Lewis lost four different professorships while at oxford, and so in 1954 he moved to take the chair of medieval and renaissance literature at rival magdalene college at cambridge university, where he remained until 1963. He mentions odins heroic appeal again, expecting his audience to know the reference, which they probably did at the oxford socratic club in 1944. But his writings reflect his erudite understanding of the great classics of literature, historical theology, philosophy, and other disciplines. Seeing beauty john piper he s e n t w i l a s n s a r e n.
This page is designed to help make writings on and by c. Lewis on the importance of theology everyone has warned me not to tell you what i am going to tell you in this last book. A critical essay, some sixty firstquality works of literary history, literary criticism, theology, philosophy, autobiography, biblical studies, sermons, formal and informal essays, a spiritual diary, and short stories, as well as poetry, of particular interest to readers of fantasy and science fiction are lewis. When asked whether theology was a kind of poetry, c. This lecture is as rich as poetry for it contains some of the key ideas that led lewis out of atheism and finally into christianity namely the argument from reason and christianity as the true myth. His research interests include the intersection of religion and the arts, and the examination of the works of j. To view a pdf version of this reflections, please click here.
Considered as poetry, the doctrine of the trinity seems to me to fall between two stools. This lecture is as rich as poetry for it contains some of the key ideas that led lewis out of atheism and finally into christianity namely the. Download a pdf file of this issue for free download 330 kb support this ministry. He held academic positions in english literature at both oxford university. Lewis date published preconversion writings spirits in bondage. Lex loizides speaks about the poetry of cs lewis at the christian heritage event in cambridge.
John carson is a wellknown british actor who has made over 320 film and television appearances. Tolkien were close friends who had a great deal in common. On todays podcast, well give you a taste of tgc courses by sharing a lecture from a course on the theology of c. Some people tell me its worth reading everything he wrote. Ayodeji malcolm guite pronounced gaitipa born 12 november 1957 is an english poet, singersongwriter, anglican priest, and academic. The title of the book comes from the first of these lectures and is also the most quoted of them. And though he wrote wisely and winsomely on a wide range of subjects related to the christian life, he devoted relatively little attention to ecclesiology, liturgy, music, and corporate worship.
Lewis uses the example that one wouldnt know they enjoy greek poetry until after they had gone through the work of learning greek. On the other hand, theology uses figurative language, and lewis says we cannot restate our belief in a form free from metaphor. Compelling reason is a collection of lewis essays edited by walter hooper and published by fount paperback in 1996. In his spiritual memoir surprised by joy, lewis describes how it was a long evening walk with j. His father was albert james lewis 18631929, a solicitor whose father, richard, had come to ireland from wales during the mid 19th century.
If theology is poetry, lewis observes, it is not very good poetry. The first is whether lewis s theology and spirituality align him more or less closely with the theology and spirituality of this or that christian church. Before moving on, i want to look at an early poem written by lewis. Of the continuity of a long narrative poem, the subordination of the line to the paragraph and the paragraph to the book and even of the book to the whole, of the grand sweeping effects that take a quarter of an hour to develop themselves, he has. I have read the book seven times this year in the process of preparing for the rerelease.
I have a friend who tends to be on the fringes of christianity but is well read in evangelical and other christian literature. Tolkien and company that finally helped him embrace belief in god. Lewis forceful and accessible doctrine on christian belief. There is a strange idea abroad that in every subject the ancient books should be read only by the professionals, and that the amateur should content himself with the modern books. Christian theology can fit in science, art, morality, and the subchristian religions.
An allegorical apology for christianity, reason, and romanticism 1933 the allegory of love. Lewis comes from a paper given to the oxford socratic club entitled, is theology poetry. Lewis sets out to answer the question, is the imagination of followers of jesus so aroused and satisfied by the poetry of the gospel message that they have mistaken intellectual assent for mere aesthetic enjoyment. Nonfiction theologybible a laymens exploration of difficult passages and problems in the most beloved book of the bible. This is the first of four lectures on lewiss classic mere christianity. Three essays by lewis and tillyard about poetry and whether it is about the person or the object. It was first presented to the oxford socratic club on november 6, 1944.
Abrowsers guide to the beginning and the continuing reading of c. Much of lewiss unpublished poetry was collected in one edited volume by. The book also features a forward by douglas gresham. The worlds poetry archive 11 sciencefiction cradlesong by and by man will try to get out into the sky, sailing far beyond the air from down and here to up and there. He has starred as both the silky voiced villain and the dashing hero. Catharsis in the cathedral nyt sunday magazine 111404. A cycle of lyrics 1919 dymer 1926 post conversion writings the pilgrims regress. K, 1942 if you asked twenty good men today what they thought the highest of. Tolkien helped return lewis to the christianity of his youth, whereas lewis encouraged tolkien to expand his fictional writing.
Compelling reason cpr essays on ethics and theology. On recognising empirical facts expressed in metaphorical truth c. The scientific point of view cannot fit in any of these. Lewis preached originally as a sermon in the church of st mary the virgin, oxford, on june 8, 1942. Cs lewis is theology poetry, the inner ring, on forgiveness, cs lewis learning in war time. Containing theology, literary criticism, poetry, memoir, and much else, this volume reflects the breadth of lewiss interests and the astonishing variety of his own output.
Browse a complete collection of his books, sign up for a monthly enewsletter, find additional resources, and more. Lewis essay collection and other short pieces in response to the 31 day blogging challenge, i will be posting every day in october. You can read the entire essay, is theology poetry, here. This work is different from the rest of the often needless summaries of lewiss thought, usually reduced to a few chapters on narnia. The book was first published in 1939, reprinted in 1965, but then it became one of the few lewis books to go out of print. A study in medieval tradition 1936 out of the silent planet 1938 rehabilitations, and other essays. In the following i am quoting from my book, mere theology. Considered as poetry, the doctrine of the trinity seems to me.
Lewis as well as feed our imaginations and intellects upon those whose. Lewis was a tutor and lecturer at magdalen college at oxford. In many ways it is like a systematic theology of cs lewis. Lewiss the grand miracle for your kindle, tablet, ipad, pc or mobile. Cs lewis is theology poetry, the inner ring, on forgiveness. I had broken it up into two parts as i had taught the book as part of a high school cs lewis class and they had an exam half way in the middle of the book lol. The scientific point of view cannot fit in any of these things, not even science itself. Stars and sky, sky and stars make us feel the prison bars. Why lewis and tolkien argued over christian theology. Lewis surrendered, admitting god was god, and knelt and prayed. Born in nigeria to british expatriate parents, guite earned degrees from cambridge and durham universities. Lewis responded that he assumed the question was not whether most theologians are masters of a. Lewis recommended the reading of old books in his introduction to athanasius on the incarnation.
Lewis says in mere christianity that theology is like a map. Upon completion, students will know how to help religious organizations to leverage computer technology to support their community members and mission. K, 1942 if you asked twenty good men today what they thought the highest of the virtues, nineteen of them would reply, unselfishness. The range of his talents included such varied categories as poetry dymer, allegorical novel the pilgrims regress, popular theology mere christianity, educational philosophy the abolition of man, spacetravel fiction the. It so happens that lewis said enough about literature in general and the narnian books in particular that it is possible to read lewis classic childrens stories with. You can also find it in the weight of glory and other addresses and c. Since this book is a compilation, i provide below a brief overview of each essay below. The death of his wife severely tested lewiss faith as well as his theology. I believe in christianity as i believe that the sun has risen, not only because i see it, but because by it i see everything else. They all say the ordinary reader does not want theology.
Lewis cs lewis poems, cs lewis books do not forget to subscribe to my channel for the most. Clive staples lewis 29 november 1898 22 november 1963 was a british writer and lay theologian. Lewis, who died in 1963, never wrote about samesex marriage, but he did write, occasionally, about the topic of homosexuality in general. I am certain that in passing from the scientific point of view to the theological, i have passed from dream to waking. Vaus has extensive theological training and it shows.
Cs lewis is theology poetry the merlot mom culture blog. There is nothing particularly aesthetic about the drunkenness of noah or the thorn in pauls flesh. Lewis narnian chronicles are the ones that lewis himself wanted us to learn. Lewis is an extremely good theologian who does his work for the thoughtful lay person. Within two years the reluctant convert also moved from theism to christianity and joined the. First heard as informal radio broadcasts and then published as three separate booksthe case for christianity, christian behavior, and beyond personalitymere christianity brings together what lewis sees as the fundamental truths of his religion. He was neither a clergyman nor a professional theologian.
If you will note, i do have a second part to the miracles outline floating around on the blog. I believe in christianity as i believe that the sun has risen, not only because i see it, but because. The lecturer is andrew hoffecker of reformed theological seminary. Lewis at me in discussions and say, see, here is someone supported by the majority of evangelical. A critical essay, some sixty firstquality works of literary history, literary criticism, theology, philosophy, autobiography, biblical studies, sermons, formal and informal essays, a spiritual diary, and short stories, as well as poetry, of particular interest to readers. For detailed references and footnotes, you may obtain a copy from amazon, your local library, or by clicking. The most important lessons that we can learn from c. Lewis argues, if theology is poetry, it is not very good poetry. Elwin ransom is a cambridge philologist as lewis was whose first name has the same letters except the substitution of an n for an s as lewiss last name.
Clive staples lewis was born in belfast, ireland, on 29 november 1898. Lewis foundation is dedicated to advancing the renewal of christian thought and creative expression throughout the world of learning and the culture at large. As far as compendiums of cs lewiss thought go, this is easily among the best. Lewis may seem like an odd subject for study when it comes to the theology and practice of worship.
Pdf toward a theology of the imagination with st coleridge, cs. An inspection of the theological craft in this poem lewis is saying here that, if the sinner would look along, or. Lewis book titled the weight of glory is actually a collection of essays or lectures made by lewis. It has neither the monolithic grandeur of strictly unitarian conceptions nor the richness of polytheism.
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