C. S. Lewis: Apostle to the Skeptics

by Chad Walsh

"That a writer of Dr. Lewis's scholarly and literary stature should publish more than a dozen books directly or indirectly defending Christianity is news; that his works should have such wide repercussions is still more significant news and merits a second thought. What does it mean when his books become best-sellers? Does the fact indicate anything about the intellectual currents of the present decade? If so, it seems time to examine more closely the exact kind of Christianity and philosophy presented in Dr. Lewis's writings, and the literary techniques that have brought him into the forefront of authors dealing with religious themes." "In this book I hope to add something (though not too much) to the scanty supply of biographical information available about Dr. Lewis, but my main concern will be with his ideas, the way he presents them, and the significance of his popularity. " --from the foreword by the author

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

Reviews

[Paul Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly informative book written contemporaneously with the writing career of Lewis. Still relevant critique sixty-two years later. Chad Walsh is a balanced reviewer stating both strengths and weakness of Lewis' writing style. Walsh compares Lewis with other writers of this era including Aldus Huxley, Eliot, Williams, Sayer and others.

I was left with the sense that Lewis while capable of highbrow conversation could also communicate effectively with the human on the street. As for influences Lewis virtually had a Medieval mind and when I say that I do not in any way demean him. The medieval flavour of Lewis is in fact a mindset that we in this post-modern period may learn much from.

[Diana Glyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth reading: Walsh wrote this long before Lewis was buried beneath layers of interpretation.