Look for Christ, and you will find Him, and with him everything else thrown in.
Introductory Study Guide for Mere Christianity Created by: Liz Evershed, C.S. Lewis Foundation Intern 2000-01
Introduction Mere Christianity is possibly Lewis’ most frequently read work, and was originally given as a series of broadcast talks during the Second World War. Of his own qualification to speak on Christianity he said: It’s not because I’m anybody in particular that I’ve been asked to tell you what Christians believe. In fact it’s just the opposite. [The British Broadcasting Corporation] have asked me, first of all because I’m a layman and not a parson, and consequently they thought I might understand the ordinary person’s point of view a bit better. Secondly, I think they asked me because it was known that I’d been an atheist for many years and only became a Christian fairly recently. They thought that would mean I’d be able to see the difficulties – able to remember what Christianity looks like from the outside. So you see the long and the short of it is that I’ve been selected for this job just because I’m an amateur and not a professional, and a beginner not an old hand. Of course this means that you may well ask what right I have to talk on the subject at all. Well, when I’d finished my scripts I sent them round to various people who were professionals: to one Church of England theologian, one Roman Catholic, one Presbyterian, and one Methodist. The Church of England man and the Presbyterian agreed with the whole thing. The Roman Catholic and the Methodist agreed in the main, but would have liked one or two places altered. So there you’ve got all the cards on the table. What I’m going to say isn’t exactly what all these people would say; but the greater part of it is what all Christians agree on… One thing I can promise you. In spite of all the unfortunate differences between Christians, what they agree on is still something pretty big and pretty solid: big enough to blow any of us sky-high if it happens to be true… Lewis’ ability to get to the heart of Christian doctrine in this way was one of his greatest gifts, and helped to inspire a greater sense of solidarity amongst churchmen of many persuasions. As far as the world at large was concerned, the level of public response to Lewis’ talks was considerable, and divided, more often then not, into warm appreciation or vehement criticism. In a letter to Eric Fenn of the BBC Lewis expressed no surprise at this great divergence of opinion: The two views you report aren’t very illuminating about me perhaps; about my subject matter, it is an old story isn’t it? They love, or hate. Quotes taken from Walter Hooper’s “C.S.Lewis: A Companion and Guide”
© C.S.Lewis Foundation 2001
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