Podcasts · Religion & Spirituality

Mere Christianity, by C. S. Lewis

mandmbowles

35 episodes

C. S. Lewis's Mere Christianity is a classic in Christian apologetics. It was originally broadcast over the radio and is best understood by hearing it.

Episodes

  1. Conclusion

    · 1:16 · S4 E12

    This short episode shares the "About the author" blurb from the book. It also mentions that I'll be recording The Screwtape Letters next: search for it under mandmbowles!

  2. Book 4, Chapter 11 The New Men

    · 19 min · S4 E11

    What is the "next step in evolution"? What will the "new men" look and be like? In this final chapter, Lewis concludes his consideration of mere Christianity by examining the possibilities.

  3. Book 4, Chapter 10 Nice People or New Men

    · 21 min · S4 E10

    In this chapter, Lewis responds to the criticism that, if Christianity is true, why are not all Christians obviously nicer than all non-Christians?

  4. Book 9, Chapter 4 Counting the Cost

    · 10 min · S4 E9

    In chapter 8, Lewis commented on Jesus's words, "Be ye perfect." He spends this entire chapter elaborating on the meaning of this statement, explaining his view of Jesus's intent.

  5. Book 4, Chapter 8 Is Christianity Hard or Easy?

    · 12 min · S4 E8

    In the last few chapters, Lewis has presented the Christian idea of dressing up as a Son of God as the means of becoming a son of God. In this chapter, he contrasts this with ordinary ideas of "morality" and "being…

  6. Book 4, Chapter 7 Let's Pretend

    · 15 min · S4 E7

    Earlier in this book, C. S. Lewis explains that our Christian beliefs start with the realization that we are hopelessly sinful creatures in need of saving. In this chapter, he leads us through the role that an…

  7. Book 4, Chapter 6 Two Notes

    · 7:11 · S4 E6

    In this short chapter, Lewis addresses two issues arising from his metaphor of the toy soldiers from the previous chapter: (1) why God didn't beget many sons (instead of toy soldiers that had to be turned into sons),…

  8. Book 4, Chapter 5 The Obstinate Toy Soldier

    · 8:21 · S4 E5

    How is it that Jesus's life paves the way for our Bios (physical life) to join with God's Zoe (spiritual life)? Lewis pictures it like bringing a toy tin soldier to life.

  9. Book 4, Chapter 4 Good Infection

    · 12 min · S4 E4

    With this picture of a three-part God in mind (and Lewis provides greater detail in this chapter about the third person, the Holy Ghost), how are we to be drawn into their life of love, i.e., go from "made" to…

  10. Book 4, Chapter 3 Time and Beyond Time

    · 10 min · S4 E3

    Some of our biggest objections to Christianity involve the concept of time. In this chapter, Lewis shares his understanding of our experience (time) and God's experience (beyond time).

  11. Book 4, Chapter 2 The Three-Personal God

    · 12 min · S4 E2

    Using the distinction between "making" v. "begetting" that he delineated in Chapter 1, Lewis tackles the concept of the three-personal God: how can God have three identities? Is this symbolism, or is it real?

  12. Book 4 Beyond Personality: or the First Steps in the Doctrine of the Trilogy, Chapter 1 Making and Begetting

    · 15 min · S4 E1

    In Book 4, Lewis tackles the theological concept of the Trilogy. After making the case, in classic Lewis fashion, using straightforward analogies and metaphors, that theology is both practical and necessary, he begins…

  13. Book 3, Chapter 12 Faith

    · 13 min · S3 E12

    Chapter 12 continues Lewis's discussion of faith, addressing the second sense of the word-- the "higher sense" of what it means to reach the understanding that we experience utter failure in trying to keep God's laws…

  14. Book 3, Chapter 11 Faith

    · 12 min · S3 E10

    In chapters 11 and 12, Lewis addresses what he describes as the two aspects of faith. The first, covered extensively in this chapter, refers to "the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite…

  15. Book 3, Chapter 10 Hope

    · 8:25 · S3 E10

    In this short chapter, Lewis builds the case that, far from being a ridiculous way of escaping reality, the Christian's focus on another world (Heaven) is the logical response to our earthly experiences.

  16. Book 3, Chapter 9 Charity

    · 9:04 · S3 E9

    In Book 3, Chapter 7, Lewis addressed the part of Charity we know as Forgiveness. In the current book, he revisits Charity in a broader sense, giving special attention to the difference between the role of our emotions…

  17. Book 3, Chapter 8 The Great Sin

    · 18 min · S3 E8

    Lewis comes finally to the center of Christian morals: Pride. He makes this provocative statement: "Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind," and then spends the remainder of the…

  18. Book 3, Chapter 7 Forgiveness

    · 12 min · S3 E7

    There are so many things about forgiveness (which Lewis calls the most unpopular of the virtues) that make it hard, and Lewis addresses them all, reminding us that the only terms under which we are offered forgiveness…

  19. Book 3, Chapter 6 Christian Marriage

    · 22 min · S3 E6

    Continuing his consideration of Christian morality, Lewis, with some apology and trepidation as he acknowledged that, at the time of writing this book, he was a single man, turns to Christian marriage. He delves deeply…

  20. Book 3, Chapter 5 Sexual Morality

    · 20 min · S3 E5

    Lewis continues his consideration of morality by examining sexual morality. After a lengthy discussion, he closes with the reminder/admonition that "the center of Christian morality is not here," preparing the listener…

  21. Book 3, Chapter 4 Morality and Psychoanalysis

    · 12 min · S3 E4

    Before Lewis delves into more specifics about what constitutes the "Christian life," he explores the relationship between morality and psychoanalysis, both of which claim to "put the human machine right." This leads…

  22. Book 3, Chapter 3 Social Morality

    · 12 min · S3 E3

    Having discussed morality in general and the cardinal virtues (chapters 1 and 2 of Book 3), Lewis takes a look at Christian morality and contrasts it with society's desire for political programs and for "the Church" to…

  23. Book 3, Chapter 2 The "Cardinal Virtues"

    · 11 min · S3 E2

    Lewis expands on the previous chapter about morality to explore four specific areas (called the "Cardinal Virtues" by "old" writers) of morality.

  24. Book 3 Christian Behavior, Chapter 1 The Three Parts of Morality

    · 14 min · S3 E1

    What is morality? Is moral perfection an "ideal"? Lewis digs into these questions and proposes that there are three parts of morality.

  25. Book 2, Chapter 5 The Practical Conclusion

    · 13 min · S2 E5

    Christ has undergone the perfect surrender and humiliation so that his life can be part of us. In this chapter, Lewis considers how that is to be done and entertains some objections to the Christian narrative.

  26. Book 2, Chapter 4 The Perfect Penitent

    · 15 min · S2 E4

    What do Christians believe about the purpose of Jesus' life and death? Why was it necessary for God to become man and sacrifice his life in order to create a path for us to have a relationship with God who created us…

  27. Book 2, Chapter 3 The Shocking Alternative

    · 13 min · S2 E3

    Is it in accordance with God's will that the Enemy has made himself Prince of this world? Lewis addresses the consequences of God's gift to us of free will and the ability to choose to put ourselves first. Lewis…

  28. Book 2, Chapter 2 The Invastion

    · 14 min · S2 E2

    Having discussed atheism in the previous chapter, Lewis proceeds to examine the merits of Dualism (along with making a few observations about what he refers to as "Christianity-and-water"), the idea that there are two…

  29. Book 2 What Christians Believe, Chapter 1 The Rival Conceptions of God

    · 8:27 · S2 E1

    In Book 1, Lewis examines our concepts of right and wrong, following them to their logical conclusion: there is a being (that is very much like a mind) behind our Moral Law, and we are constantly making ourselves its…

  30. Book 1, Chapter 5 We Have Cause to Be Uneasy

    · 11 min · S1 E6

    In this chapter, Lewis explores further what it means that there is a Somebody behind the Moral Law, sharing three thoughts for those who see his train of thought as the same old take on religion.

  31. Book 1, Chapter 4 What Lies behind the Law

    · 13 min · S1 E5

    Having considered that what we call the Laws of Nature may not be anything real—anything above and beyond the actual facts which we observe-- and the Law of Human Nature, or of Right and Wrong, must be something above…

  32. Book 1, Chapter 3 The Reality of the Law

    · 10 min · S1 E4

    Lewis further explores the two "odd" things that we observe about humanity (that, first, we are haunted by the idea of a sort of behavior we ought to practise, what you might call fair play, or decency, or morality, or…

  33. Book 1, Chapter 2 Some Objections

    · 13 min · S1 E3

    Having made two foundational points about human beings ("First, that human beings, all over the earth, have this curious idea that they ought to behave in a certain way, and cannot really get rid of it. Secondly, that…

  34. Book 1 Right and Wrong as a Clue to the Meaning of the Universe, Chapter 1 The Law of Human Nature

    · 13 min · S1 E2

    Lewis begins his exploration of what our human understanding about right and wrong tells us about the universe by examining "The Law of Human Nature," and how this Law is different from the physical laws (like gravity)…

  35. Dedication

    · 11 min · S1 E1

    A personal message to my children, to whom I dedicate this podcast

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