Mere Christianity
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Mere Christianity

4.22 of 5 stars 4.22  ·  rating details  ·  42,290 ratings  ·  2,522 reviews
Mere Christianity is the most popular of C. S. Lewis's works of nonfiction, with several million copies sold worldwide. Heard first as radio addresses and then published as three separate books--The Case for Christianity, Christian Behavior, and Beyond Personality this book brings together Lewis's legendary broadcast talks of the war years, talks in which he set out simply...more
Hardcover, 227 pages
Published March 6th 2001 by HarperSanFrancisco (first published January 1st 1943)
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Paul
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...more
Keely
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...more
Darknightdestiny
Darknightdestiny rated it 4 of 5 stars  ·  review of another edition
Recommends it for: Anyone looking for an honest representation of Christianity
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 st...more
Danny Vanderbyl
Danny Vanderbyl rated it 5 of 5 stars  ·  review of another edition
Recommends it for: Militant Jihadists, their Enemies, Friends
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 y...more
Mark
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 di...more
Marty
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 differen...more
Chris Brenna
Chris Brenna rated it 1 of 5 stars  ·  review of another edition
Recommends it for: nobody
Taking a quick glance over the reviews offered for this book, I see a lot of people expressing the idea that it convinced them that a Christian could be intelligent and still be a Christian, or that C.S. Lewis offers "logical" arguments for the Christian faith. I won't deny that C.S. Lewis was a brilliant man. But at the risk of being really unpopular (because criticizing Lewis is on par with criticizing Abraham Lincoln or Mother Teresa), I have to say that it would have been better ...more
Jason
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 ...more
Amber
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 ...more
Stephanie
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...more
George Bradford
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.
Tahleen
Not my favorite. Lots of sexism, but I guess it was the way it was in the '50s. I didn't really like the tone he took either.
Skylar Burris
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...more
Andrew
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 20t...more
Ron
Ron rated it 4 of 5 stars  ·  review of another edition
Recommends it for: anyone
Lewis' classic argument for the existence of God and the basics of the Christian faith. While not a logically sufficient proof, it nonetheless leads the reader to re-consider the nature of reality and humanity.

If you've read it before, read it again. I find some new insight on each subsequent reading.

Though, honestly, I recommend The Weight of Glory for the serious scholar. Lewis' logical leap from his "proof" of the existence of a god to the Christian God and,...more
Danielle Sullivan
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...more
TJ
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 examp...more
Lavinia
un om care s-a schimbat de la a avea bios [viata biologica] la a avea zoe [viata spirituala] inseamna ca trece printr-o schimbare la fel de mare ca si statuia care a fost schimbata din piatra cioplita in om real.
tocmai aceasta este esenta crestinismului. lumea aceasta este atelierul unui mare sculptor. noi sintem statuile si se zvoneste prin atelier ca intr-o zi unele din noi vor capata viata.
LuAnn
Why have I never read this book before? You will recognize lots of familiar quotes from this book. I especially like the way Lewis can draw such good analogies--the images really stick in your mind. Examples: "Imagine yourself a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house...You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace." Or this one: "Christians have often disputed as to whether what leads the Christian home is good acti...more
Diane
Next to the Bible, this is the most quoted book by theologians. I read and reread and refer to this book whenever I can. My first time through, I kept notes of thoughts, questions, comments, quotes, etc. and had 25 pages when I was done. There are passages I have committed to memory, because Lewis' thoughts on certain topics are so profound and inspired. What an amazing person!
Bryan
Bryan rated it 5 of 5 stars  ·  review of another edition
Recommends it for: Christians, Theologians, Truth Seekers,
This book breaks down the underlying beliefs and motivations that underlie faith in Christ. I enjoyed C.S. Lewis' honest and open approach. His ability to engage the reader's mind so that he sees himself in the writing and then to help the reader lift his mental view point up to a higher level is one reason why this book remains so popular.
Ryan Lacanilao
Bad Ideas, Intelligent Minds: A Book Review of Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

Why I Read the Book

Bible literalists are left in the awkward position of having to somehow justify the countless murders perpetrated by God in the Bible. Drowning millions of men, women, children, babies and animals is somehow good and loving. Slaughtering the innocent first-born sons of the Egyptians is somehow the right thing to do.

A little while back, I had a four-hour conversation with...more
Ryan
Ryan is currently reading it  ·  review of another edition
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...more
Luke
Man!

I really didn't like this book.

I've been going through an atheistic reading phase (Richard Dawkins mainly) and I made the mistake last month of trying to delve into the good book for the Unification Church that goes by the title The Divine Principle. (The Unification Church followers are called Moonies and it's largely regarded as a cult.) Oh boy was that reading wacky but somehow eminently uninteresting. That takes almost enough talent to make me a believer.
...more
Yulia
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 dis...more
Nicole
As a nonbeliever, I began reading Mere Christianity with the expectation that C.S. Lewis would give me a good argument to wrestle with mentally for a while. I had heard so much about this book, especially from people who got much closer to Christianity because of it, that I assumed it was not only well written but also persuasive and well thought out.[return][return]About a third of the way through, I was wondering when the persuasion and thoughtfulness would kick in. I had heard of the lunatic,...more
Ben
An interesting book, particularly for those with at least a passing interest in the basics of Christianity across all (or at least, so Lewis claims) denominations. As a book of philosophy, however, it leaves much to be desired. He often starts from easily arguable premises and moves through a series of questionable steps of logic in order to prove the truth of Christianity. And some of the bigger - and perhaps, for some, more pressing - questions he leaves untouched, acknowledging that, at least...more
Inder
This is a good book, but it didn't quite live up to the hype for me. Especially, Lewis falters (like everyone falters) when he tries to "prove" that God exists, and that Jesus is God. I'm impressed by his calm certainty (lucky him - I'm not certain about anything), but his logical efforts fall short. When a clearly intelligent person like Lewis tries to prove something through logic, and his logic has holes so large a Mack Truck could drive through them, you can't help but lose a littl...more
Book Cellar
Book Cellar rated it 4 of 5 stars  ·  review of another edition
Recommends it for: the religious, the sane
Shelves: other
A book that remains to this day as inspiring, comforting and rational as it was hailed upon its first publication in 1952, lewis' call for Christian unity is a timeless message. And although it is a collection of those particular beliefs, "Mere Christianity" also serves as metaphor to promote acceptance and faith during any time of personal or global hardship. One of the defining works of a most remarkable man.

Katie, former BookCellar bookseller
Jenny
I've been meaning to read this for a long time, and this week, as Lent began, I realized now was the perfect time. I love the story of Lewis's conversion to Christianity, the short version of which is that he was fascinated with god-myths in all cultures of the world and then one day, he realized one difference with the Christian god-myth: IT WAS TRUE. Mere Christianity tries to bring together not the differences held by sects, but the unifying similarities which are (or ought to be) true of all...more
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does GOD exist? 156 262 Dec 17, 2011 11:02am  
C. S. Lewis Fans: Mere Christianity Discussion Questions 2 6 Dec 01, 2011 10:45am  
Quotes I like 4 73 Oct 09, 2009 03:57am  
Logic? 48 67 Apr 06, 2009 07:15pm  
Mere Christianity: Compromising the Case for Christianity, Christian Behaviour, and Beyond Personality (Paperback)
Mere Christianity (Paperback)
Mere Christianity (Paperback)
Mere Christianity (Paperback)
Mere Christianity (Kindle Edition)

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Clive Staples "Jack" Lewis was an Irish writer and scholar. Lewis is known for his work on medieval literature, Christian apologetics, literary criticism, and fiction. He is best known today in secular culture for his series Chronicles of Narnia.

Lewis taught as a fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford from 1925 to 1954, and later was the first Professor of Medieval and Renaissanc...more
More about C.S. Lewis...
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia, #2) The Chronicles of Narnia (#1-7) The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Chronicles of Narnia, #5) The Magician's Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia, #1) Prince Caspian (Chronicles of Narnia, #4)

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“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.” 2,246 people liked it
“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. 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 patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” 1,036 people liked it
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