C.s Lewis Overrated

[kryoung1983]

I know that C.S. Lewis is the most quoted non LDS person in general conference but to me this has always seemed strange. Why not quote Dietrich Boenhoeffer, Thomas Merton, or such works as the imitation of Christ, or the ladder of divine ascent? Or how about the philakalia? I know that the role of conference is to bear testimony of the fullness of the gospel, but I have always found it strange that Lewis is so emphasized in our culture when works like the cost of discipleship and imitation of Christ are probably superior to his work. Or at least in my opinion.

[Kenngo1969]

Perhaps, when you receive an appropriate calling, you can remedy the situation.

[bluebell]

I think that Lewis is probably the most quoted for a couple of reasons.

 

1)-other Christians denominations really like him, believe that he is Christian, and many have read his books. When we show that there is quite a bit in his theology that we as members of the church agree with (not everything, but many things) that can help people of other Christian religions to understand where we are coming from a little better.

 

For example, recently I had a conversation with someone who was very much in the 'saved by grace alone, works are absolutely not required, and i'm not sure you are a Christian if you believe that they are' camp.  Me being able to quote C.S. Lewis when he says that arguing about the grace vs. works is like trying to decide which blade in a pair of scissors is more necessary helped her to see that the LDS view of that topic was not as foreign to Christendom as she had been lead to believe.

 

2)-Lewis has a gift in that he is able to say things in a way that people understand and that resonate with the listener.  He can speak plainly but with great beauty.  That means that he can boil some topic like the whole HUGE debate about grace vs. works into a tiny example about scissors and put the whole issue into perspective.  Whether someone agrees with everything he says or not, he has the gift of explanation.

[pogi]

We can only have one unofficial 13th apostle...or is it 16th apostle?

 

We already have a Thomas and Dietrich is too close to Dieter, we needed a Lewis.

[The Nehor]

It is a myth that he is the most quoted non-LDS person in conference. Last time I saw the numbers it was Shakespeare.

[rpn]

Seriously, have you read C.S. Lewis?   His writings make gospel topics clear in a way that you find nowhere else.   His writings are also reflective of gospel that is not easily found outside of LDS scripture and interpretation.

[halconero]

It is a myth that he is the most quoted non-LDS person in conference. Last time I saw the numbers it was Shakespeare.

 

Shakespeare, the Quentin Tarantino/Martin Scorsese of English Renaissance theater.

 

When do those people start getting quoted?

[Spammer]

C.S. Lewis was a creedal Christian, i.e., one who accepts the Nicene Creed and worships the Holy Trinity. Everything he wrote must be understood from within that context.

[The Nehor]

Seriously, have you read C.S. Lewis?   His writings make gospel topics clear in a way that you find nowhere else.   His writings are also reflective of gospel that is not easily found outside of LDS scripture and interpretation.

 

What Lewis did was translate Christianity so that most everyone could follow it. He also focused on "Mere Christianity" and focused solely on things agreed on by almost all Christians. He deliberately attempted to remain non-controversial. He considered the fracturing of Christianity into different sects something of a scandal and prayed that they could be united but he almost always refused to comment on differences between faiths.

[Gervin]

C.S. Lewis was a creedal Christian, i.e., one who accepts the Nicene Creed and worships the Holy Trinity. Everything he wrote must be understood from within that context.

Well, if like bluebell says, there is a "quite a bit" of LDS theology in Lewis' writings then I doubt he would be much liked by creedal Christians.  In reality, there is little to nothing in his theology that aligns with LDS beliefs.  People like to take from his writings the pieces that most appeal to their theology.  He was a gifted communicator and writer.  A Grief Observed is beautiful as his own conversion story. He deservedly gets criticism for some positions but he never claimed to be a theologian (I don't think).

[bluebell]

Well, if like bluebell says, there is a "quite a bit" of LDS theology in Lewis' writings then I doubt he would be much liked by creedal Christians. In reality, there is little to nothing in his theology that aligns with LDS beliefs. People like to take from his writings the pieces that most appeal to their theology. He was a gifted communicator and writer. A Grief Observed is beautiful as his own conversion story. He deservedly gets criticism for some positions but he never claimed to be a theologian (I don't think).

Of course, because two people who believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God, in the need for the Atonement, who believe in the necessity of grace and works, the reality of satan, that the bible is the word of God, the existence of sexual morality, the sacredness of marriage and family, the importance of forgiveness, faith, charity, hope, that anyone who claims to be a follower of Christ is in fact Christian, AND live their lives by such ideals and beliefs obviously have "little to nothing" in common with each other's theology.

Oh wait...

Edited December 13, 2014 by bluebell

[The Nehor]

Well, if like bluebell says, there is a "quite a bit" of LDS theology in Lewis' writings then I doubt he would be much liked by creedal Christians.  In reality, there is little to nothing in his theology that aligns with LDS beliefs.  People like to take from his writings the pieces that most appeal to their theology.  He was a gifted communicator and writer.  A Grief Observed is beautiful as his own conversion story. He deservedly gets criticism for some positions but he never claimed to be a theologian (I don't think).

Lewis has a lot in common with virtually all Christian faiths (including the LDS faith). Some members take him as a crypto-Mormon which he was not. He accepted the "abomination" creeds. He did have a great gift for making difficult theological points understandable and for bringing doctrines down to practical brass tacks. He was also very devoted to his faith and his own struggles with obedience, temptation, difficulties, and pain are quite universal. I am not sure if you mistyped or if you think "A Grief Observed" is his conversion story. It was not. It was his notes on dealing with the death of his wife. Anyone imagining he was a semi-Mormon will find that frustrated by that book. He has no belief in a distant meeting with his lost wife on the other side, or at least not one that will hold joy for him beyond meeting any other saved soul. "Surprised by Joy" is his autobiographical conversion story and ties in to our "desire as proof of God" thread.

[thesometimesaint]

I know that C.S. Lewis is the most quoted non LDS person in general conference but to me this has always seemed strange. Why not quote Dietrich Boenhoeffer, Thomas Merton, or such works as the imitation of Christ, or the ladder of divine ascent? Or how about the philakalia? I know that the role of conference is to bear testimony of the fullness of the gospel, but I have always found it strange that Lewis is so emphasized in our culture when works like the cost of discipleship and imitation of Christ are probably superior to his work. Or at least in my opinion.

 

If there is anything virtuous, lovely, of good report, or praiseworthy we seek after these things.

[Robert F. Smith]

C.S. Lewis was a creedal Christian, i.e., one who accepts the Nicene Creed and worships the Holy Trinity. Everything he wrote must be understood from within that context.

Does that include The Screwtape Letters?

[Robert F. Smith]

It is a myth that he is the most quoted non-LDS person in conference. Last time I saw the numbers it was Shakespeare.

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day, dear Nehor?

[The Nehor]

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day, dear Nehor?

 

Yep, I generally cause an increase of heat stroke amongst the elderly when I am present.

[The Nehor]

Does that include The Screwtape Letters?

 

There are references in there.

[Robert F. Smith]

Well, if like bluebell says, there is a "quite a bit" of LDS theology in Lewis' writings then I doubt he would be much liked by creedal Christians.  In reality, there is little to nothing in his theology that aligns with LDS beliefs.  People like to take from his writings the pieces that most appeal to their theology.  He was a gifted communicator and writer.  A Grief Observed is beautiful as his own conversion story. He deservedly gets criticism for some positions but he never claimed to be a theologian (I don't think).

Malcom Muggeridge was a Protestant who converted to Catholicism, but I never cared about those things.  I just loved the guy.  Like Lewis, he always had something nice, kind, or intelligent to say.  A true Christian, and filled with love for his fellow man.

 

The same applies to the hymns of John Henry Cardinal Newman and St Francis of Assisi, whose hymns are found in the LDS Hymnal.  They certainly didn't believe in LDS theology, but we love their beautiful hymns just the same.  Haters just don't understand that.

[oremites]

C.S. Lewis was a creedal Christian, i.e., one who accepts the Nicene Creed and worships the Holy Trinity. Everything he wrote must be understood from within that context.

 

No, it doesn't.  We don't read C. S. Lewis to gain insights into his beliefs.  We read him to gain insights into our own.

 

I very much doubt C. S. Lewis would be bothered that we Mormons interpret his writings differently than he would.  I'm pretty certain he would be very gratified to know his writings help us in our efforts to follow Christ as we understand Him.

[Robert F. Smith]

I know that C.S. Lewis is the most quoted non LDS person in general conference but to me this has always seemed strange. Why not quote Dietrich Boenhoeffer, Thomas Merton, or such works as the imitation of Christ, or the ladder of divine ascent? Or how about the philakalia? I know that the role of conference is to bear testimony of the fullness of the gospel, but I have always found it strange that Lewis is so emphasized in our culture when works like the cost of discipleship and imitation of Christ are probably superior to his work. Or at least in my opinion.

Or Lutheran Pastor Martin Niemöller's poem about the cowardice of German intellectuals in the face of Nazism:  

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me

Niemöller was liberated from Dachau in 1945.  M/Sgt. Hugh Nibley was there at Dachau, by the way, but was apparently not aware of Niemöller. 

Edited December 14, 2014 by Robert F. Smith

[Spammer]

No, it doesn't.  We don't read C. S. Lewis to gain insights into his beliefs.  We read him to gain insights into our own.

 

I very much doubt C. S. Lewis would be bothered that we Mormons interpret his writings differently than he would.  I'm pretty certain he would be very gratified to know his writings help us in our efforts to follow Christ as we understand Him.

 

I'm sure Lewis would happy to find that his writings help anyone in their Christian journey, so long as they don't think or claim that they find support in his writings for something he didn't support or believe in himself, e.g. the Mormon idea of Heavenly Father, who is believed to be an embodied, glorified man with a body of flesh and bones. I think it's important when reading Lewis to always keep in mind the kind of God he believed in and interpret him properly from within that context, for instance, when quoting Lewis in discussions about what it means for man to become like God.

Edited December 14, 2014 by Spammer

[Robert F. Smith]

I'm sure Lewis would happy to find that his writings help anyone in their Christian journey, so long as they don't think or claim that they find support in his writings for something he didn't support or believe in himself, e.g. the Mormon idea of Heavenly Father, who is believed to be an embodied, glorified man with a body of flesh and bones. I think it's important when reading Lewis to always keep in mind the kind of God he believed in and interpret him properly from within that context, for instance, when quoting Lewis in discussions about what it means for man to become like God.

And with you as our nanny to keep us all in line?

[Gervin]

Of course, because two people who believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God, in the need for the Atonement, who believe in the necessity of grace and works, the reality of satan, that the bible is the word of God, the existence of sexual morality, the sacredness of marriage and family, the importance of forgiveness, faith, charity, hope, that anyone who claims to be a follower of Christ is in fact Christian, AND live their lives by such ideals and beliefs obviously have "little to nothing" in common with each other's theology.

Oh wait...

and of course this applies to only to CS Lewis's theology.  Oh, wait ...  

[bluebell]

and of course this applies to only to CS Lewis's theology. Oh, wait ...

Sorry but I really have no idea what you're trying to say. Could you clarify?

[ERayR]

Answer to thread title:  Yuup.