The relationship between science and faith is deeper than we think. It is the core argument of this classic by C.S. Lewis. To put it simply: the faith of our devout grandmothers - that of the pictures of the Holy Trinity - has an intimate connection with the physics of the universe. This apologetic essay defends that Christian thought is not a construct, but is based on the experience of hundreds of people who had contact with God throughout history. It is supported by a combination of authority and humility never seen before in a man - Jesus Christ - whose word was simply the most impressive ever pronounced by any human being. It is proof that something greater - beyond the mind and matter - governs the universe. Christianity forms a series of doctrines that fit precisely with science. It injects into man an anti-evolutionary ferment that transcends biology and separates him from Darwinian selection. It gives a coherent answer to the why of the universe - which has nothing to envy to those of other philosophical systems.

Sometimes books surprise us by the way they impact our lives. In my case, the crack of faith opened in the 1980s with the series Cosmos by Carl Sagan. In the anthological chapter 10 - On the Edge of Eternity - Sagan collected the thought of the theologian and mathematician Edwin Abbott, delving into the two-dimensional world of Flatland. The mathematical possibility of new dimensions in the universe left the door open to the existence of God. But soon Sagan - clinging to the material - blurred this possibility. The surprise of Mere Christianity has been to find the same argument but in the opposite sense to that of Sagan, that is: directed and focused towards the existence of God - which was the original intention of Edwin Abbott.

C.S. Lewis manages to correct these cracks of faith because sometimes we need the doctrines to be explained clearly, with a contemporary language. You can reinforce your faith in the traditional way: Holy Scriptures, prayer, sacraments, works, readings, etc. This book - written by what I would call "the Apostle of the 20th century" - will reconcile you with those dogmas of Christianity that you thought were outdated. It will open your eyes to the profound wisdom of that faith that the devout grandmothers professed. For this, Lewis will relate Christian thought with the main branches of science: psychology, psychoanalysis, geometry, physics, astronomy and biology - Darwinian Evolution. If Christ used parables to transmit his teachings, Lewis will do it by posing current analogies that reveal an elevated, honest and ingenious thought. Next, a summary of the four books that make up Mere Christianity:

Book I: Truth and Falsehood as Keys to Understanding the Universe:

The answer to the mystery of existence is not in distant galaxies. As St. Augustine said, it is within us. That annoying voice of conscience tells us that there is a Universal Law - beyond matter and human behavior - that guides us to do good. All men end up disobeying it, we cannot escape it. Babies of a few months naturally distinguish good from evil. Christianity explains the purpose of that Personal Mind that hides behind the veil of reality.

Book II: What Christians Believe

C.S. Lewis explains why we have to believe that Jesus Christ was - and is - God. He argues against the modern objections that oppose Christ: why this world is not a Disney World of happy automatons, why only those who know Christ can be saved, why Christ did not land on earth once and for all and had to proclaim his message through a small group of followers. We believe in Christ because of the authority with which he acted, offering a New Life beyond equity. His message is unique and hopeful in history because it speaks of new things that distinguish him from a mere moral teacher: loving the enemy, redemption of sins, repentance and sacrifice.

Book III: Christian Behavior

C.S. Lewis explains the human moral order. For Christianity, immortality makes the person more important than the state. We focus on social relations because they are the most visible but we have to start with ourselves. Lewis takes us to psychoanalysis to heal our raw material (emotions, fears, desires, complexes, etc.). What matters to God is not that, but our moral choices. They are the ones that really transform our cores. Only then will we be firm before the changeable nature of our passions and the changing states of mind (beautiful chapter 11 on faith).

Book IV: Beyond Personality: or First Steps in the Doctrine of the Trinity

In my opinion, the most beautiful book of the four that make up Mere Christianity. Beautiful chapter 4, related to chapter 10 of the series Cosmos - On the Edge of Eternity. Our relationship with God is personal: similar to that of a writer with the characters of his novel. God has all eternity to deal with us. There is no time for Him. All the time of the universe is present for God. Author and characters live in different time scales. In chapter 8, Lewis makes a deep analysis of equity, our goodness is not enough: our soul is like an attic where we are not aware of the existence of rodents. In chapter 11, it is reflected on Christianity as the next stage of Darwin's Theory of Evolution. The anti-evolutionary ferment mentioned by Fabio Rosini in The Art of Starting Over.

Lewis is truly brilliant! Here's a quote from the book that has forever remained etched in my mind:

"I am attempting here to prevent anyone from uttering the really foolish thing that people frequently say about Him: 'I'm willing to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God.' That is the one thing we must refrain from saying. A man who was merely human and said the kind of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on the same level as the man who claims he is a poached egg - or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something even worse. You can dismiss Him as a fool, you can despise Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can kneel at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any condescending nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that option open to us. He had no intention of doing so." (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, The MacMillan Company, 1960, pp. 40-41.)

This powerful statement by Lewis challenges our perception and forces us to confront the profound significance of Jesus' claims. It makes us realize that we cannot simply relegate Jesus to the status of a great moral teacher while ignoring His claim to divinity. We are left with a choice that has far-reaching implications for our beliefs and lives.

He covers everything we could possibly question about Christianity.

From the history and teachings to the rituals and beliefs, this comprehensive book leaves no stone unturned.

It provides in-depth explanations and analyses, addressing even the most complex and controversial aspects of the Christian faith.

The author's extensive research and knowledge are evident on every page, making it a valuable resource for both believers and those seeking to understand Christianity better.

I so appreciate this book for its clarity, objectivity, and ability to answer my questions.

It has deepened my understanding of Christianity and has given me a newfound respect for the religion.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about Christianity or seeking answers to their spiritual questions.

It is a must-read for anyone looking to expand their knowledge and understanding of one of the world's major religions.

C.S. Lewis is part of a long line of Christian apologists who have leaned on emotion and hope to validate the metaphysical existence of God. In essence, the argument goes like this: I sense that God exists, and since I have this feeling, God must exist in reality. Another manifestation of this kind of thinking is rooted in Anselm's ontological argument, later employed by Descartes. My two-star rating stems from my aversion to what Lewis does rather than how he does it. Even more so than William James, whose arguments bear a resemblance to Lewis', Lewis is a literary colossus. His writing style is captivating, imaginative, and engaging. How he presents his argument might deserve (at least from me) a higher rating. However, what he does is simply recycle the same tired arguments for the existence and goodness of God.

For instance, in Chapter 3, he asserts that humans are "haunted by the idea of a sort of behavior they ought to practice," and that "they did not in fact do so." He points out that we have an idea of a better kind of behavior, along with the recognition that we don't actually behave better than we do. We have an idea that is superior to reality, and thus the reality of that idea, being "better" than just the idea, must be possible. Later on, Lewis states that his faith is founded on reason and writes, "The battle between faith and reason on one side and emotion and imagination on the other." The crucial point for me is the separation of emotion and imagination from faith: that's the sticking point. To clarify his point, he also writes, "Faith, in the sense in which I am here using the word, is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted." Here, Lewis appears to equate faith with reason (which is his objective in the book), but does so on unjustified grounds. Lewis, and other religious apologists, rely on the presumption that just because I have faith in something better, that "something better" must necessarily be a reality. There is nothing to justify this proposition.

I respect Lewis as a writer, and this book, while not among his best in my opinion, is an example of his talent. That being said, I dislike it when talented writers use their skills to distort words and ideas to fit their arguments.

This Anniversary Edition pub. 1981 has its merits in terms of Lewis' writing style, but the content falls short in presenting novel and convincing arguments for the existence and nature of God. It seems to rely too much on established religious dogma and fails to offer a fresh perspective. Overall, it's a book that will likely appeal more to those who are already inclined towards Lewis' religious views rather than those seeking a rational and objective exploration of the topic.

Despite my criticism, I do appreciate the effort Lewis put into presenting his ideas, and I can see why some people might find his arguments compelling. However, for me, the lack of solid justification and the recycling of old arguments prevent this book from receiving a higher rating.

No matter what kind of faith or lack of faith you may possess, the ignorance that pervades every page of this book is simply not worthy of serious consideration by adults. In fact, there is absolutely nothing of value to be found within its covers. The author seems to have managed to employ every single faulty and fallacious argument in an attempt to defend the incoherence that plagues this poorly reasoned apologia.

For instance, he even resorted to using the ‘no true Scotsman fallacy’ when he claimed that a certain person couldn't possibly be a Christian. It's truly a rare book in the sense that it is completely void of any substance. One can't help but wonder what the author was thinking when writing such a piece that offers no real insights or meaningful content.

It's clear that this book fails to meet the standards of intellectual rigor and should be disregarded by those seeking knowledge and understanding. Instead, one should look for more reliable and well-reasoned sources of information to expand their minds and gain a deeper appreciation for the world around them.

From the depths of the books that you have read, there is perception, simplicity, and a calm and confident explanation.

In it, the author said that his impression of Christianity is compared to the thinking of the human himself and what he expects from it.

He did not speak about religion but spoke about life, and thus his words became completely in line with both religion and life as any human would see it.

This book is recommended to be read more than once because it is very profound.

On the second reading, the book is easier and more spiritual.

And it still truly deserves five stars.

And I invite everyone to read it calmly and enjoy it.

I need to purchase this book so that I can peruse it multiple times. I simply can't fathom how many astonishing lines and passages I might have overlooked because my mind was occupied with ruminating over another passage I had just read. My reading objective for 2020 is to work my way through all of C.S. Lewis's works. So far, things are going well. However, we'll have to wait and see... this is a rather extensive list.

Oh, to possess a mind like that of C.S. Lewis. I envision it to be a beautiful place, yet perhaps also very burdensome.

The profound words of C.S. Lewis continue to resonate. He states, "When a word ceases to be a term of description and becomes merely a term of praise, it no longer tells you facts about the object: it only tells you about the speaker's attitude to that object. A 'gentleman', once it has been spiritualized is now a man whom the speaker likes. As a result, 'gentleman' is now a useless word..."

He also says, "You must be asking which door is the true one; not which pleases you best by its paint and paneling. In plain language, the question should never be: 'Do I like that kind of service?' but 'Are these doctrines true: Is holiness here? Does my conscience move me towards this? Is my reluctance to knock at this door due to my pride, or my mere taste, or my personal dislike of this particular door-keeper? When you have reached your own room, be kind to those who have chosen different doors and to those who are still in the hall. If they are wrong they need your prayers all the more; and if they are your enemies, then you are under orders to pray for them. That is one of the rules common to the whole house."

Moreover, Lewis remarks, "There is none of our impulses which the Moral Law may not sometimes tell us to encourage. It is a mistake to think that some of our impulses-- say mother love or patriotism-- are good, and others, like sex or the fighting instinct, are bad. All we mean is that the occasions on which the fighting instinct or the sexual desire need to be restrained are rather more frequent than those for the restraining of mother love or patriotism. But there are situations in which it is the duty of a married man to encourage his sexual impulse and of a soldier to encourage the fighting instinct. There are also occasions on which a mother's love for her own children or a man's love for his own country have to be suppressed or they will lead to unfairness towards other people's children or countries. Strictly speaking, there are no such things as good or bad impulses. Think once again of a piano. It has not got two kinds of notes on it, the 'right' notes and the 'wrong' ones. Every single note is right at one time and wrong at another. The Moral Law is not any one instinct or any set of instincts: it is something which makes a kind of tune (the tune we call goodness or right conduct) by directing the instincts."

And he further elaborates, "And it is no use either saying that if there is a God of that sort-- an impersonal absolute goodness-- then you do not like Him and are not going to bother about Him. For the trouble is that one part of you is on His side and really agrees with His disapproval of human greed and trickery and exploitation. You may want Him to make an exception in your own case, to let you off this one time; but you know at bottom that unless the power behind the work really and unalterably detests that sort of behavior, then He cannot be good. On the other hand, we know that if there does exist an absolute goodness it must hate most of what we do. That is the terrible fix we are in. If the universe is not governed by an absolute goodness, then all our efforts are in the long run hopeless. But if it is, then we are making ourselves enemies to that goodness every day, and are not in the least likely to do any better tomorrow, and so our case is hopeless again. We cannot do without, and we cannot do with it."

Lewis also opines, "Of course, I quite agree that the Christian religion is, in the long run, a thing of unspeakable comfort. But it does not begin in comfort; it begins in the dismay I have been describing, and it is no use at all trying to go on to that comfort without first going through that dismay. In religion, as in war and everything else, comfort is the one thing you cannot get by looking for it. If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end: if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth-- only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin with and, in the end, despair. Most of us have got over the pre-war wishful thinking about international politics. It is time we did the same about religion."

He also states, "My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of JUST and UNJUST? If the whole show was bad and senseless from A to Z, so to speak, why did I, who was supposed to be a part of the show, find myself in such violent reaction against it? A man feels wet when he falls into water, because man is not a water animal; a fish would not feel wet. Of course I could have given up my idea of justice by saying it was nothing but a private idea of my own. But if I did that, then my argument against God collapsed too-- for the argument depended on saying that the world was really unjust not simply that it did not happen to please my private fancies. Thus in the very act of trying to prove that He did not exist-- in other words, that the whole of reality was senseless-- I found I was forced to assume that one part of reality-- namely my idea of justice-- was full of nonsense."

Furthermore, Lewis remarks, "Human beings judge one another by their external actions. God judges them by their moral choices. When a neurotic who has a pathological horror of cats forces himself to pick up a cat for some good reason, it is quite possible that in God's eyes he has shown more courage than a healthy man may have shown in winning the V.C. When a man who has been perverted from his youth and taught that cruelty is the right thing, does some tiny little kindness, or refrains from some cruelty he might have committed, and thereby, perhaps, risks being sneered by his companions, he may, in God's eyes, be doing more than you and I would do if we gave up life itself for a friend."

He also says, "...the self-righteous prig who goes to church regularly may be far nearer to hell than a prostitute. But, of course, it is better to be neither."

Lewis further elaborates, "There is no need to be worried by facetious people who try to make the Christian hope of 'Heaven' ridiculous by saying they do not want to'spend eternity playing harps.' The answer to such people is that if they cannot understand books written for grown-ups, they should not talk about them. All the scriptural imagery (harps, crowns, gold, etc.) is of course, a merely symbolical attempt to express the inexpressible. Musical instruments are mentioned because for many people (not all) music is the thing known in the present life which most strongly suggests ecstasy and infinity. Crowns are mentioned to suggest the fact that those who are united with God in eternity share His splendor and power and joy. Gold is mentioned to suggest the timelessness of Heaven (gold does not rust) and the preciousness of it. People who take these symbols literally might as well think that when Christ told us to be like doves, He meant that we were to lay eggs."

Moreover, he states, "The Christian says, 'Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists. A baby feels hunger: well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim: well, there is such a thing as water. Men feel sexual desire: well, there is such a thing as sex. If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. If none of my earthly pleasures satisfy it, that does not prove that the universe is a fraud. Probably earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy it, but only to arouse it, to suggest the real thing.'"

Finally, Lewis remarks, "God is not hurried along in the Time-stream of this universe any more than an author is hurried along in the imaginary time of his own novel. He has infinite attention to spare for each one of us. He does not have to deal with us in the mass. You are as much alone with Him as if you were the only being He had ever created. When Christ died, He died for you individually just as much as if you had been the only man in the world."

I would rate this book a PG.

I've been deeply involved in spirituality and meditation for quite a long time. For a year and a half now, I've been religiously practicing a meditation technique known as Deep Meditation on a daily basis.

Recently, however, a very dear friend of mine, who happens to be one of the strongest believers I know, has introduced me to Christianity as a faith, along with the teachings of Jesus, the Word, the Bible, and the church. At first, I was extremely confused about several things. There was a significant clash in my beliefs. Questions like what exactly is sin, the confusion surrounding sex, and what God truly is, all plagued my mind.

I had a genuine desire to delve deep into Christianity, yet I didn't want to simply "identify" myself with a religion. I was cautious about the potential baggage and conditioning that could come along with Christianity. Fortunately, "Mere Christianity" has been of great help to me in numerous ways. CS Lewis is highly logical in his approach, and the fact that he was once an atheist makes it easier to listen to his arguments. He discusses a moral standard that we all sense within ourselves and how Christianity is about living an ideal life without taking excessive personal pride in our performance.

I'm currently halfway through the book, and so far, I'm even more convinced that Jesus is my savior and that Christianity is the right path for me. I can feel God's presence in my life. I have a sense that my future on this spiritual journey will be fulfilling. I truly hope that anyone who is confused about their spiritual beliefs or anyone who wishes to take a closer look at Christianity to see if it suits them should definitely check out this book.

A wonderful introduction into the bedrock of Christianity. C.S. Lewis endeavors to provide the reader with a basic understanding of what Christians believe and how they strive to live their lives. Lewis, who for many years resisted Christianity himself, also discusses and dissects the concepts that he struggled with before he became a Christian. I found those passages particularly helpful as they offered a unique perspective on the journey of faith. This is not a preachy book, so you do not need to be a Christian to find value here. I am not (presently) a Christian, but nevertheless I found ‘Mere Christianity’ to be highly informative. It presents the tenets of Christianity in a clear and accessible manner, allowing the reader to engage with the ideas without feeling pressured or judged. The book has convinced this doubter to at least reconsider and dive deeper into the teachings of Christianity. Overall, I would rate it 5 stars for its ability to open minds and encourage exploration.

What an astounding, impressive, fulfilling read!

I am not normally a non-fiction reader unless it is a good historical piece or biography. Those I will lap up. But a book on religion? As a pretty dedicated church goer myself, I must candidly say that unless the book is actual scripture itself, it might as well be one of those desperately snobbish self-help books full of zippy motivation quotes and the same principles you find in all other books of the same genre, just worded slightly differently.

Yet in Mere Christianity, I found none of the superficiality I've previously experienced with other books that delve into philosophic explorations of religion. This is a real study, a deep probe. There is nothing artificial about it. Thank goodness my wife is a huge C.S. Lewis fan or I might not have picked it up at all. But she recommended it to me, and I had it on a trip. For hours and hours I read, mesmerized in a way that few thrillers can even achieve.

What did I find? I found that in this work C.S. Lewis single-handedly legitimizes religion as a belief, lifestyle, and philosophy. And what makes Lewis most credible is that Mere Christianity is not designed to make any reader comfortable, from agnostic to new age believer to hard core Christian. His ideas and reasoning are solid and unavoidable. His ability to address concerns is acute and thorough. He is not pompous, but he is confident. Where he is unsure of something, he admits it, though I'd be careful to deviate from such a sound philosopher.

Probably his greatest talent is his use of applicable examples and parallel images. Where a concept is vague, he has the ability to nail it down, to apply it to the known. C.S. Lewis rings of truth throughout. And probably the most important thing in his book, or in any book for that matter, is that when I put it down, I was determined to be a better person, to fix up deficiencies in my life. Mere Christianity is not "merely" another book on religion or Sunday School manual; it is a call to arms for every person who picks it up, regardless of their faith. Go to it with an open mind, and be prepared to act afterwards.

Most recent read: It has been quite a while since I last delved into this book, and it is truly wonderful. Lewis employs his utmost skill to describe the indescribable with grace, humility, and a touch of wit. (That Oxford Comma was, of course, dedicated to you, CS

During World War II, C. S. Lewis, a British literary scholar and Anglican lay theologian, was invited by the BBC to give a series of radio talks about the Christian faith. Lewis, who had converted to Christianity as an adult in 1931 after being an atheist, delivered these talks in 1941-43. They were well-received by the British public.

Subsequently, Lewis published the content of the broadcasts in book form, in three parts: Broadcast Talks, or The Case for Christianity (1942), Christian Behaviour (1943), and Beyond Personality (1944). The present book, first published in 1952, brings together the texts of these three, with some editing to adapt to the different format and added material in response to reader feedback.

The book is mainly aimed at ordinary non-Christians, but it is also valuable for Christians who want to better understand their own faith. The three component books determine the structure of this book. The first "book" deals directly with Christian evidences, specifically the human moral sense. Lewis deduces the existence of an intelligent and moral Creator from this.

In the second "book," Lewis explains the basic beliefs common to all Christians, which he calls "mere Christianity." He distinguishes this from a watered-down theism. The basic beliefs include a God with moral ideas, the incarnation and death of Christ, Christian salvation, and final judgment.

"Christian Behaviour" explains Christian moral principles in terms of three factors: inner character formation, external relations with others, and conforming actions to God's work in the world. Lewis discusses these principles in the context of the traditional virtues. He also devotes a chapter to sexual morality and Christian marriage.

The last "book" consists of reflections on the Trinity and relates it to the previous themes. There are some points that could be criticized, and Lewis doesn't succeed in satisfying all denominations. However, overall, this is a substantial and insightful treatment of Christian belief, written in simple language but with intellectual rigor. I have read it twice and it has shaped my outlook.