[[Theology]], [[Morality]] # Mere Christianity Author: [[C.S. Lewis]] ## Review First and foremost, C.S. Lewis is an incredible writer. He is writing about his Christian beliefs (and making the case for why you should believe too), so the ideas being conveyed are particularly nuanced and foreign to me. Although certain passages and thoughts were difficult to follow, the book was mostly easy to read. He anticipates confusion and misunderstanding, and uses clear metaphors and imagery to clear up his ideas. For me this book cemented the need to read not merely for content, but also to understand the craft of writing. I liked reading it. Turning to the content and ideas of the book, I was surprised to learn that he was actually an atheist at one point and became Christian in his early 30s. I think this is probably why his views of religion and christianity are so mature and well thought out. It is a different interpretation of Christianity, and not what I think most Christians believe. It kind of overlaps with a simulation hypothesis of creation. He argues that humans, and whatever other life there is in the universe, are a result of God's creation and he has a plan for all of life that will eventually become one with God (in the afterlife?). However the universe is undergoing a civil war between God and his fallen angel, which has corrupted humans. By coming to earth through Jesus, he is trying to spread the "good infection" of christian morality. We all feel a sense of right and wrong, not one based on culture, but a morality shared by everyone. Even though we all feel this sense of right and wrong we don't necessarily act as we know we should, but the underlying sense of morality comes from God's desire for us to act appropriately, so he nudges our (sub)conscious. He is constantly acting through the natural world to help us become more Christian. C.S Lewis even mentions how cosmic ray activity and evolution of humans could be Gods way of nudging humans. He clearly does not deny basic scientific facts. Going down the path of becoming or being a real Christian is difficult. Christian morality consists of three parts: relations to other people, your relations to yourself and your relation to God. Unlike "normal morality" you don't get to be your best and keep a little left over for yourself. You have to give yourself up to the Christian cause and it requires trying the best with what you have. The book was packed with quotable wisdom in the form of little anecdotes or metaphors. Everyone can get something out of it. The parts I wasn't so keen on were the belief in Christianity above all other religions. They are wrong in his eyes. He didn't call anything out specifically, so I would be curious what his views on Judaism are. I also thought there were some logical inconsistencies in some of his reasoning, and found it difficult to pay attention to his writings about God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I am not sure I understand what he was talking about after my first pass through.