C.S. Lewis.
-(1898 - 1963)
-British writer and apologist
-Universalist, leaning toward Roman Catholicism
*** We do not recommend C.S. Lewis as a source for theological truths. Lewis is better classified as a philosopher, apologist, and author. His work is helpful from an apologetic point of view and offers a general truth about humanity, and his fictional books are fun to read. However, C.S. Lewis had anti-Christian views, such as Universalism, which is a false teaching. He believed in purgatory, praying for the dead, believed that some unbelievers could find salvation after they had left this world, and did not believe that all parts of the Bible were equally the Word of God. In an article in Christianity Today, writer J.D. Douglas paraphrased Pastor Martyn Lloyd-Jones, saying Lewis’ view of salvation was “defective in two key respects: (1) Lewis taught and believed that one could reason oneself into Christianity, and (2) Lewis was an opponent of the substitutionary and penal theory of the Atonement.” Read more here about the concerns of his theology.
C.S. Lewis (Clive Staples Lewis) is one of the most influential voices in modern Christianity, impacting Christians worldwide. He was a Fellow and Tutor in English Literature at Oxford University and was eventually elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University until retirement. Lewis wrote more than thirty books; his most popular include Mere Christianity, The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters, and The Chronicles of Narnia. The Narnia books have sold over 100 million copies and have been transformed into three major movies. Lewis was the most significant Christian apologist of the twentieth century and a profound philosopher and storyteller teaching a timeless message relevant to all Americans. Learn more about his background and see a timeline of his life at the official C.S. Lewis website.
Book Studies: Free PDF Downloads of C.S. Lewis Books (webpage)
The C.S. Lewis Institute (website) - in the legacy of C. S. Lewis, they develop wholehearted disciples of Jesus Christ who will articulate, defend, share, and live their faith in personal and public life. They provide publications, including podcasts, quarterly teachings, monthly newsletters, must-reads, study courses, and small group resources.
An Introduction to C.S. Lewis: Writings and Significance (free online course from Hillsdale College) - this free nine-lecture online course examines Lewis’s apologetics, his fiction, and philosophical and literary writings, and their continuing significance today. Enrollment gives you free access to the lectures, Q&A videos, and quizzes to deepen your understanding of C.S. Lewis’s ideas and his significant works.
The Most Reluctant Convert: The Untold Story of C.S. Lewis (website) - filmed in and around Oxford, this engaging biopic follows C.S. Lewis from the tragic death of his mother when he was just nine years old through his strained relationship with his father, to the nightmare of the trenches of World War I to Oxford University, where friends like J.R.R. Tolkien challenge his unbelief. A free downloadable discussion guide is included.
Was C.S. Lewis a Supporter of Theistic Evolution? by Joel Heck (article) - while not a Young Earth creationist, Lewis offered strong criticism of evolutionary theory. Read Lewis's fundamental positions.
Elephant in the Room: Evangelicals Continue to value C.S. Lewis Despite Theological Differences by Aaron Cline Hanbury (article) - evangelicals believe Lewis was sometimes wrong — but is always worthwhile.
Concerns About the Ministry of C.S. Lewis by Brandon Hines (article) - C.S. Lewis is a writer who is loved by much of modern Christianity. While almost no one will deny he is a brilliant writer, many people have raised concerns about his theology.
The Complementarian Argument of C. S. Lewis by Colin Smothers (article) - Lewis makes some very “complementarian” points to keep the priesthood male-only.
Before he turned ten, his mother died of cancer, which caused C. S. Lewis to turn his back on God and become an atheist. Yet from that angry and confused young man, Lewis became someone who stood up and brought hope to his nation in the darkest hours of World War II. What made C. S. Lewis change his mind and become one of the twentieth century’s strongest advocates for Christianity? Here is the true story of C. S. Lewis.
Premier Unbelievable's weekly podcast with Professor Alister McGrath explores C.S. Lewis’s thoughts, theology, and teaching.
A collection of speeches by C.S. Lewis was presented at King's College in Newcastle, England, in February 1943.
In The Abolition of Man, C.S. Lewis addresses many assumptions about morality, theology, and philosophy. Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing explore the context and message of Lewis's book and its proper application to our modern world. They ask how we can avoid becoming "Men Without Chests."
“Remember, He is the artist, and you are only the picture. You can’t see it. So quietly submit to be painted—-i.e., keep fulfilling all the obvious duties of your station (you really know quite well enough what they are!), asking forgiveness for each failure and then leaving it alone. You are in the right way. Walk—-don’t keep on looking at it.”
One of the most popular introductions to the Christian faith, Mere Christianity brings together Lewis’s legendary broadcast talks during World War Two. Here, Lewis provides an opportunity for believers and nonbelievers alike to hear a robust, rational case for the Christian faith.
In this book, the narrator finds himself in Hell, boarding a bus bound for Heaven. The unique opportunity is that anyone who wants to stay in Heaven can do so. This is a starting point for a meditation upon good and evil, grace and judgment. Lewis’s idea is the discovery that the gates of Hell are locked from the inside. The Great Divorce will change the way you think about good and evil.
In The Abolition of Man, C.S. Lewis aims to persuade his audience of the importance and relevance of universal values such as courage and honor in contemporary society. Both astonishing and prophetic, The Abolition of Man is one of Lewis’s most debated extraordinary works.
C.S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters depicts the correspondence between a senior demon and his student demon. These letters can give us a glimpse into how the unseen powers of evil work to try to corrupt godly choices by constantly and deceptively influencing Christians to prevent faith and virtue. In the preface, Lewis says one of the mistakes mankind can make regarding satan is believing he doesn’t exist; therefore, we should consider how satan works tirelessly to draw us away from God.
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