C. S. Lewis and the Christian Worldview

C. S. Lewis is one of the most influential and beloved Christian writers of the past century, and interest in him continues to grow as books about his fantasy, fiction, and biography continue to appear. Although Lewis's personal journey was a deeply philosophical search for the most adequate worldview, the few extant books about his Christian philosophy focus on specific topics rather than his overall worldview. In this book, Michael Peterson develops a comprehensive framework for understanding Lewis's Christian worldview--from his arguments from reason, morality, and desire to his ideas about Incarnation, Trinity, and Atonement. All worldviews address fundamental questions about reality, knowledge, human nature, meaning, and so forth. Peterson therefore examines Lewis's Christian approach to these same questions in interaction with other worldviews. Accenting that the intellectual strength and existential relevance of Lewis's works rest on his philosophical acumen as well as his Christian orthodoxy--which he famously called "mere Christianity"--Peterson skillfully shows how Lewis's Christian thought engages a variety of important problems raised by believers and nonbelievers alike: the problem of evil and suffering, the problem of religious diversity, the problem of meaning, and others. Just as Lewis was gifted in communicating philosophical ideas and arguments in an accessible style, Peterson has crafted a major contribution to Lewis scholarship presented in a way that will interest scholars and benefit the general reader.

Table of Contents:
Preface Abbreviations Introduction 1. Lewis's Intellectual Framework 2. Worldview Engagement 3. Joy and the Meaning of Life 4. Mind, Miracle, and Nature 5. Moral Law and the Structure of Personal Reality 6. Humanity and the Incarnation 7. The Social God and the Relational Creation 8. Pain, Suffering, and Death 9. Science, Scientism, and Evolution 10. Salvation and Persons Outside the Faith 11. Prayer and Providence 12. Heaven, Hell, and the Trajectory of Finite Personality Appendix A: Timeline of Lewis's Journey Appendix B: The Lewis - Van Osdall Correspondence Glossary References Notes Index

About the Author :
Michael L. Peterson is Professor of Philosophy at Asbury Theological Seminary. His books include Science, Evolution, and Religion, God and Evil, and With All Your Mind. He is managing editor of the scholarly journal Faith and Philosophy.

Review :
a unique and insightful account of the ongoing development of Lewis's processes of thought. An overall successful philosophical analysis of the main ideas of one of the most influential Christian thinkers of the twentieth century ... the author succeeds in shedding new light on the well-known and putting forward his witty arguments quite convincingly. In sum, a systematic and easy-to-read overview the study of which will benefit familiar and new readers of Lewis also as a reference book. Superb ... a valuable resource for Lewis scholars, philosophers, and college students, especially. I have found Michael Peterson's new book on Lewis...surprisingly accessible, given the depth of the matters it deals with...Just as Lewis was gifted in communicating philosophical ideas and arguments in an accessible style, Peterson's lucid and graceful prose in this book can be seen as reflecting a Lewisian accessibility. This is one of the most lively, systematic engagements with Lewis's thinking-from his early years to his mature, powerful thought that marked him as one of the most gifted and imaginative Christian thinkers of the twentieth century. Gleaning principles from the vast corpus of C. S. Lewis's variegated writings, philosopher Michael Peterson has marshaled them into a clear, cogent, and cohering Weltanschauung, providing an engaging framework from which to understand the romantic and reasonable beliefs of the celebrated Oxford (and Cambridge) don. This engrossing work is essential for anyone seeking to wrestle with the core ideas of Western civilization from an orthodox Christian perspective. How wonderful it would be to have an account of the Christian worldview, drawing on the voluminous writings of C. S. Lewis, Lewis's critics and commentators, and classical and contemporary philosophical viewpoints - and, now we do! Michael L. Peterson has done a masterful job presenting just such an account, with the bonus of hitherto unpublished correspondence. This is a tremendous feat; its difficulty only belied by the clarity and gracefulness of Peterson's prose. C. S. Lewis and the Christian Worldview is the ideal work for reflecting on life's most significant questions and the way Christianity addresses them.