books

[kateliz]

-- he's another person I'd suggest caution. The page you linked to claimed that "Only from the Pauline epistles will the Holy Spirit minister these Christian truths to him." As I recall, however, these truths were pretty apparent in other sections of the New Testament as well -- most notably in the Gospels. Any statement that limits the Holy Spirit like that causes me to be wary.

I read that myself, and I wasn't alarmed only because being familiar with the author had me instantly concluded that it was just an ungaurded comment. I don't believe he actually meant that. Thanks for pointing it out though! I didn't realize I read a statement like that because I instantly dismissed it as to be taken literally, but it's very important to note those things!!!

[Lurker]

I read "The Case for a Creator" a few months back and loved it. I also enjoyed "The Case for Christ" and "The Case for Faith" - so much that I had my non-christian dad read them. I love what Lee does on "Faith Under Fire" too.

I attend Rick Warren's church so I'm always reminded to be "purpose driven". I liked the book and the simplicity of the message. I look at myself and I'm kind of surprised to see how much this simple book changed my life by forcing me to focus on the things that matter most.

I really like the topics covered in "The Case for a Creator". What similar books can you recommend?

[Veronica]

At the moment, I'm working on:
~The Holy Bible
~Life of Christ-Bishop fulton J. Sheen
~Cathichms of the Catholic Church

I'm also reading Several Encyclicals

On my *to read sooner than later list*
~St. Thomas Aquinas Shorter Summa
~Collected Works St. John of the Cross
~City of God-St. Augustine
~Confessions of St. Augustine
~Theology for begginers-Frank Sheed

May the Lord Bless you and Keep you all!
Veronica ><>

[Prodigal Son]

john ortberg writes some really good stuff: love beyond reason, if you want to walk on water..., everyone's normal until you get to know them, etc.

[Judah]

C.S. Lewis never, as far as I know, claimed to be a theologian. In fact, he frequently said that he was not a theologian.
I found numerous claims in the John W. Robbins paper "Did C.S. Lewis Go to Heaven?" http://withchrist.org/MJS/csl.pdf which I thought were somewhat debateable (and I have read a great deal of Lewis) despite it being a very well presented paper.
Ultimately, it is God who decides who will go to heaven. Christians have always debated this way and that on a huge number of points, being quite picky with each other, and it is still God who will be the One to cast the deciding vote - not Robbins or Lewis or Standford or you or me.
Should we get there ourselves, we just might be surprised who else we find there with us.

[LittleShepherd]

C.S. Lewis never, as far as I know, claimed to be a theologian. In fact, he frequently said that he was not a theologian.

That's not entirely accurate, to my knowledge. He claimed to be a layman -- ie not clergy. He stuck to simple matters of Christianity(in his opinion), refusing to back a specific denomination, and left doctrinal issues(even the great Catholic v. Protestant debate) to theologians and clergy more well-versed in such things than he.

Claiming to simply be a laymen is a bit different than claiming to not be a theologian. You don't have to be clergy to be a theologian, and I think it's obvious from the things he wrote on, and the observations that he made, that he was a theologian, at least on a basic level.

[Judah]

LittleShepherd, you are right in that he certainly claimed to be a layman, not a member of the clergy.
And there is no denying that he was extremely well read in theology.

Lewis frequently dropped asides into his speaking engagements, and in written essays, deliberately distancing himself from the notion that he was a theologian, and commenting that he was open to correction by those who were theologians.
This fact is seen in any reading of his essays, and is noted by many C.S. Lewis scholars including Gilbert Meilaender and Peter Kreeft.
As a Professor of Medieval and Renaissance English Literature, it suited Lewis to be thought of as just a religious or Christian thinker, rather than an academically qualified theologian which he wasn't, thereby enabling him to make a more authentic appeal to the common ordinary man in the street.

Just two of very many examples:

"Something will usually have to be said about the historicity of the Gospels. You who are trained theologians will be able to do this in ways which I could not. My own line was to say that I was a professional literary critic and I thought I did know the difference between legend and historical writing." (C.S. Lewis, Christian Apologetics, 1945)

"One is sometimes (not often) glad not to be a great theologian. One might so easily confuse it with being a good Christian." (C. S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms.)

However, I have seen a lot of references to "the theology of C.S Lewis" where numerous Christian writers have since expounded on the ideas and insights that Lewis has given us, and so I guess this could well become a subject of debate (which had not actually been my intention) just on those grounds.

I stand by what I said... C.S. Lewis never, as far as I know, claimed to be a theologian. In fact, he frequently said that he was not a theologian.
Others may say or think that of him, but he himself did not.

[LittleShepherd]

As a Professor of Medieval and Renaissance English Literature, it suited Lewis to be thought of as just a religious or Christian thinker, rather than an academically qualified theologian which he wasn't, thereby enabling him to make a more authentic appeal to the common ordinary man in the street.

Ah, okay. I was wondering why the notion of his not being a theologian didn't make sense, and why it didn't sound like something he'd logically be able to claim.

I see now that his definition is a bit more specific than what I was thinking. I never thought of theologians needing academic credentials, but I suppose that makes sense. In "Mere Christianity," he goes on about certain words, such as "gentlemen," losing all important meaning when they become generalized by the public. I suppose this is just another of those unfortunate words.

[kateliz]

But that's just a matter of preference. Everyone is a theologian in that they think about theology. Well, okay, not according to strict dictionary definitions. But still, you can be a philosopher without studying, why not a theologian? I don't see that there need be a difference.

Eigher way, wasn't C.S. Lewis studying as a philosopher at first? Then after becoming a Christain, (if you believe he was such,) just turned his philosophy-geared mind toward Christianity? I think, (having only read the Narnia Collection and his autobiography thus far,) that that affected his theology somewhat.

[Judah]

C.S. Lewis' overwhelming interest was in poetry and literature prior to, and later concurrent with, orthodox Christianity.
He obtained 3 first-class degrees from Oxford University in Honour Mods (Greek and Latin texts), Greats (classical philosophy), and English Language and Literature. He was also a fluent reader in both French and Italian, and some German. He had a special interest in "Northern" mythology.

After reading George MacDonald's Phantastes he said that it "converted and baptised his imagination" steering him towards the world of Christian mythopaeia of which the Narnia Chronicles, written for children (of all ages) could be claimed as an example.

Lewis wrote to his longstanding childhood friend, Arthur Greeves, concerning his conversion to Christian faith "...I have just passed on from believing in God to definitely believing in Christ... My long night talk with Dyson and Tolkein had a great deal to do with it." (Walter Hooper, ed. They Stand Together: The Letters of C.S. Lewis to Arthur Greeves 1914-1963, London: Collins, 1979).

He dates his conversion as occurring on September 22, 1931, while sitting in the sidecar of his brother Warren's motorcycle en route to Whipsnade, the safari zoo. He said of this: "When we set out I did not believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and when we reached the zoo I did.... It was more like when a man, after long sleep, still lying motionless in bed, becomes aware that he is now awake." (C.S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life, London: Bles, 1955).

On being interviewed by Sherwood E. Wirt of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Ltd on 7 May 1963, Lewis was asked for his view concerning the daily discipline of the Christian life, the need for taking time alone with God, to which he replied: "We have our New Testament regimental orders upon the subject.... It is enjoined upon us by Our Lord; and since they are His commands, I believe in following them." (Warren Hooper, ed. God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics by C.S. Lewis, 1970.)

Having read Lewis widely, I have no doubt in my own mind that he was indeed a Christian. He claimed that himself. And I don't mean just an intellectual assent to doctrine. It is for God to judge the heart of man, not us, and it must be remembered that all are sinners and nobody is perfect. It is also important to keep in mind that while on earth we "see through a glass darkly" and we will all have different points of view on peripheral doctrine.

Everyone who has come to a saving belief in Jesus will have their own story of how that happened, and because we all have different personalities and temperaments, there is no one narrow way of getting to the foot of the Cross. Once there, what happens is very personal indeed.

It was the writings of Lewis that played a very big part in my own journey from agnosticism to Christ, and he is not called "the apostle to agnostics" without good reason. He was a man of prodigous intellect yet had an appeal to ordinary folk, dealing with their doubts thereby making a way clear for many to come to Christ, back then and still today.

And being something of a Lewis fan, of course I am going to encourage others to read his books too.

[Silvertusk]

The books I have read or are reading (and you might notice I am a big Phillip Yancey fan) that I reccomend.


NIV Bible - God (well originally)
Lions Handbook to the Bible - Various authors
Meet the Bible - Phillip Yancey
Disappointment with God - Phillip Yancey
What's so Amazing about Grace - Phillip Yancey
In our Image - Paul Brand and Phillip Yancey
Rumours of another world - Phillip Yancey
Just Wondering - Phillip Yancey
Search for an Invisible God - Phillip Yancey
Church, Why Bother - Phillip Yancey
The Jesus I never knew - Phillip Yancey
The Case for Christ - Lee Strobel
The Case for Faith - Lee Strobel
The Case for a Creator - Lee Strobel
Mere Christianity - C.S. Lewis
The Screwtape Letters - C.S. Lewis
Who moved the Stone - Morrison.

All are very good - Dissapointment with God was one of my favourites though.

[Veronica]

~ Living Flame of Love - St. John of the Cross
~ The Incorruptibles - Joan Carroll Cruz
~ Fundamental Moral Attitudes - Dietrich Von Hildebrand
I highly recommend reading "The Four Tempraments" by Rev. Conrad Hock which can be found online here: http://www.angelicum.net/html/four_temperaments.html

God Bless you all!
Veronica ><>