S.”) Lewis, was first published in 1952 as an expansion of some radio talks Lewis had given during World War II. The notes have been summarized so that a group or discussion leader can lead one chapter per meeting, or the chapters can be grouped together to cover multiple chapters per meeting. I hope no reader will suppose that "mere" Christianity is here put forward as an alternative to the creeds of the existing communions—as if a man could adopt it in preference to Congregationalism or Greek Orthodoxy or anything else. “Nice” people need saving just as much as “unkind” people do. Christ-life does not make us perfect, but enables us to repair ourselves each time we fall. Lewis's preface explains what Mere Christianity is and what it attempts to do. The rule … There is no happiness if we have no choice, so God has made us free to choose, but we use this freedom in a way that is not in accordance with his will. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. In the act of prayer, a human being assumes the guise of Jesus Christ; with practice and faith, prayer can help human beings become divine by leading them toward salvation in Heaven. Mere Christianity Summary. The most shocking part is the appearance of Jesus, who claims to forgive sins. This complex notion is where theology began. We cannot, however, pick and choose. In Mere Christianity, C.S. He calls our fundamental and universal understanding of fairness, or right and wrong, “The Law of Human Nature,” distinguishing it from other natural laws (such as gravity) by the fact that humans can choose whether or not to obey it. We have a duty to forgive our enemies. We can hate an action but hope that that person can “be cured and made human again” ( 117). Considered a classic of Christian apologetics, the transcripts of the broadcasts originally appeared in print as three separate pamphlets: The Case for Christianity (Broadcast Talks in the UK) (1942), Christian Behaviour (1943), and Beyond Personality (1944). Simply put Transcendentalism is a philosophy that asserts the spiritual and romantic world over the material and empirical world. It analyzes Christianity and gives some of the author`s views on it. MERE CHRISTIANITY LEADERS NOTES These pages are a summary of C.S. We can hate what a person does without hating them, which we do for ourselves all the time. Ultimately, Lewis explains, we must give ourselves over to Christ completely in order to both become like him and to fully become ourselves. It is a force that likes goodness, and we know that “if there does exist an absolute goodness it must hate most of what we do” (31). Lewis's Mere Christianity is mainly an argument that no matter what denomination of Christianity one belonged to, the umbrella of "Christian" was broad enough to include them, and we should behave like a family, not as rival armies. Lewis's Mere Christianity Chapter Summary. MERE CHRISTIANITY by C.S. After you claim a section you’ll have 24 hours to send in a draft. In short, Lewis argues, one must sacrifice one’s earthly needs and desires in order to be a Christian—but as a reward, one will find Christ, and rejoice in Heaven for eternity. In the first part of the book, Lewis discusses the “law of human nature.” When studying human history, he claims, one is struck by how similar different societies’ moral codes are, at least at a fundamental level. Mere Christianity – Book I (Summary) July 2, 2017 pilgrim Leave a comment You can look at my more detailed notes , but this is an overview of the content of Book I of “Mere Christianity”… Not affiliated with Harvard College. Lewis discusses the overlap between Christianity and psychoanalysis. However, there is a difference between loving one’s neighbor and feeling affection toward them. At the end of the first chapter in Mere Christianity, Lewis lays out the scope of his argument: "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. But one of the miracles of virtue, Lewis claims, is that when we pretend to respect other people, we eventually do respect them. LitCharts Teacher Editions. Our, "Sooo much more helpful than SparkNotes. To begin with, Lewis proposes that morality consists of three different parts: harmony between people, harmony within a person, and constant vigilance in achieving a state of salvation. Each choice changes a central part of us and molds us into the person we are becoming. Find summaries for every chapter, including a Mere Christianity Chapter Summary Chart to help you understand the book. He compares the individual to a living house. Pantheists believe that God is the universe, meaning that everything in the material universe is divine. An editor Lewis then attempts to resolve the apparent contradiction in the existence of a good God who allows evil things to happen by arguing that God gives people the gift of free will: they face the challenge of behaving virtuously in spite of the temptations of evil—a challenge for which they will be richly rewarded in Heaven. Christianity is not about mere improvement but about Transformation. C.S. In the second part of the book, Lewis discusses a few competing theories about the all-powerful being’s identity. This is important because God cannot be love unless he contains two or more beings. In the fourth and final part of the book, Lewis turns to theology, the “science” of God. He acknowledges, however, the apparent irony in that not all Christians are nice than non-Christians. The Mere Christianity Critical Analysis Journal sold through Homeschool Adventure Co., is a wonderful tool to strengthen critical thinking while building a biblical worldview. He compares this to a writer writing a novel; though the novel’s events are bound by time, the writer is not. Each choice brings us closer or farther from the person God intended. The only alterations he made to his original spoken words were minor stylistic changes to fit it to the medium of writing and minor alterations in the content, reflecting audience feedback or his own evolved … She does not make them, and it remains dirty, and although this is against her will it is also her will for them to choose on their own that has made it possible. In the Christian view there is an evolutionary “Next Step” that is already at work. Jesus is begotten, and we are made; we are like statues, not sons, but through Christ we are brought to life. This 69-page guide for “Mere Christianity” by C. S. Lewis includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 33 chapters, as well as several more in-depth sections of expert-written literary analysis. Four are “Cardinal virtues,” recognized by all civilized people, and three are “Theological virtues,” recognized specifically by Christians. While there are many different Christian sects that worship Christ in different ways, Lewis argues that they can agree on the basic facts about Christ’s existence, and therefore can all attain salvation. Other religious groups, such as Muslims, Jews, and Christians, believe that God created the universe, yet is distinct from it; thus, God is good, and wants humans to work hard to make the universe a better place. The Mere Christianity Critical Analysis Journal is a powerful tool to strengthen critical thinking while cultivating a biblical worldview. Lewis also defends the institution of marriage. In Mere Christianity, C.S. About the Author C. S. Lewis was one of the most influential writers of Christian literature in the 20 th Century. He compares this to a mother who wants her children to learn to clean their room on their own. Some religious groups, the Pantheists, believe that the all-powerful being, God, is neither good nor evil. He points out that, if there is a force behind this Moral Law, is that it is not lenient nor indulgent; it instructs us to do the right thing regardless of how difficult or painful it is. Lewis argues that we must not claim that Jesus was merely a great moral teacher. Lewis walks through several theories about how Jesus’s death brings about salvation: that he paid a sort of debt by dying for our sins, or that he taught us how to repent by first doing it himself. When Lewis was a much younger man, he found it impossible to believe in a just God who would allow Earth to become a sad, unjust place. Lewis notes here that he is not “within a hundred miles of the God of Christian theology” (25); he has merely arrived at the existence of “Something which is directing the universe” (25) and which seems to urge us toward morality. It is not God, but it points us to God. These letters are presented with the expectation that readers have a basic understanding of Christian beliefs, such as the story of the Fall. Written by people who wish to remain anonymous. When studying human history, he claims, one is struck by how similar different societies’ moral codes are, at least at a fundamental level. Since he claimed to be God, we have only three options: he is a lunatic, he is evil and a liar, or he is God. Mere Christianity Summary. Non-conformists by focusing on a “mere” Christianity. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class.”, Easy-to-use guides to literature, poetry, literary terms, and more, Super-helpful explanations and citation info for over 30,000 important quotes, Unrestricted access to all 50,000+ pages of our website and mobile app. It is not acceptable to break a promise when the feelings go away. Lewis briefly discusses the four “Cardinal virtues”—prudence, temperance, justice, and fortitude, and explains why they’re necessary for living morally. Until nineteen fifty-four he was a Fellow and Tutor in English Literature at Oxford University. Lewis' book Mere Christianity is a good book for an unbeliever to read to establish a rational basis for belief in Christianity. On the contrary, Lewis argues, the only way to truly be an individual and fulfill one’s potential is to worship Jesus Christ. eNotes plot summaries cover all the significant action of Mere Christianity. Mere Christianity Summary Mere Christianity was written by C.S. It does not, he argues, really matter what one believes about how it works; we must simply know that it does work, though Lewis seems to advocate more for the latter—that Jesus taught us by example how to repent. Mere Christianity Book 3, Chapters 1-4 Summary & Analysis ... Book 3, Chapter 1 Summary: "The Three Parts of Morality" Lewis begins by noting several overly simplistic ideas about morality—for example, that it is primarily something meant to interfere with people’s lives rather than to help them. This does not mean believing something in spite of evidence. Lewis compares the Holy Trinity to a die: just as a die “contains” six square sides, and yet is one three-dimensional object at the same time, so too does God “contain” three parts and yet remain one being. Christian morality does not offer details about how to apply its virtues to a particular society at a particular time. How to Use This Study Guide These study questions will help you to get the most out of the lectures by Dr. Christopher Mitchell on Mere Christianity. Introductory Study Guide for Mere Christianity Created by: Liz Evershed, C.S. The major division are found in the people who believe in God, or some type of god, and those who have no belief system (atheist). will review the submission and either publish your submission or provide feedback. You may have heard of her. He then delves into the notion of a three-person God, which is something that we cannot understand. Digital Transformation @lockheedmartin | UMUC | Professor | Published 1st Cloud Computing Dissertation #ai #quantum#blockchain #digital RSS Feed He then examines Christian marriage, a promise that must be followed. Next, he examines forgiveness. Lewis argues that moral law isn’t just an arbitrary human invention—it’s actually a real, timeless thing—invented by an all-powerful being who stands outside the confines of material space and time, and reveals itself to humans through moral law. Since Christ is our example, and because we can become like Christ, there is a “Christ-life” that is spread to us in three ways: baptism, belief, and Holy Communion/Mass/The Lord’s Supper. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. There is a cost, and it is often more than we have bargained for. This, then, is how we know there is a moral law that we ought to obey even though our behavior alone indicates no such pattern. 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