I had to stop reading this, it was making me ill. It may be that every single sentence in this book is either wrong or offensive or inane or all three. Here's a passage from page 45 - CS is talking about what he calls Dualism (i.e. Manichaeism) whereby the existence of evil is explained by there being two equal forces in the Universe which are in perpetual contention, the Good one and the Bad one. CS says:"If Dualism is true then the Bad Power must be a being who likes badness for its own sake. [...]

I finished listening to this book early this morning, a little before seven. I could not sleep, and as I lay in the darkness in need of some comfort and company, I thought that I should go ahead and finish it. I am glad I did. I am perhaps a bit biased. I have always liked Lewis, ever since I read The Chronicles of Narnia in high school. My liking deepened for him when I saw the movie Shadowlands. Something about his life called to me. I have since done research on him and his journey from athei [...]

Read it, even for the last chapter alone!Most people have no idea about what Christianity is. That is the reason that CS Lewis' book exists. If you are looking for a book that will convince you to take the leap of faith and become a Christian (like so many 1-star reviewers who said they were unconvinced) then don't waste your time. No book will convince you. However, if you are looking for the facts about real Christianity (not as a religion, but as a relationship) then you can't do much better [...]

Lewis is brilliant! Here's a quote from the book that's never left my head:"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 the level with the man who says he is a poached egg - o [...]

It is no wonder that Christians should revere a miracle-working carpenter: I think one must be the son of a god to build an attic before the rest of the house.There is no fundamental basis for Lewis' arguments. I was hoping to find something thought-provoking and convincing, but it just felt like the same old ideas Aquinas and Descartes bandied around. These are no longer sufficient in a world of thermodynamics and evolution.Lewis has some skill and intellect, but the way he meanders about duali [...]

I read this for the first time a long while ago, and then again in December of 2007. Each time I read it I find something new. It's fairly amazing to be able to point to a page and say, "That was me a year ago, a month ago, a day ago!"This is not a new set of instructions on how to be a Christian—it's a very straightforward explanation of the roots of the Christian faith, a naked package of easy to understand information which builds logically from the very beginning. It starts off with an app [...]

I've been into spirituality and meditation for a long time now--I've been practicing a meditation technique called Deep Meditation daily for a year and a half now--but recently a good friend of mine (my best friend), who is one of the strongest believers I know, has introduced me to Christianity as a faith and the teachings of Jesus, the Word, the Bible, and church. At first I was very confused about some things, there was a clash in my beliefs--what is sin, confusion surrounding sex, and what G [...]

People either love this book or hate it. Without passing judgment I don't see how people can actually hate it. Seriously. C.S. Lewis simply breaks down the fundamental truths of Christianity. Personally I love how he goes beyond all the denominations, beyond who's more right, beyond who's more wrong and finds that common thread they all seem to follow. From there it's a real eye opener.However, I do have to say the book is so rich with philosophy I found myself reading sentences several times ov [...]

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 [...]

My second non-fiction book by C.S.Lewis (1898-1963) and, although I liked A Grief Observed more, I also liked this one.This book Mere Christianity (published in 1953) was based on the transcript of the BBC radio broadcast that Lewis gave at Oxford during World War II (1941-1944). It was a hit because at that point, Lewis had already published a number of fiction and non-fiction books including Out of the Silent Planet (1938), The Problem of Pain (1940) and The Screwtape Letter (1942). What added [...]

C. S. Lewis wove doctrines and lessons regarding the Christian faith throughout his other works, notably the Chronicles of Narnia. Ergo, I was surprised when reading this novel that to learn that he used to be an atheist. A religious book, written by an ex-atheist?I was alight with curiosity. What caused the switch? By studying the faith (as an effort to become better at atheism) he found religion. A strange, roundabout way to go by things but nonetheless thoroughly interesting.Lewis slowly, but [...]

Mere Christianity is such a classic work, and having been read by millions over the past sixty years plus years, it is difficult to say anything new about it. As the years have rolled on though, a different society, with different needs and expectations has arisen that sees the world a little different than the British society, in the midst of all the moral and spiritual challenges that happened in the World War II years.Lewis' is more of a classic apologetic. He speaks of universal laws, the di [...]

This book shed the first signs of light toward my walk with Christ. This book is actually a compilation of a radio series Lewis gave during World War II when the Nazis were bombing London. His messages were meant to inspire and give hope during a time of horror and bloodshed.His arguments are borrowed heavily from the Augustinian school of thought, but he makes those arguments relevant to the modern thinker. In my opinion, C.S. Lewis is the most important religious scholar of the 20th century.Wh [...]

‎دوستانِ گرانقدر، این کتاب یکی از آن دسته از کتابهایی میباشد که محبوبِ ترسایان یا همان مسیحیان میباشد. چراکه در این کتاب <سی، اس. لوییس> که مسیحی متعصبی نیز میباشد، همه چیز را به نوعی به مسیح مربوط دانسته است، حتی نکات اخلاقی و آدابی که از ایرانیان و نیاکانِ ما وام گرفته شده [...]

Wow! What does one say when reading pure genius? Whether one chooses to agree or disagree with C.S. Lewis, his incredible mind, reasoning skills, and power of deduction are absolutely astounding. In this book, he chronicles his journey from devout atheist to committed Christian, recounting each step with his original assumption, then recording his intellectual journey through each idea to it's end result. With each conclusion he includes understandable and often masterful examples. For instance: [...]

“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 the 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. Ei [...]

I was aware of this book in my childhood but never read it until now, because I'm working with two C.S. Lewis classes and wanted to get a better sense of his theology. I know some people still use this book as a way to explain the tenets of the Christian faith, but I think that is unwise for several reasons:-Most of the book is based on church (not Biblical) teachings, which are only really emphasized inside certain denominations. The virtue/vice lists and the trinity concept - these are framewo [...]

As a now more mature Christian, this book does not impress me as deeply as it once did, because I don't see its arguments as being objectively persuasive to the non-Christian. (Some of them, which seemed to me compelling at the time, now seem too simplistic, admitting of only a few possible arguments.) Yet when I read it as a teenager, I had just read the Gospels for the first time in my life, and I had been deeply struck by Christ's words and sense of authority. I WANTED to be a Christian at th [...]

As solid an explanation of Christianity as I have ever encountered. Beautiful writing. Clarity of thought. Solid reasoning. The text of this book originated from a series of BBC radio lectures C.S. Lewis delivered to England while Nazi bombs rained from the sky. Set in that context, the imperative is clear. Christianity is not doled out as a panacea for every sheep in the flock. It is presented, rather, as an choice of free will, guided by grace and dedicated to justice.

This book quite literally changed my life. This is a dramatic, vivid account of a former atheist's realization that God is real and that you can know Him in a personal way. Reading this book with an open mind certainly helps to understand Lewis' perspective. It was originally given as a radio address therefore, it is relatively easy to follow. The language is a bit archaic, and some of the chapters may need to be re-read several times before finally grasping the content. It is completely worth t [...]

C.S. Lewis is such a prolific and articulate author. I'm really enjoying his works. I'm constantly blown away by the way in which he seamlessly (with humor) explains his beliefs and thoughts. I can't wait to read more from him. I feel bless having closed 2016 year reading his works.

Note: I am reviewing the "Anniversary Edition pub. 1981"C.S Lewis comes from a long line of Christian apologists that have relied upon emotion and hope to justify a metaphyscial existence of God. In other words the argument is: I feel that God exists, and so because I have this feeling that God exists, God must exist in reality. Another form of this sort of thinking is based in Anselm's ontological argument, later used by Descarte. My rating of two stars stems from my dislike of what Lewis does [...]

Great. Also read in March of 1985. Also listened to it a couple times on audio over the course of a few years, finishing the second time through in October 2011.Finished listening to it again in January 2015.

Many people say every Christian should read this book - I think everyone should read it.

Score for literary merit and enduring cultural importance: 5+Score for actual theologizing: 3 tops“Theology means ‘the science of God,’ and I think any man who wants to think about God at all would like to have the clearest and most accurate ideas about Him which are available.”“If Christianity only means one more bit of good advice, then Christianity is of no importance. There has been no lack of good advice for the last four thousand years.”I’d read this piecemeal through high sc [...]

I don't know how to begin this book review. I've probably typed and deleted a dozen sentences already. Why should this be so difficult?Because, I liked it.I did.Except. No. Even that part, the part he got wrong, I liked.Which made me wonder.Who is this book for?Christians?Obviously. We love this stuff. Having a smart guy give smart reasons to explain why Christianity makes perfect sense feelsart. It sits well, if you will. Many, if not most, of his arguments were things I had not previously thou [...]

It was interesting to read this right after reading Cicero's On Moral Duties. Both Cicero and Lewis are concerned with an orderly society. They are both seeking to put the thoughts and ideas of philosophers in to the layman's terms. The problem is Cicero ignores some fundamental questions. Cicero and Lewis agree that following general rules of kindness, honesty, etc. are helpful in producing an orderly society where individuals can thrive. But Cicero appeals to Nature as a guide. The problem is [...]

The moment I finished reading Screwtape Letters, I immediately became a fan of this author that made me want to try his other works. Mere Christianity is of course one of his most famous work that I should really not miss reading. As mentioned in one of my reviews of his other books, I really admire Lewis' wisdom in sharing his faith through his works that he was able to provide concrete illustration of the Christian doctrines by giving practical examples. Surely, as a Christian, you will immedi [...]

I had to read this for a high school religion class on those who questioned their faith (the least creepy of the religion options my school offered, I assumed). Ah, but how foolish not to have taken a class run by the lovely school chaplain. Instead, I get someone who deems it appropriate to call one of his students the most moral in the class, note in my mid-semester report that I dragged on discussions after he'd have preferred to move on (what I considered being thorough and making fine disti [...]

After years of putting this book off, I finally picked it up. The amount of stars I have assigned it says enough about how well it was received. Lewis spends the first section using rhetorical devices and logic to try to prove that religion is better than atheism. Then he jettisons all of that rhetoric and logic, takes the tennets of Christianity as given fact, and proceeds to deliver a mind-numbingly naïve justification for the reasons behind the religion of the Nazarene. I'm disappointed that [...]