Thursday, June 2, 2011

C. S. Lewis

I've only read parts of Screwtape letters, the beginning of Lion, Witch and Wardrobe and the one quote from Mere Christianity that is so popular (for good reason). The more I read from this author, the more I want to read. Any suggestions regarding which one to read first (his best work that is a must read)? Is the fantasy as good as his philosophy?

The Great Divorce
Miracles
Screwtape Letters
The Problem of Pain
The Four Loves
A Grief Observed
The Weight of Glory
Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life
Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold
Out of the Silent Planet
God in the Dock
The Abolition of Man
Reflections on the Psalms


I came across this quote and this is what spurred the quick search to Amazon to see if finishing Screwtape Letters or beginning Mere Christianity would be worth it. He is inspiring in just his words:

"I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about him: "I'm ready 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 not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic-on a level with the man who says 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 worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Maybe I can eventually collect all his books. Amazon has a few nice box sets. The only one I have is a copy of Screwtape Letters my Dad lent me (and I think I was supposed to return it but I still haven't finished it yet). Maybe I'll do that before we box it up and ship out to Ohio. Or I could get the Audio versions and finish his entire works during the 30+ hours we will be driving. Is it worth it?

1 comment:

Kristina said...

I LOVE C.S. Lewis. I'm guilty of not reading very many of his books, but I am a firm believer that we should all read The Screwtape letters at least once a year for a good attitude readjustment. Maybe twice a year.
Til We have Faces is, from what I understand, a pretty under-read and under appreciated book of his. It is very subtly profound and also an enjoyable read. I would recommend that anyone interested read it at least once.

Are you Moving to Ohio!? We just moved to Ohio!

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