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Fern-Seed and Elephants and Other Essays on Christianity
This collection of seven essays show C.S Lewis at his most vigorous, defending his vision of full-blooded, orthodox Christianity in his prose style.
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1975
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883 people want to read
About the author
C.S. Lewis
1,296 books47k followersLibrarian 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]
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]
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
August 20, 2022
Excelentă! Deşi o aveam în bibliotecă de mai bine de 9 ani, abia acum recent am reuşit să o citesc. Această carte ce a văzut tiparul abia după moartea lui Lewis, ea nefiind în esență o carte pe care el să o fi gândit și publicat în forma actuală, ci ea este de fapt o colecție de mici eseuri și predici scrise și rostite în diverse momente ale vieții sale. Ceea ce îmi place cel mai mult la Lewis este faptul că abordează țintit anumite subiecte, intră bine în detaliu și oferă argumente pentru teza sa. Aduce mereu în față idei care te pun pe gânduri, adică îți dă de lucru din punct de vedere intelectual. El este mereu scurt, succint și neplictisitor, ceea ce îl face atât de atrăgător ca și autor.
May 15, 2017
Cartea lui C.S. Lewis (autorul Cronicilor din Narnia) este destinată în special teologilor și pasionaților de religie ”teoretică”. Anglican, fost ateu, fost agnostic, el consacră eseurile de aici unor teorii, unor dogme sau pasaje din Noul Testament, chiar și unor idei destul de controversate din creștinism (egalitatea oamenilor în fața religiei, iertarea tuturor păcatelor, Judecata de Apoi, A Doua Venire, eficacitatea rugăciunii).
Pentru mine, prea filosofică și stufoasă, am nevoie de concret pentru a (mai) crede ceva.
Pentru mine, prea filosofică și stufoasă, am nevoie de concret pentru a (mai) crede ceva.
September 3, 2024
Fain eseul despre extratereștrii
March 13, 2011
This is a very interesting and enjoyable set of essays and speeches compiled after C.S. Lewis' death. They deal with important issues in one's personal spiritual life (prayer, forgiveness) as well as wider theological issues (the nature of the church, higher criticism, etc.). The style is very enjoyable and rarely so academic or professional that it goes over one's head.
One strikingly relevant essay is the one on historicism. It refutes the idea that man can read into historical events any objective or purpose without the aid of revelation from the One who is putting the plot together. This chapter denounced those who see in certain events God's judgment for specific sins. I was so astounded by the clarity of his argument that I photocopied it and sent it off to Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. This is the church demonstrating at the funerals of U.S. military men and women, claiming that battlefield losses are God's judgment for official U.S. toleration of homosexual behavior. The chapter also ridicules those who feel that evolutionary science or other scientific theories that have gradually drifted into metaphysics and become scientism are also without basis in true philosophy.
Then perhaps saving the best for last, Walter Hooper introduces the Fern-seed and Elephants address. In one presentation C.S. Lewis destroys the demythologizers who claim to be able to distinguish the "Historical Jesus" from the fairy-tale portions of the Gospel accounts. His reasoning is straight-forward and easy to understand, but extremely clever and, I believe, irrefutable. I spent lots of time reading Francis Schaeffer's works in my twenties, and what Schaeffer spends books trying to do from the perspective of philosophy, Lewis accomplishes swiftly from the perspective of literary criticism. Tremendous stuff. Though the issue seems not to be as threatening today (because the churches that bought into this liberal theology have been bleeding members for the last half-century), we need to hold onto this text when such issues again ascend in Evangelical or Catholic seminaries.
My only complaint, oddly enough, is that Lewis at times seems to buy into a bit of liberal assumptions himself. He sees Jonah as a Jewish tale rather than true history. He seems to concede a few too many points like this to the liberals. I'm still enough of a Fundamentalist to cringe when I read such things. Still, I would far rather give Lewis the benefit of the doubt here than to throw out all this tremendously powerful stuff that can still help us defend our faith from those who wish to discredit it.
One strikingly relevant essay is the one on historicism. It refutes the idea that man can read into historical events any objective or purpose without the aid of revelation from the One who is putting the plot together. This chapter denounced those who see in certain events God's judgment for specific sins. I was so astounded by the clarity of his argument that I photocopied it and sent it off to Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. This is the church demonstrating at the funerals of U.S. military men and women, claiming that battlefield losses are God's judgment for official U.S. toleration of homosexual behavior. The chapter also ridicules those who feel that evolutionary science or other scientific theories that have gradually drifted into metaphysics and become scientism are also without basis in true philosophy.
Then perhaps saving the best for last, Walter Hooper introduces the Fern-seed and Elephants address. In one presentation C.S. Lewis destroys the demythologizers who claim to be able to distinguish the "Historical Jesus" from the fairy-tale portions of the Gospel accounts. His reasoning is straight-forward and easy to understand, but extremely clever and, I believe, irrefutable. I spent lots of time reading Francis Schaeffer's works in my twenties, and what Schaeffer spends books trying to do from the perspective of philosophy, Lewis accomplishes swiftly from the perspective of literary criticism. Tremendous stuff. Though the issue seems not to be as threatening today (because the churches that bought into this liberal theology have been bleeding members for the last half-century), we need to hold onto this text when such issues again ascend in Evangelical or Catholic seminaries.
My only complaint, oddly enough, is that Lewis at times seems to buy into a bit of liberal assumptions himself. He sees Jonah as a Jewish tale rather than true history. He seems to concede a few too many points like this to the liberals. I'm still enough of a Fundamentalist to cringe when I read such things. Still, I would far rather give Lewis the benefit of the doubt here than to throw out all this tremendously powerful stuff that can still help us defend our faith from those who wish to discredit it.
January 9, 2025
A fantastic collection of oftentimes overlooked Lewis essays that I found in a used bookstore. In them Lewis beautifully rambles supporting humble historiography, vocational duty, and the centrality of the incarnation.
April 21, 2025
C.S. Lewis is a safe pair of hands when it comes to his essays in that you know you'll always find comfort and wisdom in them! A few essays went over my head a bit (I can't confidently say I understood the distinction of historicist vs historian) but still lots of excellent food for thought in here. Perhaps not the best collection for others to start with, but lots of gems in here.
March 29, 2025
idgi
The hate on cLive stapLes Lewis continues from me. I don’t know what people like about him. This collection of papers and talks are… boring at best and just sexist at worst. He literally says that the ideal form of government is “patriarchal monarchy” and that we ought to recognize the real differences between men and women…. that’s just sexism plain and simple.
The only interesting one was Rocketry and Religion where he speculates about how christology and extraterrestrial life would interact. That was cool.
The hate on cLive stapLes Lewis continues from me. I don’t know what people like about him. This collection of papers and talks are… boring at best and just sexist at worst. He literally says that the ideal form of government is “patriarchal monarchy” and that we ought to recognize the real differences between men and women…. that’s just sexism plain and simple.
The only interesting one was Rocketry and Religion where he speculates about how christology and extraterrestrial life would interact. That was cool.
Read
May 4, 2023An invigorating and exciting set of essays by Lewis! Completely unrelated essays, they stirred in me questions and answers that I continue discussing with those around me even days after I read them. I’d for sure recommend this to anyone, but there are references to authors and stories unfamiliar to me—mostly 19th century philosophers I’ve never read or heard of. Still a great read!
June 9, 2024
Classic Lewis. 7 essays, some of which are in other collections, but always worth re-reading.
December 28, 2023
Lewis’ essays are often astonishing in their clarity and common-sense. Here the standouts are “Learning in War-Time” and “Fern-seed and Elephants” (a stunning takedown of 20th century biblical criticism and its “assured results of modern scholarship”; Lewis’ views are fairly commonly held today but the way he expresses and argues is brilliant) and probably also “Membership.”
July 10, 2025
a wonderfully little book full of Lewis wisdom - totally unconnected topics, and fun to read slowly & ponder
June 27, 2020
Since this is a collection of essays and speeches on a range of topics, it's hard to rate the collection as a whole. Topics such as whether it's wise to continue to learn at university when the country is at war are admittedly not very applicable right now. The topic on being a historicist vs a historian went quite over my head. But other topics addressing prayer and progressive biblical criticism - and even the topic on life on other planets and whether its existence would have any effect on Christianity - were quite helpful and interesting.
August 16, 2013
We've been chipping through this little collection of essays in a book breakfast group, so it has been on my reading pile for a couple of months. It is a bit uneven, both in terms of quality and subject matter, but there are a few really fine pieces in the mix. Lewis can feel dated, a bit smug at times, but he always gives you something to chew on!
January 11, 2016
One of my favorite works from Lewis. Excellent essays on the Christian in faith in reply to modern scholarship, Higher criticism, and atheism. Nothing decisive just lots of pithy musings. There a few objectionable ideas but that is par for the course with Lewis.
January 14, 2018
I particularly liked the essay on forgiveness and the one called “learning in war-time”. Always pleasant and refreshing to read CS Lewis.
October 12, 2021
Niciun creştin şi, de altminteri, niciun istoric n-ar accepta dictonul potrivit căruia religia este „ceea ce face omul cu propria solitudine“[1]. Cred că unul dintre fraţii Wesley[2] spunea că religia solitară nu e de găsit în Noul Testament. Ni se interzice să tratăm neglijent adunarea noastră laolaltă. Creştinismul este deja instituţional din primele lui documente. Biserica este Mireasa lui Hristos. Suntem mădulare unii altora.[3]
In epoca în care trăim, ideea că religia aparţine vieţii noastre private ― că este, de fapt, o ocupaţie din timpul liber al individului ― este paradoxală, periculoasă şi naturală totodată. Este paradoxală deoarece această exaltare a individului în domeniul religios îşi face apariţia într-o epocă în care colectivismul îl năpădeşte fără milă pe individ în orice alt domeniu. Am remarcat aceasta chiar şi la universitate. Când am mers întâia oară la Oxford, meii iul studenţesc tipic era alcătuit din vreo zece inşi, cu relaţii apropiate, care ascultau referatul unuia dintre ei într-o încăpere mică şi apoi dezbăteau intens subiectul până la unu sau două dimineaţa. Înainte de război, mediul studenţesc tipic ajunsese să însemne un auditoriu mixt de o sută sau două sute de studenţi strânşi într-un amfiteatru pentru a asculta prelegerea vreunei celebrităţi aflate în vizită. Chiar şi atunci când un student modern nu se regăseşte într-un asemenea mediu, rareori face, singur sau în compania altcuiva, o plimbare precum cele care au format gândirea generaţiilor anterioare. Trăieşte într-o mulţime; întrunirea de grup a luat locul prieteniei. Tendinţa există atât în universitate, cât şi în afara ei. Şi nu doar există, ci se bucură şi de încuviinţare. O sumedenie de indivizi băgăcioşi, erijaţi în rolul maestrului de ceremonii, şi-au dedicat viaţa distrugerii solitudinii, oriunde mai există aşa ceva. Pentru ei, acţiunea echivalează cu „a-i scoate pe tineri din ale lor“ sau cu „eliberarea de apatie“. Dacă un Augustin, un Vaughan[4], un Traherne[5] sau un Wordsworth s-ar naşte în lumea modernă, liderii unei organizaţii de tineret i-ar lecui îndată. Dacă un cămin cu adevărat bun, precum cel al lui Alcinous şi Arete, din Odiseea, sau al Rostovilor, din Război şi pace, sau dacă vreo familie dintre cele descrise de Charlotte M. Yonge[6] ar exista astăzi, ar fi denunţată drept ceva burghez şi toate maşinăriile aducătoare de distrugere ar fi aţintite asupra ei. Până şi atunci când organizatorii dau greş şi cineva rămâne fiziceşte singur, radioul se asigură că respectivul va fi ― într-un sens neintenţionat de Scipio întotdeauna mai puţin singur decât în singurătate. Trăim, de fapt, într-o lume căreia i se refuză solitudinea, tăcerea şi intimitatea: şi căreia i se refuză, prin urmare, meditaţia şi prietenia autentică.
Este deci paradoxal că religia a devenit apanajul momentelor de solitudine într-o astfel de epocă. Faptul este şi periculos, din două motive. In primul rând, când lumea modernă ne spune cu glas tare: „Poţi fi religios când eşti singur“, ea adaugă în barbă: „dar voi avea eu grijă să nu fii niciodată singur“. A face din creştinism o chestiune privată, izgonind totodată momentele de intimitate, înseamnă să-l transformi într-o fata morgana sau să-l surghiuneşti la calendele greceşti. Aceasta este una dintre stratagemele vrăjmaşului. În al doilea rând, există pericolul ca anumiţi creştini autentici, care nu consideră creştinismul o chestiune solitară, să reacţioneze împotriva erorii respective introducând în viaţa noastră spirituală acelaşi colectivism care ne-a cucerit deja viaţa laică. Aceasta este cealaltă stratagemă a vrăjmaşului. Ca un abil jucător de şah, încearcă mereu să te atragă într-o poziţie în care poţi să păstrezi turnul doar dacă renunţi la nebun. Pentru a evita să cădem în capcană, trebuie să subliniem că, deşi concepţia individualistă despre creştinism constituie o eroare, ea este cât se poate de naturală şi încearcă să apere în mod stângaci un mare adevăr. In spatele ei se află sentimentul clar că formele de colectivism modern sunt un afront la adresa naturii umane şi că, împotriva lui, ca şi împotriva altor rele, Dumnezeu ne va fi scut şi pavăză.
In epoca în care trăim, ideea că religia aparţine vieţii noastre private ― că este, de fapt, o ocupaţie din timpul liber al individului ― este paradoxală, periculoasă şi naturală totodată. Este paradoxală deoarece această exaltare a individului în domeniul religios îşi face apariţia într-o epocă în care colectivismul îl năpădeşte fără milă pe individ în orice alt domeniu. Am remarcat aceasta chiar şi la universitate. Când am mers întâia oară la Oxford, meii iul studenţesc tipic era alcătuit din vreo zece inşi, cu relaţii apropiate, care ascultau referatul unuia dintre ei într-o încăpere mică şi apoi dezbăteau intens subiectul până la unu sau două dimineaţa. Înainte de război, mediul studenţesc tipic ajunsese să însemne un auditoriu mixt de o sută sau două sute de studenţi strânşi într-un amfiteatru pentru a asculta prelegerea vreunei celebrităţi aflate în vizită. Chiar şi atunci când un student modern nu se regăseşte într-un asemenea mediu, rareori face, singur sau în compania altcuiva, o plimbare precum cele care au format gândirea generaţiilor anterioare. Trăieşte într-o mulţime; întrunirea de grup a luat locul prieteniei. Tendinţa există atât în universitate, cât şi în afara ei. Şi nu doar există, ci se bucură şi de încuviinţare. O sumedenie de indivizi băgăcioşi, erijaţi în rolul maestrului de ceremonii, şi-au dedicat viaţa distrugerii solitudinii, oriunde mai există aşa ceva. Pentru ei, acţiunea echivalează cu „a-i scoate pe tineri din ale lor“ sau cu „eliberarea de apatie“. Dacă un Augustin, un Vaughan[4], un Traherne[5] sau un Wordsworth s-ar naşte în lumea modernă, liderii unei organizaţii de tineret i-ar lecui îndată. Dacă un cămin cu adevărat bun, precum cel al lui Alcinous şi Arete, din Odiseea, sau al Rostovilor, din Război şi pace, sau dacă vreo familie dintre cele descrise de Charlotte M. Yonge[6] ar exista astăzi, ar fi denunţată drept ceva burghez şi toate maşinăriile aducătoare de distrugere ar fi aţintite asupra ei. Până şi atunci când organizatorii dau greş şi cineva rămâne fiziceşte singur, radioul se asigură că respectivul va fi ― într-un sens neintenţionat de Scipio întotdeauna mai puţin singur decât în singurătate. Trăim, de fapt, într-o lume căreia i se refuză solitudinea, tăcerea şi intimitatea: şi căreia i se refuză, prin urmare, meditaţia şi prietenia autentică.
Este deci paradoxal că religia a devenit apanajul momentelor de solitudine într-o astfel de epocă. Faptul este şi periculos, din două motive. In primul rând, când lumea modernă ne spune cu glas tare: „Poţi fi religios când eşti singur“, ea adaugă în barbă: „dar voi avea eu grijă să nu fii niciodată singur“. A face din creştinism o chestiune privată, izgonind totodată momentele de intimitate, înseamnă să-l transformi într-o fata morgana sau să-l surghiuneşti la calendele greceşti. Aceasta este una dintre stratagemele vrăjmaşului. În al doilea rând, există pericolul ca anumiţi creştini autentici, care nu consideră creştinismul o chestiune solitară, să reacţioneze împotriva erorii respective introducând în viaţa noastră spirituală acelaşi colectivism care ne-a cucerit deja viaţa laică. Aceasta este cealaltă stratagemă a vrăjmaşului. Ca un abil jucător de şah, încearcă mereu să te atragă într-o poziţie în care poţi să păstrezi turnul doar dacă renunţi la nebun. Pentru a evita să cădem în capcană, trebuie să subliniem că, deşi concepţia individualistă despre creştinism constituie o eroare, ea este cât se poate de naturală şi încearcă să apere în mod stângaci un mare adevăr. In spatele ei se află sentimentul clar că formele de colectivism modern sunt un afront la adresa naturii umane şi că, împotriva lui, ca şi împotriva altor rele, Dumnezeu ne va fi scut şi pavăză.
September 27, 2018
Although most of these essays are printed in other well-known collections (e.g. "The Weight of Glory," "The World's Last Night and Other Essays," etc.), not one of them is dull, and together, in this little "Fount" edition from 1975, they fit together remarkably well. Collected by Walter Hooper, Lewis's literary executor, these addresses and essays deal with themes we've come to expect in C. S. Lewis. The first and last essays in the book, "Membership," and "Fern Seed and Elephants," are especially hard-hitting. The title essay is absolutely brilliant and I remember learning about Lewis's argument while in divinity school. It's an argument from a professor of literature, a layman, and committed Christian, to those critical, liberal scholars of the new European school. It is essentially this: modern literary critics never once guessed the Sitz im Leben of Lewis's many articles and books, even though they were his contemporaries, so it is bold to the point of stupidity that modern biblical scholars (such as Bultmann) think they can peel back the layers of 2,000-year old New Testament texts to uncover their original Sitz im Leben. German scholars share very little with the NT writers, and yet are presumptuous enough to take the scalpel to texts according to their 20th century methods and 20th century presuppositions. If the critics got Lewis wrong, then how likely is it that the biblical critics get Paul wrong? It sounds simple, but it's a brilliantly simple argument.
July 3, 2024
Lewis asks questions and guides his reader towards reasonable conclusions in this series of essays including the question of the future of Christianity if life is found on other planets and the discussion of Aliens and the Gospel.
He addresses the logical fallacies within Liberal Theology in an address given to a school of Anglican theologians who were doubtful of the validity of the gospels , taking his position as a sheep speaking to learned shepherds he concludes with,
“Such are the reactions of one bleating layman to Modern Theology. It is right you should hear them. You will not perhaps hear them very often again. Your parishioners will not often speak to you quite frankly. Once the layman was anxious to hide the fact that he believed so much less than the vicar: he now tends to hide the fact that he believes so much more. Missionary to the priests of one's own church is an embarrassing role; though I have a horrid feeling that if such mission work is not soon undertaken the future history of the Church of England is likely to be short.”
Such sentiments are alive and active today.
He addresses the logical fallacies within Liberal Theology in an address given to a school of Anglican theologians who were doubtful of the validity of the gospels , taking his position as a sheep speaking to learned shepherds he concludes with,
“Such are the reactions of one bleating layman to Modern Theology. It is right you should hear them. You will not perhaps hear them very often again. Your parishioners will not often speak to you quite frankly. Once the layman was anxious to hide the fact that he believed so much less than the vicar: he now tends to hide the fact that he believes so much more. Missionary to the priests of one's own church is an embarrassing role; though I have a horrid feeling that if such mission work is not soon undertaken the future history of the Church of England is likely to be short.”
Such sentiments are alive and active today.
April 29, 2020
I had never heard of this book until I found it on my parents' bookshelf. Eight essays by a man I have always hugely admired. One a day was enough for me covering the following topics: membership, learning in wartime, forgiveness, historicism, the world's last night, religion & rocketry, the efficacy of prayer and the essay which gave the book its title. CS Lewis' no nonsense approach to logical argument and debate is a joy. he is not afraid to say, "The Emperor has no clothes". Some essays raised questions I had never asked and I had to read his essay on historicism more than once to fathom where he was going. Not a bad thing. Treasures to be gleaned but not bed-time reading as far as I'm concerned.
January 11, 2018
The title essay is quite good. Lewis asks us to be skeptic about religious skepticism. How can you swallow the resurrection but doubt the feeding of the 5000? Best is the one about the Last Judgement. Interestingly Lewis says that the promise of Jesus that his contemporaries would see the End of the world in their lifetime (together with “God, why hast thou forsaken me?” is proof that we have the “gospel” truth here. If it were made up this would have been edited out.
The man could write. (7/10)
The man could write. (7/10)
January 29, 2024
On Forgiveness is excellent. A concise and convicting essay on the nature of human forgiveness and our shortfalls.
Perhaps his most convicting is The World’s Last Night. Lewis’ exegesis of the New Testament’s apocalyptic claims is helpful and clear.
Religion & Rocketry is a joy and was my personal favourite.
Overall, Lewis is clear and compelling. He enjoys classical references and latin phrases perhaps a little too much for my (albeit uneducated) liking. Although this is sometimes a little distracting, missing a reference (or two) to Virgil or Homer rarely detracts from Lewis’ meaning.
Perhaps his most convicting is The World’s Last Night. Lewis’ exegesis of the New Testament’s apocalyptic claims is helpful and clear.
Religion & Rocketry is a joy and was my personal favourite.
Overall, Lewis is clear and compelling. He enjoys classical references and latin phrases perhaps a little too much for my (albeit uneducated) liking. Although this is sometimes a little distracting, missing a reference (or two) to Virgil or Homer rarely detracts from Lewis’ meaning.
December 6, 2021
C. S. Lewis in top form. So many great essays - I should mention "Religion and Rocketry," where he discusses the implications of possible Alien life to Christian doctrines. And "Fern-Seed and Elephants," where he exposes the fallacies of liberal theologians like Bultmann. Also great is "Learning in War-time."
March 25, 2022
This is a short collection of Lewis articles. Some appear in other more well known collections, but there were two or three essays that are not found elsewhere.
The best essays from this collection were: Membership, Religion and Rocketry, and Fern-Seed and Elephants. With my favorite being Fern-Seeds. Highly recommended
The best essays from this collection were: Membership, Religion and Rocketry, and Fern-Seed and Elephants. With my favorite being Fern-Seeds. Highly recommended
July 12, 2024
Brilliant arguments made byLewis. This is an academic article so there is a ton of references to different philosophers, which can be confusing. There’s also a bunch of Latin phrases. But it is a brilliant criticism of liberal theology and encouraging them to be more agnostic if they are going to hold to their criticisms.
October 20, 2017
Přišlo mi, že všechny texty zde byly horší než v jiných autorových knihách. Jakoby to nejlepší už bylo publikováno a sem se dostaly jen "zbytky". Nicméně je to stále stejný Lewis, se kterým nesouhlasím, ale je zajímavé si ho přečíst.
March 5, 2019
Wow. Celkom tazke eseje :)
Studium v dobe valky, Posledni noc sveta ci Nabozenstvi a vesmirne lety boli fantasticke. Dojem oslabovali zvysne eseje, ktore boli narocnejsie a o (pre mna) menej zaujimavych temach
Studium v dobe valky, Posledni noc sveta ci Nabozenstvi a vesmirne lety boli fantasticke. Dojem oslabovali zvysne eseje, ktore boli narocnejsie a o (pre mna) menej zaujimavych temach
May 25, 2024
A collection of essays by C. S. Lewis which I re-read.
I found 'The World's Last Night' particularly thought provoking.
Theological students would find the essay 'Fern-seed and Elephants' helpful.
I found 'The World's Last Night' particularly thought provoking.
Theological students would find the essay 'Fern-seed and Elephants' helpful.
July 30, 2025
Many of the essays in this collection seemed to be combatting specific viewpoints from the past with which I was unfamiliar, making for less applicable reading. The more general essays on forgiveness and prayer were helpful though - 3.5 stars
August 11, 2017
Trist, foarte, foarte trist... Presupun că asta pățești când te aventurezi în filosofie fără o pregătire solidă în logică/matematică... Trist...
May 2, 2018
"We are members of one body, but differentiated members, each with his own vocation." pp. 20
"But the trouble is that what we call 'asking God's forgiveness' very often really consists in asking God to accept our excuses." pp. 27
"When you go to a doctor, you show him the bit of you that is wrong - say, a broken arm. It would be a mere waste of time to keep on explaining that your legs and eyes and throat are all right." pp. 28
"To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you." pp. 30
"He commands us to do slowly and blunderingly what he could do perfectly and in the twinkling of an eye... prehaps we do not fully realize the problem, so to call it, of enabling free will to co-exist with Omnipotence... we are not mere recipients or spectators. We are either privileged to share in the game or compelled to collaborate in the work... this is how (no light matter) God makes something - indeed, makes gods - out of nothing." pp. 84
"But the trouble is that what we call 'asking God's forgiveness' very often really consists in asking God to accept our excuses." pp. 27
"When you go to a doctor, you show him the bit of you that is wrong - say, a broken arm. It would be a mere waste of time to keep on explaining that your legs and eyes and throat are all right." pp. 28
"To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you." pp. 30
"He commands us to do slowly and blunderingly what he could do perfectly and in the twinkling of an eye... prehaps we do not fully realize the problem, so to call it, of enabling free will to co-exist with Omnipotence... we are not mere recipients or spectators. We are either privileged to share in the game or compelled to collaborate in the work... this is how (no light matter) God makes something - indeed, makes gods - out of nothing." pp. 84
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