Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis: an Atheist turned Christian

I flew back from California to Ohio over Christmas to see my family. Would you believe that a person actually gets tired of 70 degrees and sunny and wants to see some Cleveland snow? It's true.

The pace in Southern California is fast. I have been spending so much time on my day job (and some surfing, I admit), that I have neglected my reading. With nothing to do over the holidays but spend time with family and stay warm, I decided to see what was on the old wooden bookshelf. What I found was Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.

I had heard of this famous apologetic book over and over again, but had never actually read it. I think this is the case for a lot of people (making a perfect pick for this blog). I was pleasantly surprised. I will tell you what I found.

This book actually began as three separate radio broadcasts in the 1940's featuring C.S. Lewis. The content and simple presentation was tailored to an audience of soldiers and civilians in Europe who had endured the pain of the World Wars. But the book is not antiquated. I found it easily digestible for the modern reader. What I love about C.S. Lewis is that he is both intelligent and cuts through the nonsense. I have a hard time listening to Christians who come across as insincere, or academics who try to sound brilliant and impressive. That is not the case with Lewis. I find him to be to the point and honest. He does not patronize or talk down to his audience, and he is rational (amazingly rational in such a charged and emotional topic as religion).

C.S. Lewis explains himself as an atheist turned Christian. He taught at Oxford University in the 1920's and later in life was elected chair of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Magdalene College, Cambridge. This was an intelligent and skeptical man. It is not surprising that he was asked to give these talks about Christianity on public radio. People wanted to know what Christianity was and where it was going in an age of rising skepticism. And that's what Lewis delivered: to the point explanations about what Christianity is, and beliefs common to all Christians. It was just the basics; the mere facts of Christianity, as the title suggests. And he was well suited to address Christians and Atheists alike.

I have neglected the Old Wooden Bookshelf, and I would like to get back to it. This has nothing to do with New Year's resolutions, mind you. I hope you will dive into Lewis's Mere Christianity with me, as I do my best to provide succinct recaps for all of those who do not have the time or patience for this kind of reading. I will also be sharing some of my own thoughts.

If you are a Christian, I recommend this book. I grew up going to church, and I can honestly say that this book is helping me understand my own faith. It's something about the simple, stripped down way that Lewis presents the information. It really is a must read for those who claim the Christian faith. If you are not a Christian, I still recommend this book. Isn't it worth investigating Christianity, if not for the metaphysical implications then at least to understand your fellow Americans (who somewhere around 75% percent of identify with the faith)? If you are at all hesitant or have a bad taste in your mouth about Christianity, C.S. Lewis may be a good bet for you. He is both intelligent and humble: the kind of guy you could just talk to over a cup of coffee.