Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis

[GrumpyTroll]

Greetings to all,

Please could you tell me from your Catholic point of view what you think of the book Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis? Do you believe that the book is convincing to whomever reads it without deliberately wanting to refute its arguments?

Thank you,

[buddy]

C. S. Lewis refused to convert to Catholicism.  Why should a book of his support it?  Al of his writings including the Chronicles of Narnia are completely Protestant in their theological foundations.

[lumengentleman]

The book is quite good and accomplishes what it intended to accomplish: to be an introduction to the very basic beliefs of Christianity, such as the existence of God, the situation of fallen Man, the need for redemption, and so on.

 

It does not pretend to be a Catholic catechism, and obviously it is not a defense of the Catholic faith, except for the fact that what it does defend are ultimately a set of truths that belong to the Catholic Church.

 

I would not give the book to a Protestant in order to convert them to Catholicism; but I would give it to an atheist who questions or denies the very foundations of the faith.

 

Chesterton's Orthodoxy is a less explicit defense of some of those same basic beliefs, and is also well worth reading and passing along.  His The Catholic Church and Conversion is a more specific text, as the title would indicate.

[buddy]

I find it odd that a Catholic apologist would be willing to give a Protestant work to an atheist.  Are there no Catholic writers sufficient to handle such a situation?  What about Aquinas or Augustine?  Why is he be any better than them?

[Credo]

 

I find it odd that a Catholic apologist would be willing to give a Protestant work to an atheist.  Are there no Catholic writers sufficient to handle such a situation?  What about Aquinas or Augustine?  Why is he be any better than them?

 

       Aquinas and Augustine tend to be far over the heads of the average man. Honestly, I have yet to read a Catholic author who can compare with several Protestant authors in their clarity and defense of the basic tenants of Christianity (Though Sheed and Kreft come close). CS Louis is a good base for an honest atheist to work off of.

[kjvail]

Mere Christianity was very important to my early journey into the faith. And no there is no explicitly Catholic work that compares to it, someone should write one. Aquinas, Augustine I would have never read those at the time I read Lewis. I wouldn't have understood them and I have a much better understanding of philosophy and theology than Joe Convert. Chesterton is good but tends to ramble on a bit and most modern readers would probably never finish Orthodoxy. You have to remember the reading abilities of the average man, about 6th grade level. Lewis pushes that, particularly with his reflections on temporality and the trinity (something he lifted straight from Augustine BTW).

[GrumpyTroll]

I find it odd that a Catholic apologist would be willing to give a Protestant work to an atheist.  Are there no Catholic writers sufficient to handle such a situation?  What about Aquinas or Augustine?  Why is he be any better than them?

It simply happens to be that my father bought the book for me and I was wondering if, in the case that I could get him (and my sisters, why not?) to read it, the work could be an efficient addition to prayers in the process of conversion.

Thank you for your answers,
 

[Kephapaulos]

 

I find it odd that a Catholic apologist would be willing to give a Protestant work to an atheist.  Are there no Catholic writers sufficient to handle such a situation?  What about Aquinas or Augustine?  Why is he be any better than them?

 

       Aquinas and Augustine tend to be far over the heads of the average man. Honestly, I have yet to read a Catholic author who can compare with several Protestant authors in their clarity and defense of the basic tenants of Christianity (Though Sheed and Kreft come close). CS Louis is a good base for an honest atheist to work off of.

I do not think Protestant authors would necessarily be able to explain the basic tenants of the faith that well though since at one point or another there will be an issue of disagreement of amongst them while at the same time most likely denying some basic fundamental dogmas defined by the Church. Sts. Augustine and Thomas Aquinas may use heavy words, but do not forget the vast writings of Church Fathers, doctors, and saints from during the past 2000 years. What about the Imitation of Christ? The Bible with orthodox Catholic commentary for that matter? Or what about the writings of priests like Fr. Damen or Fr. Mueller?

[GrumpyTroll]

 

I find it odd that a Catholic apologist would be willing to give a Protestant work to an atheist.  Are there no Catholic writers sufficient to handle such a situation?  What about Aquinas or Augustine?  Why is he be any better than them?

      Aquinas and Augustine tend to be far over the heads of the average man. Honestly, I have yet to read a Catholic author who can compare with several Protestant authors in their clarity and defense of the basic tenants of Christianity (Though Sheed and Kreft come close). CS Louis is a good base for an honest atheist to work off of.

I do not think Protestant authors would necessarily be able to explain the basic tenants of the faith that well though since at one point or another there will be an issue of disagreement of amongst them while at the same time most likely denying some basic fundamental dogmas defined by the Church. Sts. Augustine and Thomas Aquinas may use heavy words, but do not forget the vast writings of Church Fathers, doctors, and saints from during the past 2000 years. What about the Imitation of Christ? The Bible with orthodox Catholic commentary for that matter? Or what about the writings of priests like Fr. Damen or Fr. Mueller?

The back page boasts of the author "rejecting the boundaries that divide Christianity's many denominations", finding "a common ground on which all those who have Christian faith can stand together, proving that 'at the centre of each there is something, or a Someone, who against all divergences of belief, all differences of temperament, all memories of mutual persecution, speaks with the same voice.'"

[buddy]

Having read a number of his works both as a Protestant and a Catholic, I would NEVER recommend his works to anyone because of the confusion that is evident in this thread because he is so close on many things.  I would rather have a lot of questions about Aquinas and Augustine rather than to delude someone into thinking that they can come to the Cathtolic faith through a Protestant.

 

I am amazed that good Catholics as yourself would recommend a Protestant's writings.