Scientist" hasn't presented a scintilla of evidence to demonstrate her claim that non-Trinitarians (LDS and non-LDS) are utterly incapable of understanding Lewis.

It seems rather odd for someone claiming to be "A Scientist" to make such dogmatic statements, unsupported by data.

"Trinitarianism isn't nearly as fundamental to Lewis's thought as "A Scientist" claims"

Proof positive of my point.

Game. Set. And match.

Can't we stop with the "intellectual gamesmanship" and admit that CS Lewis gives us some profound thinking on the relationship between Man and God and appreciate the eloquence of Lewis' writing.

We certainly can.