Mere Christianity, by C. S. Lewis

What is the "next step in evolution"? What will the "new men" look and be like? In this final chapter, Lewis concludes his consideration of mere Christianity by examining the possibilities.

In this chapter, Lewis responds to the criticism that, if Christianity is true, why are not all Christians obviously nicer than all non-Christians?

In chapter 8, Lewis commented on Jesus's words, "Be ye perfect." He spends this entire chapter elaborating on the meaning of this statement, explaining his view of Jesus's intent.

In the last few chapters, Lewis has presented the Christian idea of dressing up as a Son of God as the means of becoming a son of God. In this chapter, he contrasts this with ordinary ideas of "morality" and "being good." Against this background, he then addresses the contrasting views of the Christian life as being hard and easy.

Earlier in this book, C. S. Lewis explains that our Christian beliefs start with the realization that we are hopelessly sinful creatures in need of saving. In this chapter, he leads us through the role that an unexpected (to many of us) activity plays in that journey: pretending.

In this short chapter, Lewis addresses two issues arising from his metaphor of the toy soldiers from the previous chapter: (1) why God didn't beget many sons (instead of toy soldiers that had to be turned into sons), and (2) the seeming contradiction between envisioning humans as all part of one organism and the importance of individual differences.

How is it that Jesus's life paves the way for our Bios (physical life) to join with God's Zoe (spiritual life)? Lewis pictures it like bringing a toy tin soldier to life.

With this picture of a three-part God in mind (and Lewis provides greater detail in this chapter about the third person, the Holy Ghost), how are we to be drawn into their life of love, i.e., go from "made" to "begotten"? Lewis observes that it is like being infected...

Some of our biggest objections to Christianity involve the concept of time. In this chapter, Lewis shares his understanding of our experience (time) and God's experience (beyond time).

Using the distinction between "making" v. "begetting" that he delineated in Chapter 1, Lewis tackles the concept of the three-personal God: how can God have three identities? Is this symbolism, or is it real?

In Book 4, Lewis tackles the theological concept of the Trilogy. After making the case, in classic Lewis fashion, using straightforward analogies and metaphors, that theology is both practical and necessary, he begins his exploration of the Trilogy by examining the distinction between "making" and "begetting."

Chapter 12 continues Lewis's discussion of faith, addressing the second sense of the word-- the "higher sense" of what it means to reach the understanding that we experience utter failure in trying to keep God's laws by our own effort, and there is nothing we can offer God that is not his already.

In chapters 11 and 12, Lewis addresses what he describes as the two aspects of faith. The first, covered extensively in this chapter, refers to "the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods." Lewis examines the role that temptation plays. He also addresses our notions that God has set before us an exam that we can pass and effectively put him in our debt to hold up his end of a contractual bargain. He then lays the foundation of looking at the second aspect of faith, which he takes up in detail in the next chapter.

In this short chapter, Lewis builds the case that, far from being a ridiculous way of escaping reality, the Christian's focus on another world (Heaven) is the logical response to our earthly experiences.

In Book 3, Chapter 7, Lewis addressed the part of Charity we know as Forgiveness. In the current book, he revisits Charity in a broader sense, giving special attention to the difference between the role of our emotions and role of our will.

Lewis comes finally to the center of Christian morals: Pride. He makes this provocative statement: "Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind," and then spends the remainder of the chapter providing examples from our everyday lives to support it. He closes the chapter with some helpful clarification on what pride isn't.

There are so many things about forgiveness (which Lewis calls the most unpopular of the virtues) that make it hard, and Lewis addresses them all, reminding us that the only terms under which we are offered forgiveness are that we forgive others.

Continuing his consideration of Christian morality, Lewis, with some apology and trepidation as he acknowledged that, at the time of writing this book, he was a single man, turns to Christian marriage. He delves deeply into the role of "being in love" and the beauty of the natural process (which is not reflected in novels and movies) of moving through the thrill of "falling in love" to the quieter, deeper, and more deliberate state of being in love. He closes with comments on the relationship between the husband and wife in decision-making.

Lewis continues his consideration of morality by examining sexual morality. After a lengthy discussion, he closes with the reminder/admonition that "the center of Christian morality is not here," preparing the listener for future chapters on spiritual pleasures.

Before Lewis delves into more specifics about what constitutes the "Christian life," he explores the relationship between morality and psychoanalysis, both of which claim to "put the human machine right." This leads him to clarifying that Christian morality isn't a reward system for keeping rules but an acknowledgment that every one of our choices contributes to the growth of our central being "either into a creature that is in harmony with God, and with other creatures, and with itself, or else into one that is in a state of war and hatred with God, and with its fellow-creatures, and with itself."

Having discussed morality in general and the cardinal virtues (chapters 1 and 2 of Book 3), Lewis takes a look at Christian morality and contrasts it with society's desire for political programs and for "the Church" to lead the way. He comments on what a fully Christian society might look like, and the role of the individual in bringing it about.

Lewis expands on the previous chapter about morality to explore four specific areas (called the "Cardinal Virtues" by "old" writers) of morality.

What is morality? Is moral perfection an "ideal"? Lewis digs into these questions and proposes that there are three parts of morality.

Christ has undergone the perfect surrender and humiliation so that his life can be part of us. In this chapter, Lewis considers how that is to be done and entertains some objections to the Christian narrative.

What do Christians believe about the purpose of Jesus' life and death? Why was it necessary for God to become man and sacrifice his life in order to create a path for us to have a relationship with God who created us for relationship in the first place?

Is it in accordance with God's will that the Enemy has made himself Prince of this world? Lewis addresses the consequences of God's gift to us of free will and the ability to choose to put ourselves first. Lewis describes God's activity to keep the door open to a right relationship with him, including raising up a man who made the shocking claim of being able to forgive all sins, including those which were not made directly against him.

Having discussed atheism in the previous chapter, Lewis proceeds to examine the merits of Dualism (along with making a few observations about what he refers to as "Christianity-and-water"), the idea that there are two equal, independent forces behind our existence: a Good Power and a Bad Power.

In Book 1, Lewis examines our concepts of right and wrong, following them to their logical conclusion: there is a being (that is very much like a mind) behind our Moral Law, and we are constantly making ourselves its enemy by choosing to disobey that law.

In Book 2, Lewis moves into a more specific consideration of what Christians believe. Chapter 1 looks at the difference between Pantheism (God is beyond good and evil, i.e., there is no "good" or "evil") and the Christian belief in a God who cares very much about the difference between good and evil.

In this chapter, Lewis explores further what it means that there is a Somebody behind the Moral Law, sharing three thoughts for those who see his train of thought as the same old take on religion.

Having considered that what we call the Laws of Nature may not be anything real—anything above and beyond the actual facts which we observe-- and the Law of Human Nature, or of Right and Wrong, must be something above and beyond the actual facts of human behaviour—a real law which we did not invent and which we know we ought to obey, Lewis moves on to consider what that tells us about the universe we live in, specifically how the universe came into existence.

Lewis further explores the two "odd" things that we observe about humanity (that, first, we are haunted by the idea of a sort of behavior we ought to practise, what you might call fair play, or decency, or morality, or the Law of Nature; second, that we do not in fact do so) in order to get a deeper understanding about the Law of Nature.

Having made two foundational points about human beings ("First, that human beings, all over the earth, have this curious idea that they ought to behave in a certain way, and cannot really get rid of it. Secondly, that they do not in fact behave in that way. They know the Law of Nature; they break it."), Lewis shares and responds to objections to these points.

Lewis begins his exploration of what our human understanding about right and wrong tells us about the universe by examining "The Law of Human Nature," and how this Law is different from the physical laws (like gravity) that we usually associate with "laws of nature."

A personal message to my children, to whom I dedicate this podcast