The Complete C.S. Lewis Signature Classics includes 7 books (the first is Mere Christianity). C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) was a Fellow and Tutor in English literature at Oxford, then Chair of Medieval and Renaissance English at Cambridge. (For his books I've read, click on his name.)

Mere Christianity was first given in 1942 as 33 radio talks, so it has a simple oratory style using a Q & A format. It offered reassurance to many in WWII – a straightforward exposition of his beliefs in 4 “books” (really chapters) of talks, spoken as if to an advanced Anglican Sunday School class. Book 1 is a novel approach to God’s existence: an intuitive universal sense of The Law of Right and Wrong (or Human Nature or Human Decency) implies a universal Power, thus a universal Mind, thus God. “Men ought to be unselfish, ought to be fair.” His arguments in Book 1 are clever and often witty. Book 2 is What Christians Believe. Here he sets up ideas in pairs: his and “straw men” to shoot down. His belief is the traditional Anglican doctrines of his time. But I reject his claim that “Christianity is a fighting religion.” He covers Judaism in a few sentences then jumps to the risen Christ to speak of sin and salvation. Jesus’ life and teachings are omitted when he develops his views. Was his main source Anglican dogma? He ended talk 4 with a surprise: “Such is my own way of looking at what Christians call the Atonement. But remember this is only one more picture. Do not mistake it for the thing itself: and if it does not help you, drop it.”

Book 3 is Christian Behavior – Morality and the 7 Virtues: 4 Cardinal (Prudence, Temperance, Justice, Fortitude) and 3 Theological (Faith, Hope, Charity). What he says about these virtues and forgiveness and “The Great Sin” of Pride is timeless wisdom, very well written. He feels that Christianity does not profess to have, a detailed political program for applying “do as you would be done by” for “it is meant for all men at all times…” He has 2 talks on Faith – one as belief and one as trust. A good example of his thoughts here is “Christians have often disputed as to whether what leads the Christian home is good actions, or Faith in Christ. I have no right really to speak on such a difficult question, but it seems to me like asking which blade in a pair of scissors is most necessary.” His analogies are often like this – witty yet profound and memorable.

Book 4 is Beyond Personality: First Steps in the Doctrine of the Trinity. To those who say don’t give me theology, just plain practical religion, Lewis says “Theology means the science of God, and I think any man who wants to think about God at all would like to have the clearest and most accurate ideas about Him which are available. You are not children, why should you be treated like children?” C. S. Lewis's views are an amalgam of traditional and relational theology. He views the Trinity as three persons – not personae (or masks for one actor, as the Greek words meant) – but he gives a comforting Trinity prayer image: One prays to God before you, because of the Spirit behind (or within) you, and with Christ beside you (praying with and for you). But his talk about God and Time has serious problems that he seems not to realize. However, he ended this talk with “You can be a perfectly good Christian without accepting it, or indeed without thinking of the matter at all.” I suggest one skip this talk, but no other. C.S. Lewis shows the power of short words. This book is a classic.