C. S. Lewis (1898-1963)
READ: 1 Corinthians 2:6-16
Clive Staples Lewis, called “Jack” by friends and family, was one of the greatest writers of his time, and one of the greatest Christian apologists in all history. He abandoned his Protestant upbringing for atheism as a teenager and honed his literary skills under the tutelage of a brilliant mind, W. T. Kirkpatrick. He attended Oxford and set himself to become a poet.
While at Oxford, Lewis became friends with a number of Christians. Various experiences revealing the emptiness of a material world opened him to the idea of God and eventually he came to accept Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Jack’s conversion changed him, and he began to pour his mental brilliance and literary abilities into apologetic writings – defenses for the truth and reliability of Christianity. During WWII, his voice was perhaps the most recognized second only to Winston Churchill. In a time when many Christians were indifferent to the moral battle going on, Lewis broadcasted a BBC miniseries about the Christian life. These programs would form the basis for one of Lewis’s greatest apologetic works, Mere Christianity. His writings were honest and to-the-point.
Lewis was an intellectual – a man of the mind – and one who loved the imagination. This is evident in his works like The Screwtape Letters which presents a series of letters written from an experienced demon to his young nephew, a junior tempter, and, of course, The Chronicles of Narnia – Lewis presented the majestic truth of the gospel through an allegory of make-believe and adventure. In a world where so many have sold their imaginations for cheap thrills, C. S. Lewis used his for the glory of God, and generations of adults and children are thanking him for it. His writings reveal a man possessing a fear of the Lord and a passion for truth.
“Safe? …Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.” – C. S. Lewis; The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
JOURNALING AND PRAYER
1. Where do you feel weak in your faith?
2. Ask God how He wants to grow your faith this summer. What does He want to do in your heart?
3. Thank God for what He has shown you, and pray that it would become a reality in your life.
