C. S. Lewis' Case for the Christian Faith

by Richard L. Purtill

Drawing on the whole body of C.S. Lewis' published fiction and non-fiction, as well as previously unpublished letters, Richard Purtill offers a clear, comprehensive assessment of Lewis’ defense of Christianity. He examines Lewis’ thinking on religion in light of contemporary thought, giving attention to such central issues the nature of God, the divinity of Christ, the manifestation of miracles in history, the challenge of faith, the meaning of death and the afterlife. 

C.S. Lewis’ Case for the Christian Faith  is an excellent introduction to Lewis's best thinking on the major themes of the Christian tradition. Those who know his writing will find a new appreciation of his “Christian imagination” and a deep respect for his distinctive contribution to an understanding of Christianity. 

Genres: Religion

280 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Richard Purtill was the Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington, as well as an author of fantasy and science fiction, critical non-fiction on the same genres, and various works on religion and philosophy. He is best known for his novels of the "Kaphtu" universe. He wrote as both Richard Purtill and Richard L. Purtill, a variant form of his name. He was active in professional writing circles, being a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, the Authors Guild, and the National Writers Union. His book J.R.R.Tolkien: Myth, Morality and Religion won the 1987 Mythopoeic Scholarship Award for Inklings Studies.

Reviews

[Darlah · Rating 4 out of 5]

After leaving organized religion during the first time Trump was in office I have struggled with my faith. I continue to study, read scripture and pray. I have read many books on various beliefs and I know I am a Christian but I don’t fit into the Christian mold portrayed in politics. I live in a very conservative community and I am surrounded by people claiming to be Christians yet not acting very Christian-like to their neighbors. I may just be a unicorn in a field of mules but I have no problems believing what I believe. This book helped to confirm some of my beliefs and question some other beliefs. Good books will do that. Make you think and decide for yourself.

[Gabriel Conroy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is very readable and a good primer on Lewis's writings. If one really wants to know about Lewis's take on Christianity, it would be more profitable just to read "Mere Christianity."

One disappointing facet of this book is Purtill's refusal to be as critical as he might be at places. Purtill glosses over what is in my view one of Lewis's weakest arguments for Christianity: the insistence on the historical uniqueness of the Christian religion (the notion that the Christian religion is the "only" "great religion" whose primary religious teacher claims to be God incarnate) and the assertion (never really proven--to my satisfaction at least--in Lewis's writings) that it was so improbable for the Gospel writers to imagine a story so outlandish that their work must be more or less true accounts.

I'm also disturbed that Purtill does not fully address the concerns about Lewis's alleged misogyny--or more accurately, the allegedly misogynistic strand that runs through some of his writing. This absence is a bit less fatal, however, given that the book was written in the early 1980s, probably before the feminist critique of Lewis was as well-known as it is today.

I'm not sure how fair this is a criticism of Purtill's book because his main purpose is to introduce the reader to Lewis's writings. However, at other places in the book, where the stakes for Lewis's overall case for Christianity are much less pressing, Purtill does not hesitate to offer minor correctives to Lewis's logic. Moreover, Purtill's conclusion expresses the author's express wish that the reader, having acquainted her-/himself with Lewis's writing, might come to adopt the Christian faith. One might think Purtill would then at least acknowledge the weak link in Lewis's chain of reasoning.

[Benjamin · Rating 3 out of 5]

After finishing the Narnia series, I figured I might as well read a concise summary of Lewis's writings on Christianity. (I've previously read Mere Christianity, The Great Divorce, etc.). There wasn't much new here. It gave me a few things to think about. The author's argument is that Lewis provided a rational defence of Christianity and that the religion can stand on its rational merits. I agree to some extent, but I also agree that in certain aspects, the nature of religion itself is that it is NOT 100% reconcilable with reason (at least, as we're understood what "reason" means in the modern age since the European Enlightenment). If such were the case, there would be no need for exercising faith which, by definition, is believing WITHOUT seeing (i.e. having rational evidence). So I parted ways with Lewis's arguments in some places, but I also gained different perspectives in a few others.

[William Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit of a difficult read. The author's turgid style was the problem for me. You have to concentrate on every word and for some reason, it was hard to do that. The material is wonderful but the delivery a real slog.