God in the Dock: 3rd 3 essays

  In “Christian Apologetics” Lewis, speaking to an assembly of ecclesiastics, offers them much sage advice on how they should keep their thinking is harmony with orthodox Christian doctrine.  He stresses at the outset that they be faithful to the Christianity “preached b the Apostles, attested by the Martyrs, embodied in the Creeds, expounded by the Fathers.”   

A person may well have his opinions, but they must not be offered as part of Christian apologetics.  Those doctrines which he may find disagreeable must be confronted honestly and seriously, and the trends in contemporary thought must be judged by this age-old standard.  Statements beginning “Science has now proved. . . “ must be understood in terms of the reality that science is constantly changing.”

Interestingly, Lewis feels that contemporary people tend to distrust history and ancient texts, lack a sense of sin, and lack a proper understanding of the terms of Christian theology.  He gives a listing of how he feels people today understand several much-used theological terms and warns that these must be accurately translated into the popular vernacular if our apologetics are to communicate accurately.  

DO YOU FIND LEWIS’S VIEW OF HOW PEOPLE IN HIS DAY UNDERSTOOD  THESE TERMS  ACCURATE AND HELPFUL FOR US TODAY?  OR DOES IT NOT REALLY FIT OUR CONTEMPORARY SPEECH? 

Lewis continues by considering other difficulties that the defender of Christianity must face, such as seeing Christ simply as a good teacher but not God and of not seeing Christianity as of infinite importance.  

ANY REACTIONS TO LEWIS’S ADVICE?

In “Work and Prayer” Lewis poses the question as to whether God answers prayer.  He offers two opposing responses to the issue, and then concludes that God uses his discretion as to any specific request.

DO YOU FIND THIS ESSAY SATISFYING OR DO YOU WISH MORE WOULD BE SAID?  WHY?

  To the individual who asks if one cannot lead a good life without becoming a Christian, Lewis very convincingly points out in “Man or Rabbit?” that such thinking misses the essential point.  Achieving good morality is not the purpose and end of life, nor can it be attained without Christ; rather, God’s intention is to remake us. 

AGREE?  WOULD YOU HAVE HIM SAY MORE?  WHAT?

Comments

Tim M said…
I kind of wondered if his description of the disparity between understandings of terms might be more applicable today than it was in his own day. Certainly he identified the seeds of what has become full blown post Christianity.

As to prayer, I think he basically is saying that God holds veto power to protect man from his innate self serving without giving any reason why we should believe that. To really get at the core of this would take more than an essay.

Goodness ... He doesn't get into defining goodness or the source of it. That would be another track that could have been followed. But I think what he does describe is done well ... Whether or not those asking would understand it is another question. I think it likely they would just think it foolishness not understanding what a personal relationship with God would be like.
April 5, 2022 at 6:29 PM
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