Why I love CS Lewis
Whether he was writing children’s stories, science fiction, or essays, C.S. Lewis’ writing speaks against the clutter of religion, and for a clear knowledge of who God is, and who we are. Far from being dry, his writing is flowing and fun to read. Even so, he gets right to the point.
Trained in a secular world of logic and skepticism, Lewis struggled with what seemed to be impossible beliefs for the soft of mind. He resisted the easy blind faith that he believed he saw in the Christians around him.
When he finally analyzed what the Bible taught, his logical mind brought him to the only possible conclusion: The Creator God is real, and we ignore Him at our own peril.
Mere Christianity is the most direct, concise summary of Christian Belief and the Evidence for that belief that I have ever read. Every Christian should read it more than once. If you are a seeker, wondering if this God talk could possibly be true, you will find a clear definition of what the Bible teaches and direct logical evidence for it. When you are done, you might find that it takes more blind faith to NOT believe!
Once you read Mere Christianity, take a look at the really fun Screwtape Letters. Written in the form of letters from the Chief Tempter Screwtape to a lesser demon by the name of Wormwood. The flunky demon is assigned to draw a middle-age woman away from God. What are the tricks of the trade for a beginner demon? Read Screwtape Letters to find out!
Once you have read these two, you will be hooked on C.S. Lewis. Read on for a complete list of books written by C.S.Lewis.
Who was CS Lewis?
C.S. Lewis was born in Belfast, Ireland in 1898. He was raised as an Irish Protestant. As a young man, he abandoned the family religion, turned off by boring church services, and by a God that did not seem to be able to overcome the evil in the world.
Lewis attended boarding schools in England and eventually obtained a scholarship to University College at Oxford. He was an excellent student, winning top honors in many areas, especially English Literature.
He volunteered for the British Army during the First World War. After being injured during the last months of the war, Lewis returned home to finish his studies at Oxford. He then began teaching English at Magdalen College, Oxford and remained there from 1925-1954.
After discussions with his friend J.R.R. Tolkien and others, Lewis shifted from atheism to theism, and eventually came to accept the Bible teachings of Christianity.
He wrote that he was a reluctant and unwilling convert. But the evidence for the existence of God, and later for Christianity in the whole, made it impossible for His logical and consistent mind to resist. Surprised By Joy tells the story of that conversion.
In “Surprised by Joy” he writes that he came to Christianity:
“kicking, struggling, resentful, and darting his eyes in every direction for a chance to escape.”
C.S.Lewis – Surprised by Joy
He became an influential defender of the Christian faith through writings such as Mere Christianity and the Screwtape letters, among others.
After the second world war, C.S. Lewis became close to Joy Gresham. Ms. Gresham was an American, and a Jewish convert to Christianity. They shared many interests and enjoyed each other’s company. Eventually they married, enabling Joy to live in the UK.
Books By C.S. Lewis
Lewis was a prolific author, covering diverse styles and topics. I have listed these in the order I would recommend that you read them.
(The fine print) The links for each book go to Amazon, where you can find digital and paper versions for sale. Purchasing from Amazon through these links gives me a small commission that does not affect your price. Thank for your support for this site!
Mere Christianity
Mere Christianity was written to explain and defend the core of the Christian faith. It is explicitly NOT about the various positions taken by denominations within the faith. In C.S. Lewis’ own words:
Ever since I became a Christian I have thought that the best, perhaps the only, service I could do for my unbelieving neighbors was to explain and defend the belief that has been common to nearly all Christians at all times.
Mere Christianity – Preface
One audience for this short book is an honest seeker looking for an introduction to the beliefs of Christianity with a defense that is respectful of honest logic.
I also recommend the book to anyone raised in the church as an introduction to core concepts. It will put your mind at ease. No, your beliefs do not defy reasonable logic. Are you ready to defend your beliefs? (1 Peter 3:15) This little book will help immeasurably.
Screwtape Letters
As mentioned above, Screwtape Letters is a playful, but deadly serious description of the efforts of two demons, Screwtape and Wormwood, to influence the thinking and actions of young man, as he relates to his mother, and to his fiance, and the world around him.
Screwtape lectures Wormwood on the best ways to slyly draw the target’s thinking way from God and back to his own trivial issues. As I read this little text, I found many ways I had been tempted, sometimes successfully, away from the path that leads to joy and onto a path of misery.
Chronicles of Narnia
Written in the form of children’s novels, these joyful little books are threaded with the themes of good and evil, forgiveness and redemption, complete with the sacrifice of the most powerful being for the sake of His wayward children.
The Great Divorce
What do the gates of hell look like from the inside? If you had chosen the path away from God while you lived on earth, would you choose a different path after you die? If hell were just the absence of God, what would that be like?
This is a fascinating allegory on good and evil, and the people we become as we choose one or another. Would you even enjoy heaven?
Surprised by Joy
As a fan of C.S. Lewis, I just had to read his autobiography. I was drawn by curiosity. How does a person who is raised in the church leave it. And then, after choosing pragmatic, scientific humanism, change his mind and go back? Lewis attempts to answer this question in Surprised by Joy.
Unlike most of his other writing, this book took me a bit to get into. The details of a young boy growing up are woven with his clear memories of boarding school and holidays at home. He loved the green hills of Ireland. He really did not like the rough treatment of young boys by older boys at the school.
Eventually the story took hold of my attention and I learned what I wanted to know. A brilliant young student becomes a professor of great reputation. But all that logic and learning could only get an honest man to one place. The dour old God his father imagined was a myth. The God of Joy, of Creation, of Adventure and Love, that was the God that created us. What a surprise!
Till We Have Faces
Lewis retells the classic story of Cupid and Psyche. This was his last novel and he considers it his best.
The Abolition of Man
In this classic, somewhat prophetic essay, Lewis argues that much of our modern philosophy leads us away from the humanity that God created in us.
The Four Loves
What is love? Well it’s not a simple as you might think. This work explores the four types of love: affection, friendship, erotic love and the love of God. Much of our muddy thinking about love causes us confusion and disappointment.
George MacDonald (biography)
C.S. Lewis said everything he wrote was influenced by George MacDonald. This book is both a biography, and an anthology of writings selected by Lewis as best introducing us to this brilliant and deeply spiritual man of God.
Miracles
Do you believe in Miracles? In this short book, Lewis persuades us that miracles are a testimony of the Father’s personal involvement in the day to day affairs of His creation. Far from being an impersonal watchmaker, this God actively participating in the life of His children and His world.
Weight of Glory (collected addresses)
This text contains nine lectures delivered by C.S. Lewis given during World War II. He speaks to a doubting audience about good and evil, and God’s compassion and strength during times of darkness.
A Grief Observed
Written after his wife’s death, A Grief Observed comes from the heart of a man who has long written about life, death, and the struggle of faith under great grief.
Reflection on the Psalms
In this meditative book, C.S. Lewis considers what the Psalms tell us about God, the Bible, and our daily walk in faith.
How to Pray- Reflections and Essays
While many would like to pray, they don’t know where to begin. This text offers simple, practical wisdom to help readers nurture their belief and embrace prayer in all its forms.
Letters to Malcolm
Composed as a series of letters to a fictitious friend, C.S. Lewis shares his thoughts on the role of prayer as our basic form of faith and devotion.
The Space Trilogy (Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, That Hideous Strength)
For those of us who are science fiction fans, this series is a must read. There is no pontification here, just three books telling the stories of science, fantasy and adventure. But like any good story, there is definitely a point!
