Letters on Living the Faith

by C.S. Lewis

A collection of excerpts from C.S. Lewis's letters offering guidance and encouragement to correspondents struggling with intellectual questions, personal conflicts, or ethical dilemmas.

C.S. Lewis's writings have inspired spiritual formation, helped people explore joy, facilitated redemption, and taught us the consequences of human choices.

Letters on Living the Faith provides wisdom and insight from Lewis—oftentimes to strangers. The letter arrangement is intentional and a felt need driven resource. The sections

Prayer, meditation, spiritual seeking, and Christian formationHow to put faith into practice, the psychology behind spirituality, and Catholic DoctrinesConfessions of struggle, questions about Narnia, and consolation and courageThis compilation of letters is an intimate gem of wisdom that's easy-to-access for current fans and readers of Lewis, but will also feel approachable for new readers wanting to learn more.

Lewis often referred to his role as letter writer as a "mentor by mail." Lewis succeeded so well as a spiritual guide because of his character and the wonderful person he was.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Faith, Audiobook, Christian Non Fiction

246 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 10, 2026

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Clive Staples Lewis was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably one of the most influential writers of his day. He was a Fellow and Tutor in English Literature at Oxford University until 1954. He was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University, a position he held until his retirement. He wrote more than thirty books, allowing him to reach a vast audience, and his works continue to attract thousands of new readers every year. His most distinguished and popular accomplishments include Mere Christianity, Out of the Silent Planet, The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters, and the universally acknowledged classics The Chronicles of Narnia. To date, the Narnia books have sold over 100 million copies and been transformed into three major motion pictures.

Lewis was married to poet Joy Davidman.
W.H. Lewis was his elder brother]

Reviews

[Gracie]

Something I loved about this compilation of letters is the personable, kind tone Lewis wrote in to every single respondent. His writings here are so simple yet profound, and a joy to read as Lewis let much of his personality and humor affect his writing style. I found much comfort in his responses in which he would say something along the lines of “I don’t know why you would think to ask me this profound spiritual question, I have no idea what I’m doing, but anyways here’s the advice I might tell you if I did know what I was doing”
If CS Lewis felt like he didn’t understand everything and was still figuring out the inner workings of a faithful life, then man. Everything’s going to be okay.

[Matthew McConnell]

This book was sheer delight. I love C.S. Lewis. I love his mind. I love his wit. I love his model of Christian faith. I want to be like, think like, write like, and die like C.S. Lewis.

On dying like Lewis, see these words from a letter he wrote to “Sister Penelope” one month before he passed away on November 22, 1963: “I was unexpectedly revived from a long coma—and perhaps the almost continuous prayers of my friends did it—but it would’ve been a luxuriously easy passage and one almost (but in His will is our peace) regrets having the door shut in one’s face. Ought we to honor Lazarus rather than Stephen as the protomartyr? To be brought back and have all one’s dying to do again was rather hard. If you die first, and if ‘prison visiting’ is allowed, come down and look me up in Purgatory. It is all rather fun—solemn fun—isn’t it?”

I want to die like that. I want to approach death as “solemn fun.” It was a pleasure to spend 234 pages reading Lewis’s mail.

[Devina Setiawan]

Lewis really is my favorite author and thinker of all time. I have lost count of how many times his writing has challenged, convicted, or clarified something for me, and how deeply he has shaped my journey in Christ. This book offers plenty of profound insights, but what I loved most was how the letters allowed me to get to know Lewis as a person.

He was witty, warm, caring, and extraordinarily generous, but also incredibly precise. With his words, analogies, quotations, and distinctions. That combination of sincerity, intellect, and intentionality is something I rarely encounter.

And somehow, for someone so deeply intellectual, Lewis is remarkably practical. He can wrestle with big questions about God, free will, suffering, and faith, then bring everything back to ordinary life. Stop obsessively examining your internal condition. Attend to what is in front of you. Faith is not about manufacturing the right feelings, but believing and acting accordingly. Just obey, just do.

I also loved how often Lewis refuses to be drawn into theological arguments he doesn’t find particularly useful. Whether Calvinism versus Arminianism or arguments about Roman Catholicism, he seems less interested in defending a camp or proving who is right than in what our faith actually produces in us. His advice to attribute our virtues to grace while taking responsibility for our own vices particularly resonated with me.

I still disagree with him quite strongly in places, particularly his openness to salvation without explicit belief in Christ and his willingness to place God’s goodness against the inerrancy of Scripture. But disagreement has never diminished my affection for Lewis. His sincerity and intellectual integrity are things I deeply, deeply respect.

He thinks deeply in order to see more clearly, and then to live more faithfully. And by doing so, he has helped me do the same.

I will be revisiting this book again and again.

6⭐️

[Steve Croft]

I've read most of Lewis's books. While he's best known as an author, I believe he's one of the greatest theologians and philosophers of the 20th century. A lot of his most profound thoughts and famous quotes arent actually found in his books though, they are in his letters. Lewis wrote thousands of letters, to anyone who wrote him. Many of those letters have been collected and collated into a massive 3 volume series. This book is a summary of some of his most profound advice and thoughts. I would go as far as to say, it is up there with my favorite Lewis works.

My fav quote from the book (which was very timely for me) came from his section on giving, and in particular about worrying that you are giving to someone who wont use it wisely or doesnt truely need it.

"It will not bother me in the hour of death to reflect that I have been 'had' for a sucker by any number of imposters, but it would be a torment to know one had refused even one person in need.'

[Gavin Kopko]

Fantabulous. 1 star less cuz his Narnia section was short and I really liked it so I wish it was longer.

Overall tho, super cool read. Kind of gonna be a reference book for me. People asked Lewis questions and so if I ever am wondering the same ones, I can kinda see what he thinks about it too.

W book. Ok now I’m gonna go finish meaning of marriage👍

[Chandler]

"How thankful I am that when God became Man He did not choose to become a man of iron nerves: that would not have helped weaklings like you and me nearly so much."

An excellent collection of tons of Lewis's letters that capture his vision of the Christian faith. In Lewis's personal and vulnerable writings here, he contends that faith is not solely based on impermanent and unstable feelings. He also teaches that growth in the spiritual life often comes in cycles, lapses, and repeated attempts at virtue. He also shows his correspondents that the Christian life is sometimes the most compelling and attractive argument for the Christian faith. Ultimately, for Lewis, Christian sanctification and spiritual growth looks different for every believer. There is also a section on Lewis's correspondences with Roman Catholics that capture his ecumenical views which I much appreciated.

"For above all other spheres of human life, the Devil claims politics for his own."

[Seth Campos]

This was a lovely, lovely book that, for me, seamlessly bridges how Christianity can be tackled INTELLECTUALLY and PASTORALLY—the faith as a genuine subject of endless theological and philosophical debate, and the faith as a warm and gentle embrace. Even in these humble private letters—not too dissimilar from the openness Marcus Aurelius showed in his MEDITATIONS—C. S. Lewis proves himself every bit a man of God, whose august reputation I find here completely justified. These letters discuss Christianity with the precision one would expect from a Cambridge or Oxford lecture hall but also the soul, heart, care, compassion, and warmth of a local chapel service. Whether on matters of faith or prayer, morality or philosophy, Christian practice or Biblical interpretation, I found Lewis's insights here INVALUABLE. Lewis here shows himself to be an intellectual giant by whispering the softest words.

[Justin Wiggins]

This is a very well compiled book by author and scholar David C. Downing, and the cover art done by illustrator Stephen Crotts is very aesthetically pleasing.

As I read through this compiled book from C.S. Lewis' letters, I was deeply moved at how Lewis took the time to answer each person that wrote to him. That is something to admire. Some letter responses deal with grief, loss, prayer, honest spiritual search, philosophical questions, humor, agape love, joy, and existential doubt and faith.

Reading through this book also brought good memories to my mind of when I first read Lewis years ago after discovering him through the musician Jon Foreman, and discovered the writings of J.R.R.Tolkien and George MacDonald through Lewis. Lewis greatly inspired my first book Surprised by Agape, published by Clarendon House. I highly recommend this book.

[Audrey Bartosh]

There are some letters in here that are really zingers--very profound--but some of the others are weaker. Because it is a collection of letters, however, the entire book feels a little disjointed and so it took me a long time to make my way through this. I can't say I overly enjoyed it, as a result, although there are still things in there worth reading.

[Sheri S.]

Lewis addresses many different topics in these Letters on Living the Faith. I enjoyed his responses about Narnia and cautions against arguing about religion. His letters are insightful and instill hope in the reader. Lewis truly demonstrates Christlike character.

[Stephanie]

4.75

[Emma]

4.5 Stars

[Colm Alton]

A really enjoyable light read. You really get an insight into Lewis’ pastoral personality. Highly recommend.

[JQ Yang]

“Remember, tho we struggle against things because we are afraid of them, it is often the other way round —we get afraid because we struggle.”

[Amy Coon]

Oooooooooh!!!!!! Do not miss this one. Fascinating look into Lewis personal thoughts. Read anything you can ever get your hands on by or about Lewis. God gifted him with the ability to make the world make a lot more sense