C. S. LEWIS PRE-EVANGELISM FOR A POST- CHRISTIAN WORLD: Why Narnia Might Be More Real Than We Think

by Brian M. Williams

We find ourselves living today in very much a "post-Christian" world. Not only does the culture largely reject Christianity's claims, we find that long-held basic truths that people have embraced throughout history have been jettisoned—the belief in objective morality (right and wrong transcend each person's opinions and feelings), spiritual reality (the world contains more than what we see via our 5 senses – that God is real), that truth is objective and knowable (if something is true, my disagreeing with it or finding it unpleasant emotionally doesn't make it false).This presents a great difficulty for Christians trying to communicate the Christian message to people today. We can take nothing for granted if the message is to make any sense to the hearer. We must start with the most basic concepts. The question then arises—How do we make a start when the bedrock ideas are not only disbelieved but viewed with contempt by so many today?C. S. Lewis thought that he had found "a door" we could enter to "steal past the watchful dragons" of the modern person's reason by way of imaginative fiction. He sought to re-introduce Christian ideas clothed in mythological garb so that in time, after their affections had been stirred, the explicit message about Christ might be given a fair hearing. He engaged both the heart and the head. In this way, he "pre-evangelized" his audience. This book examines the grounds—both philosophically and theologically—upon which he did that. It explores Lewis's view of reality and the human imagination, surveying his Chronicles of Narnia and The Space Trilogy in particular, to demonstrate precisely how he carried out this strategy. We can learn from Lewis here, as we show both the beauty and the truthfulness of Christianity to people in a way that meets them where they are.

307 pages, Paperback

Published January 23, 2021

Reviews

[Knut Kåre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suveren bok om konseptet "pre-evangelisering", og hvordan Lewis' fiksjonslitteratur (Narnia, Space Trilogy og Till We Have Faces) fungerer "pre-evangeliserende".

Argumentet er at Lewis, i møte med en materialistisk samtid, bruker fiksjonen for å åpne opp lesernes tanke og sinn mot en større virkelighet. Det handler om å rydde bort hindringer.

Gjennom å analysere Lewis' virkelighetsforståelse og syn på fantasien/forestillingsevnen, viser forfatteren hvordan Lewis bevisst bruker fiksjonslitteraturen. Det er mye mat for tanken i disse kapitlene og boken anbefales for alle som liker Lewis og/eller er interessert i å tenke rundt litteraturens muligheter og filosofiske begrunnelser for dette.

[Mary Hake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Packed full of Scripture, along with commentary and spiritual insights from a seasoned pastor, this book is set up to use one devotional per week for a total of fifty-two. Each entry explores a different facet of the Christian life organized under a specific theme for the month. Subjects covered include God’s characteristics, His promises, following the Lord, prayer, and “Living Victoriously in the Warzone.” I like how the author shared personal experiences to illustrate his points. These anecdotes help readers relate. The messages are easy to read and relate to, but could be challenging to follow at times. I found the book encouraging and positive. I read it through quickly but it can be used in whatever way you choose, whether you’re a new believer or a longtime Christian. The topics would be appropriate to use is a group study as discussion prompts each week. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.

[Rachel Grepke · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writings of C.S. Lewis has amazed readers for years. Generations have entered Narnia through the wardrobe. While Narnia and his Space trilogy are amazing books on their own (I have not read the Space ones yet), there is a much deeper meaning behind these works. This book sets out to help you not only understand C.S. Lewis the writer, but to understand his writing better. The concept of pre-evangelism, is clearly seen throughout his books. This particular book goes even deeper and shows you just what Lewis intended for the reader to see and the truth of the Gospel he desired to convey through fiction. While this book can be a bit tiring in parts, it overall sets a good stage for what Lewis aimed to accomplish.