Mere Christianity

[Mere Christianity]
Year: 
1952
Public: 
Moral assessment: 
Type: Thought
Nothing inappropriate.
Requires prior general knowledge of the subject.
Readers with knowledgeable about the subject matter.
Contains doctrinal errors of some importance.
Whilst not being explicitly against the faith, the general approach or its main points are ambiguous or opposed to the Church’s teachings.
Incompatible with Catholic doctrine.
Literary quality: 
Recommendable: 
Transmits values: 
Sexual content: 
Violent content: 
Vulgar or obscene language: 
Ideas that contradict Church teaching: 
The rating of the different categories comes from the opinion of Delibris' collaborators

In this essay C.S. Lewis endeavours to spell out “mere Christianity”, i.e. the elements that make up the various Christian confessions. The book compiles a series of radio conferences of apologetics. It is divided into two parts: the first tackles some dogmatic aspects especially Christ’s divinity, the reality of redemption, and the supernatural character of divine filiation; the second is about Christian behavior centered on the cardinal virtues, particularly Christian marriage and the modesty.

As can be appreciated, and the author himself points out in the introduction, the book should be read with an awareness of its limitations. Lewis carefully avoids the topics that underscore the differences between the various Christian creeds; there are no references to Confession, or to the cult of the Saints. Even though this can be seen as a limitation from the point of view of Catholic orthodoxy, it leaves one in no doubt as to Lewis’ correctness, keenness and brilliancy with which he treats the topics chosen.

P.V. (Spain, 2016)