Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

Mere Christianity, by C. S. Lewis, is written as set of guidelines of Christian belief. Lewis does not say there is any particular way to believe but he does make a point that the topic of religion itself is serious. As you consider whether you want to believe or not, you have to recognize how much thought it requires, and how thought provoking a process this decision is. Lewis covers Christianity in four different books within his book. In book one, Lewis discusses the Law of Nature and makes note of a tendency in humans of appealing to a standard of absolute truth in quarrels and arguments. He calls this standard the Law of Nature or the Moral Law. The Law isn't the same as the law of gravity because in the latter case, we have no choice but to obey physical laws. The Law that governs human conduct is distinct, then, from the "way the universe works." Lewis concludes that the moral law is alive and active in human lives. According to Lewis, science cannot be used to discover the mind behind the creation of the universe. In book two Lewis simply states what Christians believe. He talks about the major divisions within belief in God, and discusses what he calls Christianity-and-water. Lewis speaks on free will, Satan, and the nature of Christ. Book three contains The Three Parts of Morality. He discusses what he calls the cardinal virtues. According to old writers, there are seven virtues. Four are called cardinal and the other three are theological. Lewis argues for morality between man and man, and what a society would be like if it were completely Christian. He also discusses chastity, marriage, forgiveness, the great - sin pride and self-conceit, and gives another look at the theological...

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...ion. In the beginning of the book Lewis compared situations where moral decisions were at stake, to keys on a piano. In some situations they keys were right and in others wrong, depending on the tune you are playing. In book three Lewis describes what the basic rudiments of "Moral music" thus defining the bounds of the songs we as humans can properly write and play and still be recognized as music. As in real music there is a structure and there are rules on how songs can be put together. When the structure is not followed it is very hard to play music that is beautiful to listen to because it would lack a melody with all the harmonies that are pleasing to the ear. As for the seven virtues and Moral law they guide the symphony of our life in which each day is new movement. Without the guidance of the Moral Laws, our life would be the same as jumbled notes on a page.