The Visionary Christian: 131 Readings from C.S. Lewis

by C.S. Lewis, Chad Walsh (Editor)

Here is a new collection for devotees of C. S. Lewis to place beside their copies of The Joyful Christian, and for all serious readers to revel in: 131 readings from Lewis's fiction and poetry, all illustrating Christian ideas. By means of fairy tales, allegories, dream visions, and science fiction, Lewis shows us a Christianity alive and gleaming with promise. The religious themes are illustrated perhaps even more clearly in Lewis's fiction than in his nonfiction works. Each of these selections, chosen from the Narnia Chronicles, the Space Trilogy, and The Screwtape Letters, gives us a glimpse of C. S. Lewis himself: the man of the knowing voice, lustrous intellect, and soaring faith. The Christianity we find in his stories is not set down in coolly ration-al terms, but is painted in the glistening colors of a cosmos with the Creator at its center.

The Visionary Christian extends an open invitation to share the glorious worlds of Lewis's vision and to discover in them the same themes of spiritual life and death that dominate his apologetic books.

C. S. Lewis, author of The Screwtape Letters, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Space Trilogy, wrote more than 30 books during his long and distinguished career--works of science fiction and children's stories as well as satire and books on literature and religion. A celebrated novelist, essayist, literary historian, and lecturer, he was professor of Medieval and Renaissance English at Cambridge University and a fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford. Chad Walsh, editor, is a scholar of English literature, a prize-winning poet, and the author of 24 books, including 2 on C. S. Lewis. He was a personal friend of Lewis's.

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Culled from some of C.S. Lewis's finest fiction and poetry, this collection of writings explores the eternal truths of Christianity in the accessible language of allegory, fairy tales, dream visions, and science fiction. From his children's classic The Chronicles of Narnia to the wisdom of Screwtape on marriage, democracy, and heaven, Lewis's literary imagination and extraordinary insight into the universe and God remain vivid and relevant for all times. The Visionary Christian is testimony to a true man of faith who continues to provide comfort and understanding to Christians around the world.

Genres: Religion, Christian, Philosophy, Theology, Fiction

270 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Clive Staples Lewis was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably one of the most influential writers of his day. He was a Fellow and Tutor in English Literature at Oxford University until 1954. He was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University, a position he held until his retirement. He wrote more than thirty books, allowing him to reach a vast audience, and his works continue to attract thousands of new readers every year. His most distinguished and popular accomplishments include Mere Christianity, Out of the Silent Planet, The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters, and the universally acknowledged classics The Chronicles of Narnia. To date, the Narnia books have sold over 100 million copies and been transformed into three major motion pictures.

Lewis was married to poet Joy Davidman.
W.H. Lewis was his elder brother]

Reviews

[Douglas Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Selections from the works of C.S. Lewis. Nancy and I read this together, and it was quite good.

[Joanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book of excerpts from C.S. Lewis' other fictional writings may be great if you have already read those, but I need context. I had a hard time with it.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a look at many aspects of the human condition through excerpts of CS Lewis's fantasy and sci-fi writings.

It gives you just enough of a taste to want to read the entire books this book samples from..so be careful;)

[Barb Hegreberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whether you’re new to the writing of CS Lewis or a long time fan, this book is for you. It is a cross section of the genres that Lewis employed.

Apologetics
Allegory
“Children’s” Fiction
Poetry
Science Fiction

It’s all here. Why not check it out?

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good plate of God's heart in snack form.
Food for thought some would do well to eat now and then.
C.S. Lewis is always amazing!

[Marley Sterling · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't read this anymore.. I need to read the full texts. I get just a taste and then it's over. I'm starting with the chronicles, but I know I'll have to choose some straight up C.S. Lewis theology to read along with the fantasies. I just can't choose where to start... so many selections!

[Pat]

Once upon a time, KU paid me to go to school. I could have saved money to buy a house. Or fed a lot of people. Instead, I bought books. Including books consisting almost entirely of excerpts of other books which I already owned. Good thing the story doesn't end here!

[Linda Horn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book. It's a good read for beginners to C.S. Lewis because its succinct.

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

An anthology of Lewis's imaginative writings.

[Sherrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

C.S. Lewis just doesn't translate well into short snippets. This book was hard to stay interested in.