Introduction
C. S. Lewis was born in 1898 in Belfast in Ireland and died in 1963. He wrote many books, and several ones encompass Christian apologetics. His literary works contribute to religion and theology studies. Some of his works include Mere Christianity, Screwtape, and The Chronicles of Narnia, which is famous. His literature audiences range from adults to children, and the spiritual insights he emphasizes guide Christians in the divine journey. This paper explores the significance of reading Lewis’ works in the faith journey, impactful areas of Mere Christianity, and an evaluation of whether Lewis escaped the stresses of academic argument.
Impression
By reading Lewis’s work, I gain essential aspects that guide my journey in Christianity. One of the ways his works are crucial is by driving my commitment to unity. His emphasis on accord progression even to those who follow different paths in Mere Christianity acts as the fundamental principle in my interaction with other people. Christians should focus on adopting ways that accommodate others in a faith other than trying to prove and believe in their ideas as superior. In an aspect, they should work together just as the children actors in the Chronicles of Narnia. King says, “Come, friends. We must go upriver and find the villains who have done this, with all the speed we may” (Lewis, 2001b, p. 584). Another critical lesson is personal faith, where Lewis seems to appeal to anyone reading his literature. Lewis indicates that “but if Christianity is true, then the individual is not only more important but incomparably more important…” (Lewis, 2001a, 59). His evangelical works invite individuals to join Christian ways of living. His faith is contagious as it allows me to adopt Christian claims and live by them.
Lewis instills in me virtues that command my daily living. He insists on absolute values such as being just and generous that remain constant for a Christian living. In the Mere Christian, Lewis indicates that “men ought to be unselfish, ought to be fair” (Lewis, 2001a, 16). Though many would view Lewis’s virtues as an old-fashioned, contemporary society can create numerous values out of these existing ones, and their meaning remains relevant.
Another significant aspect in Lewis’ literature that is essential is prayerfulness. His appreciation for prayer guides my inclination to its robust nature, which commands my faith progression. He writes a prayer for the children’s practice and at the same time appeals to the readers to pray for him. Lewis continually reveals his prayerful nature and encourages people to remain steadfast in prayer (Carter, 2019). His literature ensures that I gain a zealous appeal to keep on believing and soldiering on in Christianity. This spiritual energy is evident in the inspirational stories of the Chronicles. Faun says, “but I’ve never seen a Son of Adam or a Daughter of Eve before” (Lewis, 2001b, 5). The Chronicles give the characters as it is portrayed in the Bible.
Impactful Areas of Mere Christianity by Lewis
In Mere Christianity, Lewis covers issues encompassing different themes that guide Christian behavior. The book contains impactful messages, including moral law reality, human sinfulness, and Christian ethics. Lewis presents his argument about God’s nature as being all-powerful and non-materialist while he coins Jesus as divine in book one. He defines faith in God, which implies that Christians can make a personal choice in embracing the religion appealing to them. The book generally emphasizes the need for morality and belief for all individuals based on logical reasoning.
The message on good, evil, and free will is impactful in the Christian faith progression. Lewis describes the infiniteness in God’s goodness and explains that there are good Christians who choose to follow God’s teachings (Lewis, 2001a). Human beings also have the free will to choose between good and evil. Allowing for the human race to freely choose between evil and good, God will enable the good Christians to lead a moral and virtuous life while those who act on the contrary face severe punishment. The existence of free will ensures that human beings account for their actions.
Through Christianity and practice, Lewis denotes the importance of remaining steadfast in the faith. He emphasizes the need for continuous Christianity practice since in doubtful situations, it acts as a reminder of one’s faith. Another essential aspect of constant practice involves the mind and body in Christianity (Lewis, 2001a). He likens the symbolic importance of the body of Christ to the progression of Christians’ activities. Lewis believes that the process connects Christians to the body of Christ. In his explanation, he stresses the need for practice repletion that encompasses rituals like a prayer. With the inclusion of prayer in the Christian practice, human beings express their love for God and his son Jesus.
Evaluation of Whether Lewis Escaped the Stresses of Academic Argument
Lewis’ literature Chronicles of Narnia indicates his escape from the stresses of academic arguments based on the theme presentation and the audience. The wrings in the Chronicles of Narnia are fictitious and children-focused. Even though the Chronicles entail Christian themes, they are mythology. The presentation of some themes runs parallel to the Old and New Testament ideas. The writing depiction implies that the audience was not necessarily Christians but could include children (Lewis, 2001b). Lewis does not present the element of God’s real fatherhood nor refers to the Holy Spirit. For instance, Aslan remains in the form of a lion and does not change to another state to enter Narnia as in the Christian teaching where God takes different forms in His manifestation to human beings.
Additionally, the Chronicles of Narnia do not encompass any religious practices such as the church, spiritual leaders, or the Holy Book. The escape allows Lewis to evade likening and explaining the fiction literature and truth (Lewis, 2001b). Even though these practices lack Lewis’s ideals, Christian themes such as good and evil, courage, faith and temptation, and spirituality prevail with the presentation of characters such as Lucy and Aslan. McGrath also believes that Lewis escapes from academic argumentation by writing the fictional book (McGrath, 2016). According to McGrath (2016), Evangelicals are the most fervent readers of Lewis’s work, yet he was not an Evangelical. Hence, McGrath considers that Evangelicals need to find other scriptures from different sources for them to enrich their mind (McGrath, 2016).
Conclusion
C. S. Lewis writes Christian literature that inspires many Christians in the Christianity journey progression. By reading Lewis’s literature books, I gain insights that command my spiritual journey. These imminent include a commitment to unity, the importance of faith, absolute values, and prayerful life. They are significant in ensuring that I remain steadfast in my Christianity journey. The book entails various chapters and presents themes such as moral law reality, Christian practice, and free will on good and evil. The messages guide human beings in their daily interaction with others and relationship with God. In the free will element, the human race possesses accountability for their actions to choose evil and face punishment or good and enjoy the goodness of honesty and virtuous life. Lastly, Lewis writes Chronicles of Narnia deviates from all other literature that he engages in academic arguments. In the Chronicles, he majors in fiction work, which captures children as the primary audience. Therefore, it can be argued that Lewis’s work encourages people on the Christian journey.
References
Carter, G. (2019). Review of “CS Lewis’s mere Christianity”: George M. Marsden. VII: Journal of the Marion E. Wade Center, e141-e143. Web.
Lewis, C. S. (2001a). Mere Christianity. Zondervan E-books, pp. 1-232.
Lewis, C. S. (2001b). The chronicles of Narnia (adult). Harper Collins:1-664.
McGrath, A. (2016). CS Lewis—A life: Eccentric genius, reluctant prophet. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.