Lewis was a man ahead of his times in his culture. He is still underappreciated by the English scholarly elite but has reached super star status in the United States. His legacy will only continue to grow as many people continue to engage, start discussions, and divulge in his literary works. I am a fan of C.S. Lewis. One thing that disheartened me as I took the C.S. Lewis and the Inklings class was I found credible critiques on his character. With his mysterious relationship with a friend’s mom, to his view on hell and the damned, to his constant smoking habit, and his admitted wild ways during his rebellious youth, we see that Lewis life was much more than exemplary it was truly human. Lewis rediscovered his faith in the midst of critique. He found his faith and was able to reconstruct if with his intellectual ability. He not only did this but lived out his faith with fervency and a love for others. He made mistakes, this is truly human, but instead of dwelling on his sins he lived a life of love, laughter, and contentment. With me discovering his humanness and not seeing the bright halo around his head that I pictured only a few years ago I am able to relate to him better. Even the great C.S. Lewis makes mistakes! His life is worthy of acclamation maybe not deification!
posted by Anonymous at 6:08 PM
2 Comments:
I accord with the belief that Lewis can be better able to be related to by the reader when his humanness is shown. The "gossip" about Lewis was definitely not something appropriate. Anyhow, the idea that Lewis was open and honest is something to be applauded. Christian leaders (if I may use that term) are always put up on a pedestal as if they are supposed to be perfect. But Lewis expresses in his writings his frustrations with God, in such traumatic events as the passing of his wife.
On the other hand, Lewis does not fail to show others where he stands. This balance between humility and bluntless ought to be applauded. Lewis tells the readers in "Mere Christianity", that you either had to believe that he was a liar, a lunatic, or God and bluntly tells the reader that there is no inbetween option.
I feel IT IS Lewis' vulnerability and "raw-ness" that has made him so popular, at least in the US...although his unique views and ability to communicate them definetly contribute to some degree...he is often said--i believe Donald Miller in "Blue like Jazz" says this--to be the inventor of the apologetic (but don't quote me on this).
If you will forgive me for saying this, it almost scares me that Lewis is so popular and that his views are held in such high esteem...b/c some of them are a little twisted when you think about it. I wouldn't call them Biblical. He has a way of candy coating things. God's justice and retribution on mankind in Lewis doesn't really exist, definetly not like it does in Revelation or the OT. I'll post something on this later.
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