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Into the Region of Awe: Mysticism In C.S. Lewis
by
David C. Downing (Goodreads Author)
C. S. Lewis is generally regarded as a commonsense Christian whose theology is understandable and practical. And yet, from his memoir Surprised by Joy to The Chronicles of Narnia, from his nonfiction essays to his letters, C. S. Lewis's works display a distinct sense of the mystical. In this book, David C. Downing explores the breadth of Lewis's writing, introducing us to...more
Audiobook
Published
2008
by Tantor Media
(first published April 21st 2005)
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C. S. Lewis, by his own estimation, was not a mystic. The forthright admission of this fact is not enough to stop David C. Downing, professor of English at Elizabethtown College and author of two very useful works on Lewis, Planets in Peril: A Critical Study of C. S. Lewis’s Ransom Trilogy and The Most Reluctant Convert, from writing an entire book on Lewis and mysticism. To accomplish this feat, Downing must maintain the thesis that “Despite this disclaimer, Lewis must certainly be one of the m...more
Oct 16, 2011
Carrie
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
philosophy-and-or-religion
"If you read history you will find that Christians who did the most for the present world are just those who thought the most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world, that they have become so ineffective in this. Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in; aim at earth and you will get neither." CS Lewis
This work was a welcome change and is heavier reading than I have been reading of late. It is a critical analysis the Christian writer C. S. Lewis...more
This work was a welcome change and is heavier reading than I have been reading of late. It is a critical analysis the Christian writer C. S. Lewis...more
In reading books on spiritual formation, I came across many that were labeled mysticism. I did not enjoy, understand or appreciate most of what I read. When I saw this book in downloadable form from the public library, I was intrigued. CS Lewis' writing has keenly influenced my faith. I finished the book in record time. There was so much to ponder that I find writing about the book difficult yet necessary.
I found that just as I have had to clarify my definition of spiritual formation to "Christi...more
I found that just as I have had to clarify my definition of spiritual formation to "Christi...more
Great book. I hold C.S. Lewis in such high regard that I've taken to believing that his ideas sprang straight from his massive intellect and fell perfectly polished onto the page for the page. This author dug into the roots of Jack's ideas, actually seeing the passages he underlined and the evolution of his ideas.
Downing's command of the body of Lewis's work is also impressive. He can highlight how major themes come through in his fiction and nonfiction. He can cover centuries of ideas and find...more
Downing's command of the body of Lewis's work is also impressive. He can highlight how major themes come through in his fiction and nonfiction. He can cover centuries of ideas and find...more
C.S. Lewis' "mysticism" demands more attention. Downing begins the conversation. I wish that this book had received more attention. A topic for an Emerging Scholars Network Blog post?
The best secondary source I have read about C.S. Lewis. Absolutely inspiring and instructive!
Interesting and informational
I would recommend this book if you are interested in finding out more about Lewis' influences and getting a brief overview of Christian mysticism. If you are familiar with those two topics already it probably isn't worth your time.
I would recommend this book if you are interested in finding out more about Lewis' influences and getting a brief overview of Christian mysticism. If you are familiar with those two topics already it probably isn't worth your time.
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Book is not only about the mysticism of Lewis but about the subject in general which gives the view of Lewis a context. Well written.
Awesome book! A glimpse into C S Lewis' own views on mysticism and what books he was influenced by.
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I am a professor of English at Elizabethtown College in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. This is on the edge of "Amish country," and I sometimes pass a horse and buggy on my way to and from campus.
I grew up in Colorado, went to college in Santa Barbara, CA, and earned my PhD from UCLA. I currently teach professional and creative writing at Elizabethtown, as well as a first-year seminar on quest nar...more
More about David C. Downing...
I grew up in Colorado, went to college in Santa Barbara, CA, and earned my PhD from UCLA. I currently teach professional and creative writing at Elizabethtown, as well as a first-year seminar on quest nar...more
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“As his (C. S. Lewis's) good friend Owen Barfield once remarked, Lewis radiated a sense that the spiritual world is home, that we are always coming back to a place we have never yet reached.”
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5 people liked it
“Though there are exceptions, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism tend to stress desirable states of consciousness, escaping the fretful, self-aware state of mind that so often makes everyday living a burden. For mystics from the Abrahamic faiths, however, the inward odyssey is also an upward odyssey, a quest for personal and vital communion with an infinite Being.”
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3 people liked it
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