Introduction: Many years ago, one of the first books I wrote was published under the name Persuasions, and the subtitle was “A Dream of Reason Meeting Unbelief.” In that book, a character named Evangelist encountered various people on the road that leads to the Abyss and he engaged them in conversation, seeking to persuade them …
Sehnsucht
Sehnsucht: I. The Idea of Joy Fundamental to Lewis’ life was the idea of longing or Sehnsucht (p. 7) — a creature longing for eternity. Consider autumn as an idea (p. 16). And northernness may take some explaining (p. 17). II. Trying to Be a Christian Lewis was brought up in the faith, and simply …
Presuppositions
Miracles: I. The Issue of Presuppositions A. In this book Lewis comes closest to what might be called a presuppositional apologetic. When unbelievers behave themselves, he is evidentialist. When they do not, he becomes a radical presuppositionalist. B. He understands the power of paradigms. “What we learn from experience depends on the kind of philosophy …
Abolition of Man
The Abolition of Man: I. The Issue of Education A. The Abolition of Man is a book about education, and about the subtlety of propaganda. B. “I doubt whether we are sufficiently attentive to the importance of elementary textbooks” (p. 13). C. Lewis is greatly concerned here with how the process of education is capable …
Pilgrim’s Regress
The Pilgrim’s Regress: I. Puritania A. Puritania is populated by good and decent people who do not really believe everything they are talking about. The formal position is very strict, but the informal position is conducive to what we are pleased to call reality. B. “I hope,” said the Steward, “that you have not already …
Discarded Image
The Discarded Image: I. A Bookish Cosmology A. The medieval mind was one which represented a literate culture which had lost most of its books. Consequently, they had to make do with what few books they had. This meant that they were not quick to set their books at odds with one another. B. The …
Great Divorce
The Great Divorce: I. The Scenario A. A number of shades in Hell are standing in line, waiting for a bus, which will in turn take them up to the heavenly regions. They are met by various heavenly spirits, and the book regards the conversations between the potentially damned and the blessed. B. The conclusion …
The Silver Chair
The Silver Chair: I. The Scenario A. The Silver Chair is the sixth of seven stories popularly called the Narnia Chronicles. The stories generally have a lot more in them than is commonly assumed. B. In this story, two children from our world-Jill and Eustace-are taken into another world, and are given the task of …