C. S. Lewis Mere Christianity
Mere Christianity is a book written by C.S. Lewis, the book has four major sections that break down the author’s, take on what Christianity is and how it may best be practiced in life. The book does not pick sides between the different denominations within Christianity, the intent of the book is to express the common views inherent in all the various denominations of Christianity, that are often forgotten in the debates about where these different sects disagree; this paper will take you through the various points that Lewis made in his logical, well-crafted centrist argument and I will explain my thoughts about what he was trying to say.
C.S. Lewis begins his book with a very potent preface that goes to the heart of his book, “I am a very …show more content…
The book explains by alluding to the idea that a Christian may accept the fact of the atonement while still being able to pick and choose the theory of atonement. Lewis states within the book “A Christian must be careful to distinguish between the fact of the atonement and the theory of the atonement. A Christian is committed to the fact of the atonement, he may pick and choose the theories of the atonement; though not even God could commit the non-virtuous into heaven without an atonement. No explanation a Christian chooses will be free of mystery,” (Lewis, pg. 89). Basically, this was a very effective way of saying, a bit of mystery is …show more content…
Lewis is once again saying, merely having these feelings are not the sin, the sin is what you do about them. The bible states that “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath,” (Ephesians, 4:26). The scripture appears to be supporting Lewis’s position that, you can have these emotions. The question then becomes if you are allowed to be angry, then where does the sin enter into the equation? The answer is when your actions based on that emotional anger come into play. The book also goes into the subject of marriage within the context of sexual morality, by stating “Chastity is the most unpopular of the Christian virtues. There is no getting away from it: the old Christian rule is, "Either marriage, with complete faithfulness to your partner, or else total abstinence." Now this is so difficult and so contrary to our instincts, that obviously either Christianity is wrong or our sexual instinct, as it now is, has gone wrong. One or the other. Of course, being a Christian, I think it is the instinct which has gone wrong,” (Lewis,
C.S. Lewis begins his book with a very potent preface that goes to the heart of his book, “I am a very …show more content…
The book explains by alluding to the idea that a Christian may accept the fact of the atonement while still being able to pick and choose the theory of atonement. Lewis states within the book “A Christian must be careful to distinguish between the fact of the atonement and the theory of the atonement. A Christian is committed to the fact of the atonement, he may pick and choose the theories of the atonement; though not even God could commit the non-virtuous into heaven without an atonement. No explanation a Christian chooses will be free of mystery,” (Lewis, pg. 89). Basically, this was a very effective way of saying, a bit of mystery is …show more content…
Lewis is once again saying, merely having these feelings are not the sin, the sin is what you do about them. The bible states that “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath,” (Ephesians, 4:26). The scripture appears to be supporting Lewis’s position that, you can have these emotions. The question then becomes if you are allowed to be angry, then where does the sin enter into the equation? The answer is when your actions based on that emotional anger come into play. The book also goes into the subject of marriage within the context of sexual morality, by stating “Chastity is the most unpopular of the Christian virtues. There is no getting away from it: the old Christian rule is, "Either marriage, with complete faithfulness to your partner, or else total abstinence." Now this is so difficult and so contrary to our instincts, that obviously either Christianity is wrong or our sexual instinct, as it now is, has gone wrong. One or the other. Of course, being a Christian, I think it is the instinct which has gone wrong,” (Lewis,