Mere Christianity

Written by C.S. Lewis

Narrated by Geoffrey Howard

2012 marks the 60th Anniversary of the publication of C.S.Lewis’s classic, Mere Christianity. Having sold over half a million copies in the UK alone, his overview of Christianity has been imitated many time, but never bettered.

One of the most popular and beloved introductions to the concept of faith ever written, Mere Christianity has sold millions of copies worldwide.

The book brings together C.S. Lewis’s legendary radio broadcasts during the war years, in which he set out simply to ‘explain and defend the belief that has been common to nearly all Christians at all times’. A brilliant collection, the book remains strikingly fresh for the modern reader and at the same time confirms C. S. Lewis’s reputation as one of the leading writer and thinkers of our age.

Rejecting the boundaries that divide Christianity’s many denominations, Mere Christianity provides an unequalled opportunity for believers and nonbelievers alike to absorb a powerful, rational case for the Christian faith. This scintiallating collection confirms C.S. Lewis’s reputation as one of the leading writers and thinkers of our age.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Release date: Apr 12, 2012
• ISBN: 9780007478958

C.S. Lewis

Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963) fue uno de los intelectuales más importantes del siglo veinte y podría decirse que fue el escritor cristiano más influyente de su tiempo. Fue profesor particular de Literatura Inglesa y miembro de la junta de gobierno de la Universidad de Oxford hasta 1954, cuando fue nombrado profesor de Literatura Medieval y Renacentista en la Universidad de Cambridge, cargo que desempeñó hasta su jubilación. Sus contribuciones a la crítica literaria, la literatura infantil, la literatura fantástica y la teología popular le trajeron fama y aclamación a nivel internacional. C. S. Lewis escribió más de treinta libros, lo cual le permitió llegar a un público amplísimo, y sus obras aún atraen a miles de nuevos lectores cada año. Entre sus más distinguidas y populares obras están Las crónicas de Narnia, Los cuatro amores, Cartas del diablo a su sobrino y Mero cristianismo.

Reviews for Mere Christianity

[Ms R Plenty · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is one that leads to reflection. When we understand the root of Christianity our attitudes and mindset will shift.

Great Read.

[Lewis, InSeong Jeong · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Want to read again and again and again. An honest and thorough persuit of the truth.

[Fred Smith · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A classic philosophical approach and explanation of Christianity…timeless and challenging

[Mickey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

it was my first book from cs lewis and it gave my a new perspective to my life

[Armand Human · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of the most enlightening books I've ever had the pleasure of enduring, delighting, fearing and rejoicing in.

[Lijo · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a fantastic book. Love the way he explains complicated or controversial matters in simple terms using very relatable analogies..

[Angeline Hayler · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Second time I’ve read this (with about a 20 year interval), and still so much gold here that I could read it again and catch more around next time. A wonderful picture of the Christian life. Great book for anybody with serious questions and doubts about the faith.

[karo · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Such an insightful read, or rather listen. Great paraboles and metaphors to describe difficult concepts!

[Maria Tuckey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent. So well written with clarity of thought and ideas.

[KB Kang · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great book. Many wonderful insights for non-Christians and Christians.

[lawrencelaw · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

so profound i will need to listen again and read the actual text

[GEZIM MYRTE · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very very nice book. Thank you I enjoyed .

[Steve Allen · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Really well written - typically CS Lewis. We’ll read too.

[Michael Podhaczky · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It’s a Christian classic that i read every year

[Diego · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Clear, deep, essential, indispensable, a book that must be reading by everyone, powerful

[Juan Manuel Aguirre Quintana · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Enjoyable an recommendable. For those trying to understand what is to believe in Christ from the roots

[yarncatsnbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Powerful book.

[angelreadsthings · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was definitely unlike I expected. The only other work by Lewis I'd read was Narnia, and from the way my high school teachers talked about him, I guess I had this rigid, traditional view of C.S. Lewis and so I thought this book would just be kind of like that, but it wasn't at all. I found this book very interesting although admittedly a little too analytical for my abstract brain at times. Nevertheless, it wasn't tedious to read at all; however, I felt like I had to be in a certain mind frame in order to read it and comprehend most of what he was saying.

I think this is a good book for nonbelievers who are very logical and reasoning. It goes through the core of Christian beliefs gradually in a logical manner posing well thought out questions and answers.

[6boysandme · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The book I like to read to remind myself who I am and more importantly whose I am. Lewis understood what it meant to be a Christian and he helps me want to be a better one.

[Alwin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Brilliant, I am going to start listening to it again.

[Tom Henson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Exceptional content and beautifully read. Enjoyed every minute of it

[kslade-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Excellent book on actively living your Christian religion.

[agentx216 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is amazing. My copy has highlights and notes throughout. Lewis has greatly helped me to come to a fuller understanding of basic Christian thought through this. This is a definate recommend for someone who is Christian or wanting to know about Christian thought. Wow, I can't get over how fantastic this was. This is what the joy of reading is all about. Final Grade - A

[G A McKee · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a gift this writer and thinker Mr C. S. Lewis possesses. His language is simple, as if he were writing a children’s story. This book is replete with parables, metaphors and analogies to communicate to us diverse readers what it actually means to be a Christian. Faith, hope, charity, and forgiveness . . . reading this book has given me a deeper appreciation of these values as inherent New Testament Christian values. I was interested in his essay on pride, as being the queen of Christian vices and the cause of all other vices. So now I understand why they called it Pride Month to celebrate the Sodomite community! Towards the end of the book the author explained the transformation of the human soul as demanded by Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The similes used to explain this required transformation to be a true Christian, as Christ demanded, were highly creative and memorable. I think this is a book that one could listen to over and over again, as one repeats the same Hatha yoga moves, in order to aid understanding of Christianity - especially if your faith in Christianity is faltering due to modern rightwing movements like Christian Zionism and Christian Nationalism that wants to bomb the Islamic Republic of Iran in some modern crusade to reclaim the Holy Land.

[joecassada · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Read this in our church's book club. The book is a bit heady for the average person, but worthwhile over all. He makes some good points and lands quite a few zingers. Interesting Christian-philosophical take on contemporary issues.

[wyclif-371215 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As wonderful as I remembered it. Third reading; first time was in 1987. A perfect place to start for anybody new to Christian doctrine.

[alisony-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book on Christianity by C. S. Lewis is based on a series of radio talks he gave in the aftermath of WWII. I read it in a very haphazard way spread out over too long a period, so I'm finding it hard to judge it fairly accordingly.

Does it stand the test of time? Yes and no. Mostly yes, as the foundations of Christianity itself hasn't changed, but there definitely were some outdated social ideas in some chapters. Mind you, that gave me some food for thought - are they outdated ideas, or is it that as modern day Christians we want to bend Christianity as we see fit to meet our more relaxed modern day moral standing on various things?

C. S. Lewis is, of course, a superb writer, and a number of the chapters were really thought provoking and gave me more insight on my faith, but others I found to be confusing in their rambling and a little lecturous.

Would this book speak to people without faith who are curious about becoming Christian? I'm not sure. I think it feels more appropriate to someone who already has some faith.

3.5 stars - an interesting book on Christianity, and one I probably need to dip in and out of in the future to get the most out of it.

[atreic · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A series of essays given by Lewis during the second world war, attempting to explain the key ideas of Christianity to a lay man.

A short book, which is engaging and easy to read (at least if you've encountered most of the ideas before). There is something interesting and oddly jarring about someone seriously talking about absolute morality and how God is working out the New Men of his creation to a general audience in a non embarrassed way. I find Mere Christianity more of an emotive broad brush sketch ('look! These things feel true and lead to these things!') than a watertight proof, and I don't enjoy Lewis's gender essentialism, but I enjoyed reading a thoughtful intellectual talking about his honest views on life's big questions.

[evenlake_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

My least favorite kind of spirituality book. The author has an existing religious belief, and then tries to rationally justify it with reason. But his arguments are flawed and easily dispensed with. I would much rather read a memoir about his journey to faith, than an attempt to rationalize that which is basically irrational. If faith is belief without evidence, one should not try to logically prove the foundations of one’s faith.

[drfuriosa · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is an insightful argument for Christianity. It is dated, however, and very much a product of its time as far as gender is concerned.