Book Report: Mere Christianity
posted by on 10/14/08
Who likes books on theology? Long discourses on religious beliefs always seemed boring and needless to me. However, in Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis takes the ordinary Christian doctrines we are all familiar with and expounds on them in a fascinating and exciting new way. He offers rational explanations for why things are as they are, and proposes Christianity is the only valid answer to life’s questions. The books forces those who are undecided about Christianity to face the facts and either accept Christ or reject Him. But it is also excellent for those who already believe, because it helps them to 
understand more fully the basic principles of their faith and share them persuasively with others.
Mere Christianity challenged me to take my personal convictions seriously. What do I believe? Why? It also opened my eyes to the effectiveness of using analogies and illustrations to get points across and make them more interesting to others. I especially appreciate how C. S. Lewis used his literary expertise to explain magnificent truths so clearly.
“Look for yourself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay. But look for Christ and you will find Him, and with Him everything else thrown in.”
Author: C. S. Lewis
Publisher: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc.
Date: 1952
Genre: Theology
Daniel! I’m so glad you posted a report about this book. I’ve been reading it over the summer and I wholeheartedly agree with what you said about it. Especially the analogies part; that is what fascinates me the most. He makes things so easy to understand because of his great skill in relating difficult concepts to every-day objects and occurrences.
It is important that we constantly sharpen our sword through exhorting one another daily with the important questions pertaining to who we are in Christ and what it means to follow Christ.
I apprciate the final quote. May we seek Christ’s kingdom first for then will all things be added unto us.
Daniel, your review was very clear and encouraging. When can we expect to read a book you have written?
I appreciate the times you were willing to read bits and pieces of that book to us in the car. I also remember reading it as a family and really being encouraged by it.
Thanks for your summary Daniel. That’s really interesting to see beautiful pictures illustrate beautiful principles. That’s what I posted about this week!
That’s neat how that worked out, Donald! Thank Uncle Tim – the most impressive photos were taken by him, and I am very grateful that he lets us use his incredible photography.
Top notch, Daniel! Excellent review and beautiful photography. Mere Christianity is one of those classic books that everyone ought to read.