Palerider Posted December 2, 2013 Posted December 2, 2013 (edited) I know a little. He was raised christian I believe (Church of Ireland) and then in his teens became an atheist for many years until at age 32 he found he could no longer deny God and returned to the Anglican communion. I believe in his later years there was some thought or talk of his of moving to Catholicism, but I don't know how well founded that is. I think his writings regarding pride were quite influential on Ezra Taft Benson. It is said he (Pres. Benson) asked Sis. Benson to research a general conference address for him and her main source was C.S. Lewis. It would take me some time to find the documentation for that. I consider his writings such as The Screwtape Letters, Mere Christianity,The Problem of Pain, etc. to be either on a par with, or to exceed, the writings of any LDS leaders. Edited December 2, 2013 by Palerider 1
EllenMaksoud Posted December 2, 2013 Author Posted December 2, 2013 I know a little. He was raised christian I believe (Church of Ireland) and then in his teens became an atheist for many years until at age 32 he found he could no longer deny God and returned to the Anglican communion. I believe in his later years there was some thought or talk of his of moving to Catholicism, but I don't know how well founded that is. I think his writings regarding pride were quite influential on Ezra Taft Benson. It is said he (Pres. Benson) asked Sis. Benson to research a general conference address for him and her main source was C.S. Lewis. It would take me some time to find the documentation for that. I consider his writings such as The Screwtape Letters, Mere Christianity,The Problem of Pain, etc. to be either on a par with, or to exceed, the writings of any LDS leaders. That is my understanding, and in Evangelical Circles, he is highly regarded. I agree on his writings. There is one reference that bothers me but I will not repeat it. Must do some more work.
thesometimesaint Posted December 2, 2013 Posted December 2, 2013 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._S._Lewis I like his works.
CV75 Posted December 2, 2013 Posted December 2, 2013 Has anyone looked into his life?There was a recent CNN news item that exploited his human frailties but also rumor about him.
EllenMaksoud Posted December 2, 2013 Author Posted December 2, 2013 There was a recent CNN news item that exploited his human frailties but also rumor about him.I just read the CNN Belief article. None of our lives are perfect. Leave the media to go for the dirt. His writings were one of the pivotal elements in my early belief.
Palerider Posted December 2, 2013 Posted December 2, 2013 (edited) The older I get the more I see the silliness in the LDS approach to perfectionism and the more I appreciate the Grace offered to those who try and fail and try and fail again. To one degree or another we are all like Lewis and I appreciate him on all levels. Edited December 2, 2013 by Palerider 1
CV75 Posted December 2, 2013 Posted December 2, 2013 I just read the CNN Belief article. None of our lives are perfect. Leave the media to go for the dirt. His writings were one of the pivotal elements in my early belief.Yep--I'm not sure what good purpose was to be served by the article, especially the rumor part, so I thought that or an item in it might be what was bothering you. At any rate, I'm sure he must have written something about John 8:7, grace, Matthew 23;24 and so forth.
cinepro Posted December 2, 2013 Posted December 2, 2013 Well, there's always this: I'm still waiting for the other two books in the series, "Billy Graham's Guide to LDS Living" and "Ghandi Was a Mormon".
CV75 Posted December 2, 2013 Posted December 2, 2013 The older I get the more I see the silliness in the LDS approach to perfectionism and the more I appreciate the Grace offered to those who try and fail and try and fail again. To one degree or another we are all like Lewis and I appreciate him on all levels.I think this portrays the LDS perspective more accurately: http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/you-can-do-it-now?lang=eng 2
Bob Crockett Posted December 2, 2013 Posted December 2, 2013 I've read a lot of his works although it has been quite awhile. His material is very inspirational but I find much of his doctrine antithetical to LDS doctrines of grace and works, and enduring to the end, and the priesthood and heirship doctrines, and so I don't quote from him or encourage others to do so. I think I'd rather quote from Orson F. Whitney, who has a similar style.
EllenMaksoud Posted December 2, 2013 Author Posted December 2, 2013 Yep--I'm not sure what good purpose was to be served by the article, especially the rumor part, so I thought that or an item in it might be what was bothering you. At any rate, I'm sure he must have written something about John 8:7, grace, Matthew 23;24 and so forth.After, I found the article again, and reread it, it is pretty clear that the author was searching for something lurid in Lewis's life. I won't dignify what he said, save to say that a silly comment at a party, where the English men were likely allowing a bit of hair of the dog to cloud their sense of propriety, does not constitute involvement in a "scene", of this, I am sure. 1
EllenMaksoud Posted December 2, 2013 Author Posted December 2, 2013 The older I get the more I see the silliness in the LDS approach to perfectionism and the more I appreciate the Grace offered to those who try and fail and try and fail again. To one degree or another we are all like Lewis and I appreciate him on all levels.Do you really see the LDS as trying to overly seek perfectionism? Having experienced real devastation, these days, as much as possible, I rush to obey, though even in skittering obedience, perfection is not possible.
CV75 Posted December 2, 2013 Posted December 2, 2013 After, I found the article again, and reread it, it is pretty clear that the author was searching for something lurid in Lewis's life. I won't dignify what he said, save to say that a silly comment at a party, where the English men were likely allowing a bit of hair of the dog to cloud their sense of propriety, does not constitute involvement in a "scene", of this, I am sure. Oh yeah... While kids say the darndest things, youth read, drink and say and write the darndest things!
Helen47 Posted December 3, 2013 Posted December 3, 2013 A Grief Observed was his book dealing with the death of his wife. Some of his essays less well know are "The Inner Ring". "Learning in Wartime" There is a book and DVD by PBS called "The Question of God" where the worlviews of Lewis and Freud are compared and significant events in their lives narrated.Lewis's ideas and methods of argument were influenced by his tutor "the great knock". I think Lewis was a universalist "give me heaven for the climate and hell for the company"
changed Posted December 3, 2013 Posted December 3, 2013 A Grief Observed was his book dealing with the death of his wife.Watch "Shadowlands" before you read "A Grief Observed"... the one and only instance where it is better to watch the movie before reading the book.
changed Posted December 3, 2013 Posted December 3, 2013 I consider his writings such as The Screwtape Letters, Mere Christianity,The Problem of Pain, etc. to be either on a par with, or to exceed, the writings of any LDS leaders. what other Christian authors do you enjoy?I love Catherine Marshall (Beyond Yourself), love some of the Buddhist teachings on becoming selfless, even some of the stuff in the Koran... perhaps LDS leaders trade poetry for practicality in their delivery? Let your communication be yea, yea, nay, nay, for whatsoever cometh more than this...
thesometimesaint Posted December 3, 2013 Posted December 3, 2013 (edited) The older I get the more I see the silliness in the LDS approach to perfectionism and the more I appreciate the Grace offered to those who try and fail and try and fail again. To one degree or another we are all like Lewis and I appreciate him on all levels. Being perfect like our Father in Heaven is perfect is right out of the Bible. We take advantage of Grace because we have a long ways to go yet. Ps. The Church isn't a rest home for the righteous, but an emergency room for the sinner. Edited December 3, 2013 by thesometimesaint
Alan Posted December 3, 2013 Posted December 3, 2013 I really appreciate his writings. I first read the Screwtape Letters on my mission and I have to say Mere Christianity is an absolute masterpiece.BYU TV produced a very good documentary about him a couple of years back, which I thought was excellent. His Anglican faith is evident in his writing, but not overtly so.I personally believe he is one of the "others" the Lord has commanded. In D&C 1 (can't remember the verse just now) the Lord says that he called Joseph Smith Jun because of the approaching calamities which will come upon the inhabitants of the earth and gave him commandments, and gave commandments to others also. I personally believe the likes of CS Lewis, Billy Graham et al are a fulfilment of this scripture. 2
Palerider Posted December 3, 2013 Posted December 3, 2013 (edited) what other Christian authors do you enjoy?I love Catherine Marshall (Beyond Yourself), love some of the Buddhist teachings on becoming selfless, even some of the stuff in the Koran... perhaps LDS leaders trade poetry for practicality in their delivery? Let your communication be yea, yea, nay, nay, for whatsoever cometh more than this... Am currently reading The Cross of Christ by John R.W. Stott which deals more in a forensic manner (as were the writings of Paul) with the question of why we need a Savior. It is insightful. Though I'm not necessarily agreeing with everything, most of it is pretty compelling. And it frames the questions of grace and works quite well. Putting the Mormon claim that Evangelicals preach only "saved by grace" to shame, while at the same time making it clear, that those Evangelicals that do teach that works are unimportant are out of the way. Of course the Mormon teachings on grace and works have softened significantly in the last 40 years, but they still have a ways to go. Edited December 3, 2013 by Palerider
Palerider Posted December 3, 2013 Posted December 3, 2013 Being perfect like our Father in Heaven is perfect is right out of the Bible. We take advantage of Grace because we have a long ways to go yet. Ps. The Church isn't a rest home for the righteous, but an emergency room for the sinner. Yep! Right out of the Bible. It's what LDS do with the principle AFTER they take it from the Bible and give it their own spin that becomes troublesome. But that's a topic for another thread.
thesometimesaint Posted December 3, 2013 Posted December 3, 2013 Nowhere in the Bible does it say we work our way into Heaven, and nether does it say to not work at getting there. The gift is free, we still have to open and use it.
Buzzard Posted December 3, 2013 Posted December 3, 2013 A Grief Observed was his book dealing with the death of his wife. Some of his essays less well know are "The Inner Ring". "Learning in Wartime" There is a book and DVD by PBS called "The Question of God" where the worlviews of Lewis and Freud are compared and significant events in their lives narrated.Lewis's ideas and methods of argument were influenced by his tutor "the great knock". I think Lewis was a universalist "give me heaven for the climate and hell for the company"You obviously have not read "The Great Divorce", one of his lesser known works, but IMHO, one of, if not his absolute best. He rejects universalism pretty directly in that book. 2
Damien the Leper Posted December 4, 2013 Posted December 4, 2013 Well, there's always this: I'm still waiting for the other two books in the series, "Billy Graham's Guide to LDS Living" and "Ghandi Was a Mormon". I remember reading that book back in 2004 and it was awful.
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