It was with a sniff of derision that an acquaintance of C S Lewis shrugged off the relevance of Christianity with the adjective ‘mere’.

Popular and beloved

And so was birthed one of the most powerful defences of the Christian faith in modern times, which has recently made fresh appearances in the nation’s bookstores in a re-issued version. ‘Mere Christianity’ has sold millions of copies worldwide, bringing together 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’.

I read other books by Lewis as a new believer fifty years ago, and was suitably impressed, but never got round to this classic piece of literature – perhaps because I felt I had already been won over by the claims of Christ.

... reading it now as a more mature Christian has injected me with fresh confidence and inspiration.

Nevertheless, reading it now as a more mature Christian has injected me with fresh confidence and inspiration, aided by a plethora of brilliant arguments to better equip weary disciples whose faith is under much more ferocious attack than Lewis experienced in the 1940s and 50s.

Classic quotes

Among his best-known lines of thought was the answer he gave to the “really foolish thing” people often say of Jesus – that they are ready to accept him as a great moral teacher, but not his claim to be God. “That is the one thing we must not say,” Lewis argues:

“A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic – on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg – or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse.”

Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse.

Here is another: “If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next.”

And here is one I’ve heard many preachers use most effectively: “When Christ died, he died for you individually, just as much as if you had been the only man in the world.”

And here is another so applicable to this supposedly post-Christian age:

“Again and again it (the world) has thought Christianity was dying… But every time the world has been disappointed. Its first disappointment was over the crucifixion. The Man came to life again. In a sense – and I quite realise how frightfully unfair it must seem to them – that has been happening ever since. They keep on killing the thing that He started: and each time, just as they are patting down the earth on its grave, they suddenly hear that it is still alive and has even broken out in some new place. No wonder they hate us.”

‘Mere Christianity’ provides an unequalled opportunity for believers and nonbelievers alike to absorb a powerful, rational case for the Christian faith.

Rational Christianity

I highly commend this book to all who are seriously seeking the truth as well as to those who already love the Lord, for it will undoubtedly help you proclaim the gospel with renewed impetus. Indeed, ‘Mere Christianity’ provides an unequalled opportunity for believers and nonbelievers alike to absorb a powerful, rational case for the Christian faith.

As my wife and I dived into a pub for cover from a heatwave on a recent visit to Cambridge, we found a plaque in honour of C S Lewis and his friend J R R Tolkein - both frequented the hostelry on a regular basis. I felt so proud of him!

Mere Christianity is published by Collins and is available from Amazon in paperback or kindle (£2.19) form.

----------------------

Paul Luckraft reviews 'Smoke on the Mountain: An Interpretation of the Ten Commandments', by Joy Davidman (1953, reprinted 1985)

 Written over half a century ago, and, remarkably, still in print, this is an intriguing little book by the American poet and author Joy Davidman, better known as Joy Gresham, and eventually even better known as the wife of C. S. Lewis. Her relationship with the Oxford-based Christian writer is well documented in the play and film Shadowlands, but her own writing is largely neglected. Here is a chance to discover one part of her output.

C. S. endorsement

Written shortly after meeting Lewis, this is a personal interpretation of the Ten Commandments intended mainly for the layman but also having in mind the preacher who is looking for something extra to say on some familiar verses from the Old Testament.

Joy Davidman's own writing is largely neglected. Here is a chance to discover one part of her output.

The foreword was provided by Lewis himself, who, in referring to Davidman’s Jewish and atheistic background, penned the memorable phrase “In a sense the converted Jew is the only normal human being in the world” (p.7). He also adds that “Something of that old Hebraic quality has gone into the book” (p.8) and commends her work for the union of passionate heat and intelligence. He also rather charmingly states; “I do not of course agree with Miss Davidman at every point" (p.10) and does not expect that every reader would either.

Heart of the matter

Davidman starts with an introduction to the commandments themselves, setting the scene under the title ‘The Sin of Fear’. After the giving of the Laws, the people tremble with fear due to the lightning, the trumpet sound and ‘the smoke on the mountain’. Moses responds with ‘Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning’ (Ex 20:20).

"I do not of course agree with Miss Davidman at every point" (p.10) and he does not expect that every reader would either.

The introduction begins, as do all the chapters, with a short tale, in this case probably apocryphal, from the life of a missionary. The others are drawn either from real life, including historical characters such as Titus Oates and James Watts, or from other sources, such as Grimm’s tales or ancient history.

After the expected ten chapters - one on each commandment - there is a final chapter entitled ‘Light of Lights’, which is based upon the words of Jesus in Matthew 22:37-40, where he explains that the greatest commandment of all is that of loving God, and the second involves loving your neighbour as yourself. Her humorous opening involves an account of how a writer (presumably herself!) was interrupted when writing an article on the commandments by a phone call from an annoying neighbour making certain demands on her.

Two kinds of Christianity

Whatever you might make of Davidman’s attempts to provide something ‘dynamic and original’ on the Ten Commandments, her comments in this final chapter are thought-provoking and challenging. Have we accepted the prohibitions of the Ten Commandments in the sorrow of our hearts but without learning the joyous and liberating commandments of Christ?

Have we accepted the prohibitions of the Ten Commandments in the sorrow of our hearts but without learning the joyous and liberating commandments of Christ?

The author reminds us that there are two kinds of Christianity – man’s and Christ’s, stating that it is a poor sort of faith that imagines Christ defeated by anything men can do; “he has already survived everything we can do to him” (p.135). She concludes that only when we embrace Christianity, not for our own advantage but through surrender to God, will we be able to take these commandments to heart in obedience and appreciate what they are truly about.

It is good to see that this book is still available today, and I commend it for those who like to read more widely about familiar parts of scripture.

Smoke on the Mountain (140pp) is published by The Westminster Press, and is available from Amazon.