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Review Summary: The most solid apologetic overview that I've ever read. |
Date: 1999-09-28 |
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Details: Having read Mere Christianity several times and then having read the BAD reviews on it I found the "one star crowd" to be a particularly bitter bunch, ignoring the weightier concepts and ignoring the whole scope of the book. Mr Lewis's life and work was a singular effort in defense of the faith (after his conversion) and anyone who sees a 200 odd page compilation of many of these insights as superficial is correct in only the most superficial way. It would take a book that was a decade in the making and more than an armful to exhaustively compile all the arguments and counter-arguments for and against the christian faith and Lewis gives a lively and accurate synopsis of the whole of apologetics. This is very readable stuff in a progressive manner that basically takes you from the starting point of believing that we exist, through the existance of moral law, a moral law-giver, a self revealing moral lawgiver, and finally arriving at a wise immortal man on a cross. The final sections of the book basically saw what we can think and know about reality basd on this situation and how we should then live. A wonderful book that a christian's heart will take as spiritual steak and potatoes and unbelivers will reel at as they begin to see the reasonableness of the God. |
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Review Summary: The definitive work for the case of Christianity |
Date: 2000-07-28 |
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Details: Although Lewis was a skeptic for much of his life, he was smart enough to consider the possibility that he might be wrong about his nonbelief in God (for the first half of his life, anyway). Mere Christianity is a compilation of the reasons why he converted. It should be pointed out that this book will not prove Christianity to be true. Trusting in Christ is still a faith issue. However, the evidence presented by Lewis is strong enough to get even the most ardent skeptic to think through the philosophical arguments used to bolster the case Christianity. This book is good for a number of reasons. I appreciate Lewis' candor and frankness as he supports the truth of Christianity. It has been instrumental in the conversions of many people, even those who are very prominent in the Christian scene today. (I think it is wonderful how much more popular Lewis is today than when he was alive!) Indeed, his writing has touched a great number of people, including me. In fact, I've read all of his nonfictional works, and I find it fascinating to track with Lewis' reasoning and argumentation. As you can see, this book has my highest recommendation. |
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Review Summary: Merely wonderful... |
Date: 2004-02-08 |
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Details: C.S. Lewis was a rare individual. One of the few non-clerics to be recognised as a theologian by the Anglican church, he put forth the case for Christianity in general in ways that many Christians beyond the Anglican world can accept, and a clear description for non-Christians of what Christian faith and practice should be. Indeed, Lewis says in his introduction that this text (or indeed, hardly any other he produced) will help in deciding between Christian denominations. While he describes himself as a `very ordinary layman' in the Church of England, he looks to the broader picture of Christianity, particularly for those who have little or no background. The discussion of division points rarely wins a convert, Lewis observed, and so he leaves the issues of ecclesiology and high theology differences to `experts'. Lewis is of course selling himself short in this regard, but it helps to reinforce his point. The book looks at beliefs, both from a `natural' standpoint as well as a scripture/tradition/reason standpoint. Lewis looks both at belief and unbelief - for example, he states that Christians do not have to see other religions of the world as thoroughly wrong; on the other hand, to be an atheist requires (in Lewis' estimation) that one view religions, all religions, as founded on a mistake. Lewis probably surprised his listeners by starting a statement, `When I was an atheist...' Lewis is a late-comer to Christianity (most Anglicans in England were cradle-Anglicans). Thus Lewis can speak with the authority of one having deliberately chosen and found Christianity, rather than one who by accident of birth never knew any other (although the case can be made that Lewis was certainly raised in a culture dominated by Christendom). Lewis also looks at practice - here we are not talking about liturgical niceties or even general church-y practices, but rather the broad strokes of Christian practice - issues of morality, forgiveness, charity, hope and faith. Faith actually has two chapters - one in the more common use of system of belief, but the other in a more subtle, spiritual way. Lewis states in the second chapter that should readers get lost, they should just skip the chapter - while many parts of Christianity will be accessible and intelligible to non-Christians, some things cannot be understood from the outside. This is the `leave it to God' sense of faith, that is in many ways more of a gift or grace from God than a skill to be developed. Finally, Lewis looks at personality, not just in the sense of our individual personality, but our status as persons and of God's own personality. Lewis' conclusion that there is no true personality apart from God's is somewhat disquieting; Lewis contrasts Christianity with itself in saying that it is both easy and hard at the same time. Lewis looks for the `new man' to be a creature in complete submission and abandonment to God. This is a turn both easy and difficult. `Mere Christianity' was originally a series of radio talks, published as three separate books - `The Case for Christianity', `Christian Behaviour', and `Beyond Personality'. This book brings together all three texts. Lewis' style is witty and engaging, the kind of writing that indeed lives to be read aloud. Lewis debates whether or not it was a good idea to leave the oral-language aspects in the written text (given that the tools for emphasis in written language are different); I think the correct choice was made. |
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Review Summary: Why Christianism is the best option |
Date: 2007-03-28 |
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Details:
This is the most important book you can read after the Bible. If you are searching for the meaning of your life, if you think there's gotta be more than what we see and perceive in our earthly existence, if your heart tells you to honestly seek for the truth, look no further; no other book will help you discover it. Actually God is reachable to everyone. You only have to be willing to put aside those obstacles in your vision. C. S. Lewis is not out there to "get you", nor preach to you. He'll help you figure it out yourself better than any other philosopher or scientist.
Some people will start looking for God by means of their intellectual curiosity, others will do it out of despair and sheer anguish, and others simply draw near Him out of love for His Son Jesus Christ. Whatever means to start your search is good as long as it is honest. (But remember that faith is a gift that God gives you, not that you give to yourself).
The book deals in its first short chapters with Natural Law, and it explains the difference with the laws of nature, e.g. gravity, etc. The language is simple enough for anybody to understand (if I understand it anybody can). Natural Law is still one of the unrefutable evidences for the existence of God that nobody can deny, or explain. Human Genome Project founder Francis Collins explains this very clearly too in his book 'The Language of God'. By the way, Collins says that the other choice we, humans, have in order to understand our nature is accepting that life is the result of an infinite series of miraculous "coincidences" or chances, whose probability are, each one of them, infinitely small.
I am reading this book for the second time, now in Spanish (Amazon doesn't let me publish my review to the Spanish edition). I am underlining almost every line. There is so much to think about here. But I'd like to quote the following lines:
"In religion, as in war and in everything else, consolation is the only thing that cannot be obtained by searching for it. If you look for the truth, you may find consolation in the end. If you look for consolation you will not find neither consolation nor the truth... only empty talk and preestablished conceptions to start with, and in the end, despair."
And this reminds me so much of one of Peter Kreeft's funny stories: When you were a child and believed in Santa, it made you feel comfortable and happy. Then why, when you grew up, did you stop believing in him? Why care for the truth if you can be happy?
Approach it honestly; and God bless us all who so seek Him, for we shall surely find Him. |
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Review Summary: I am thankful for finding this book |
Date: 2006-03-20 |
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Details: I always wonder things about God, and this universe, and as a human being. One day on my trip in Boston, I walked around a bookstore and saw this book. I was attracted by the cover first, then by its name "Mere Christianity", then I found out the author is C.S. Lewis, but I didn't know him much except I knew he was a popular children story teller.
As a foreign person, I found out that the English in this book was pretty hard to understand, so I didn't buy it at that time. After coming back from trip, I ordered this book from Amazon.com to give it a try, thinking this book maybe interesting.
Now I am so glad to have the chance to read this book, and I am thankful that I saw it the first time in Boston, otherwise I might never know this book. Everytime I read a chapter, I feel so comfort and released. Lewis raises many questions and answers them smartly.
This book is a must have for christian. Non-believer is also suitable for reading it. However, people belive in other religions may not like this book unless they are interested in Christianity. But please trust me, be open mind and try reading it. You won't regret it.
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out of 449 Reviews
