Lewis Debate?
Well, here I am again, confused about what I have missed recently. My buddy Dave was asking me last night what my thoughts were on John Piper. Specifically because Piper has made some comments about CS Lewis that are not exactly flattering. Which is odd for both Dave and I, who generally hold CS Lewis in high esteem. Did we miss something? Was there some lesser known sequel to Mere Christianity called Merely Christianity?
Perusing the web I came across this blog entry from February 2005, about CS Lewis.
It doesn't answer my questions, but does offer some interesting perspective. Most of the comments at the bottom of the blog entry are kind of blah, but if you are interested, scroll down to the very bottom, starting with this one: "Posted by: Joel Thomas | February 15, 2005", and then this one: "Posted by: keith | February 14, 2005" and then this one: "Posted by: Terry | February 14, 2005".
Then, if you interested in this topic, leave a comment. I'm curious to know what, specifically, people like Piper consider to be so bad about Lewis?
(The photo has nothing to do with anything other than the fact that I am still reeling from the freezing... excuse me, below-freezing... temperatures here in Chicago today. I'm not cut out for this.)
posted by Jonathan Ziman at
4:44 PM
5 Comments:
I'll leave C. S. Lewis till later- and address your underlying, chronic concern first - WINTER!
"I prefer winter and fall when you feel the bone structure in the landscape - the loneliness of it - the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it- the whole story doesn't show." Andrew Wyeth
"Search the first winter storm for a symphonic arrangement - it is always there." Carl Sandburg
"Winter was a time for storing up- for replenishing reserves. Except for the howling blizzards and the sleetstorms, it was a quiet business." David Cavaghnau
"Oh Winter! One never, never loses the surprise and wonder of new fallen snow, that inexplainable something that touches the core of your innermost being as you stand in your nightie shivering and amazed at the pure glory of the transformation." Emily Carr
"There's one good thing about snow- it makes your lawn look as nice as your neighbors." Clyde Mann
"There are winter mornings when the cold without only adds to the cold withing, and the more it snows and the more it blows, brighter the fires blaze" Emily Dickinson
"Winter Simplifies" Edwin Way Teele
"We sometimes wonder why the City Government tilts so vigorously at the snow. The first flake has hardly fluttered down when every infernal machine in town is rushing to do battle. Is snow such poisonous stuff? E.B. White
Now on to C.S. Lewis's eternal home - saved or not? It is completely arrogant of any of us to declare who is a Christian and who isn't! and even C.S. lewis himself addressed this in Mere Christianity. Only God knows our own battles and only God can/does judge our hearts. We can only make vain guesses which is a waste of time.
Evangelicals and fundamentalists tend to put God into their own little box- and if someone out there speaks with some little bit of radical thought, we shut our eyes and ears and start trying to drown them out.
God will not be put into a box- will not be remade into a certain culture or be confined to a timeframe or context.
Lewis spoke with refreshing clarity and simplicity about the essence of the faith- not so much about religion as about faith and the absolute truths of God and the church- and of our society and flaws.
We are free to take issue with his writings- but we are not free to judge him- and while I am not a scholar on Lewis, I did spend one entire year reading all of his religious writings. He was a product of his time and place- but he wrote about eternal truths that have continue to encourage people today and light up the path to God for many. Nuff said!
By
Anonymous, at 11:45 AM
Andrew Wyeth's comment is pretty cool. Ha ha ha, get it? Cool.
OK that was a dumb joke. But seriously, what an inspirational thought and an encouragement for us to look up to Jesus in hope rather than down at the frozen ground in frustration.
As for Lewis. I think you are right - he doesn't fit nicely into a box. We can't denominationalize him, or categorize him within a particular school of thought. It was interesting to read people discussing whether or not Lewis would be able to be ordained in their particular church. What an odd way to define somebody, don't you think?
I'd be curious to know if this is a peculiarity of the American church in particular, or contemporary Christianity in general.
Oh, and by the way, it was 16 degrees when I left for class this morning. It wasn't very inspiring. I think I could feel the neurons in my brain start to freeze.
By
Jonathan Ziman, at 12:35 PM
Best line of the month:
"Oh by the way, neither Abraham nor David could not have gotten ordained in many of our evangelical denominations. Having said that, I'm evangelical."
Amazing.
Look: I'm not saying you have to be like me, but there are scores - perhaps thousands - of Christians who have read his works and been inspired to love God more. Isn't that kind of the point of being a follower of Christ - to live, speak, write and act in a way that inspires others to love God more?
On a more mean-spirited, defensive, emotional front, I would say to someone who is critical of Lewis: Look, if you don't understand or appreciate Lewis, then perhaps you shouldn't be reading books meant for grown-ups.
But I wouldn't actually SAY that.
By
David Tieche, at 12:17 AM
Why did someone pick on Abraham and David? It is amazing- Unfortunately many denominations today seem to make their own brand of Christianity into their God and have ceased to follow God Himself.
David, I assume, would not have been 'ordained' because of his sexual indiscretions? I can't imagine any other reason- his writings are all very orthodox.
But what I love particularly about David's story is that while he sinned- sometimes REALLY BADLY - God loved him because David had a heart and passion for God.
THe crux of Christianity lies in the hearts of believers, individually and corporately - and only God can know the heart of a person. That's why we are not to judge-we cannot know the heart of another.
So when we judge people based on their writings or even their actions, we are judging people with a very murky and small fraction of insight and so we usually screw it up.
But it is not comforting to embrace people with a passion for God that looks different from our own. It's a lot easier to stay within the confines of familiar territory.
Along with Lewis, I like Madeline L'Engle and Scott Peck- two authors who come to mind - whose writings are not always conventional but who seem to have a passion for God. Reading their works helps me to remember that God is in the business of shaping hearts.
By
Anonymous, at 7:28 AM
1. truth, contrary to joel thomas, is not an opinion poll [born-again christians like these thinkers, therefore they are ok]. If it was, the pharisees would be right about jesus.
2.as my favorite theologian says, "what makes me think that i'm the first person in church history to get it all right?"
3. have you read 'a generous orthodoxy' by brian mclaren? it is provocative and challenging, and has some good points [like his chapter on being post/protestant, and how the strength of protestantism, i.e. protesting heresy, led it into being split-happy, in its 'die, heretic' kind of way.]
4. i don't agree with every john piper says...just like i don't agree with every lewis says [though i might agree more with lewis than piper].
By
Anonymous, at 12:13 PM
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