VOLUME 21.2 I WWW.RZIM.ORG JTHUE MAGSAZINET OF RATVI ZAHCHARIIASN INTERNKATIONIALN MINISGTRIES Surprised by C.S. Lewis PAGE 2 + THE POWER OF BEAUTY PAGE 26 GOD IN PURSUIT PAGE 28 AN UNOBSTRUCTED VIEW PAGE 30 UNWANTED GIFTS PAGE 34 Just Thinking is a teaching resource of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries and exists to engender thoughtful engagement with apologetics, Scripture, and the whole of life. Danielle DuRant Editor Ravi Zacharias International Ministries 4725 Peachtree Corners Circle Suite 250 Norcross, Georgia 30092 770.449.6766 WWW.RZIM.ORG TABLE of CONTENTS VOLUME 21.2 2 Surprised by C.S. Lewis 30 An Unobstructed View The year 2013 marks the fiftieth John Njoroge describes a humbling anniversary of C.S. Lewis’s death. moment in a soccer match. His For probably most people, writes reaction afforded him a window Alister McGrath, “Lewis is the into his soul in a way that might creator of the fabulous world of have been impossible had things Narnia, the author of some of the turned out differently. best-known and most discussed children’s books of the twentieth century…. But there is far more 34 Unwanted Gifts to C. S. Lewis than this.” C.S. Lewis writes, “God shows us a new facet of the glory, and we 26 The Power of Beauty refuse to look at it because we’re still looking for the old one.” As a Scot, Stuart McAllister grew Danielle DuRant suggests that up with a love of the countryside. the asking for and receiving of His early encounters with nature gifts often taps into our deepest evoked something within him that hopes and fears. at first he did not understand. But like C.S. Lewis, he was gradually awakened to the power and role of 37 Think Again beauty to reflect God’s glory. The question of being an apologist is not so much in answering someone’s 28 God in Pursuit question whether you use an apologet ic or not, writes Ravi Zacharias. Margaret Manning reflects upon Rather, it is whether the apologetic C.S. Lewis’s reluctant conversion you already use is a good one or not. and the glimpse into God’s character that Lewis’s story—as well as count - less others—affords. Who is this God who seems particularly enamored with the averse prodigal, who leaves the ninety-nine sheep to pursue the one lost sheep? JUST THINKING • The Quarterly Magazine of RAVI ZACHARIAS INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES [reluctant prophet] [2] JUST THINKING • RAVI ZACHARIAS INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES S E G A M I Y T T E G : H P A R G O T O H P Surprised by C.S. Lewis by Alister McGrath Fifty years after his death, Clive Staples Lewis remains one of the most influential popular writers of our age. Despite being widely seen as a literary and cultural landmark, there were really three C.S. Lewises. Alongside the author of bestselling novels, there is a second, less well-known persona: Lewis the Christian writer and apologist . The third and perhaps the least familiar is the distinguishe d Oxford don and literary critic who packed lecture theatres with his unscripted reflections on English literature. JUST THINKING • VOLUME 21.2 [3] Taken from C.S. Lewis – A Life by Alister McGrath. Copyright © 2013 by Alister McGrath. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. HO IS C.S. LEWIS Perhaps on account of his very public (1898–1963)? For many, commitment to Christianity, Lewis probably most, Lew is is remains a controversial figure, who elicits Wthe creator of the fab - affection and admiration from some of ulous world of Narnia, those who share his delight in the Chris tian the author of some of the best-known faith, and ridicule and contempt from and most discussed children’s books of some of those who do not. Yet whether the twentieth century, which continue one thinks Christianity is good or bad, it is to attract enthusiastic readers and sell in clearly important —and Lewis is perhaps the millions. Fifty years after his death, the most credible and influential popular Lewis remains one of the most influential representative of the “mere Christianity” popular writers of our age. Alongside his that he himself championed. equally famous Oxford colleague and Yet there is a third aspect to Lewis, friend J. R. R. Tolkien (1892–1973), author perhaps the least familiar to most of his of The Lord of the Rings , Lewis is widely admirers and critics: the distinguished seen as a literary and cultural landmark. Oxford don and literary critic who packed The worlds of literature and cinema have lecture theatres with his unscripted been deeply shaped by both of these reflections on English literature, and Oxford authors. Yet without Lewis, The who went on to become the first Lord of the Rings might never have been occupant of the Chair of Medieval and written. Lewis ma y have created his own Renaissance Literature at the University bestsellers, but he was also midwife to of Cambridge. Few might now read his Tolkien’s masterpiec e, even proposing Preface to “Paradise Lost” (1942); in its day, Tolkien for the 1961 Nobel Prize in however, it set a new standard through Literature on the basis of this epic work. its clarity and insight . For these reasons alone, the story of C.S. Lewis’s professional calling was to Lewis is worth telling. the “groves of Academe.” His election as But there is far more to C.S. Lewis a fellow of the British Academy in July than this. As Lewis’s long-term friend 1955 was a public demonstration of his Owen Barfield (1898–1997) once remarke d, high scholarly repute. Yet some in the there were really three C.S. Lewises. academic world regarded his commercial Alongside Lewis the author of bestselling and popular success as being inconsistent novels, there is a second, less well-known with any claim on his part to be a serious persona: Lewis the Christian writer and scholar. From 1942 onwards, Lewis strug - apologist, concerned to communicate gled to maintain his academic credibility and share his rich vision of the intellectua l in the light of his more popular works, and imaginative power of the Christian above all his lighthearted musings on the faith—a faith he discovered in the middle diabolical world of Screwtape. of his life and found rationally and spiri - So how do these three Lewises tually compelling. Much to the annoyanc e relate to each other? Are they separate of some, his Mere Christianity is now ofte n compartments of his life, or are they cited as the most influential religious somehow interconnected? And how did work of the twentieth century. they each develop? This book aims to tell [4] JUST THINKING • RAVI ZACHARIAS INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES the story of the shaping and expressing of concerning his character. However, the Lewis’s mind, focussing on his writings. It vast scholarly endeavours of the last two is not concerned with documenting every decades have clarified questions of his - aspect of Lewis’s life, but with exploring torical importance (such as Lewis’s role in the complex and fascinating connections the Great War), explored aspects of Lewis ’s between Lewis’s external and internal intellectual development, and provided worlds. This biography is thus organized critical readings of his major works. This around the real and imaginary worlds biography tries to weave these strands that Lewis inhabited—primarily Oxford, together, presenting an understanding of Cambridge, and Narnia. How does Lewis firmly grounded in earlier studies, the development of his ideas and his yet able to go beyond them. imagination map onto the physical Any attempt to deal with Lewis’s worlds he inhabited? Who helped him rise to prominence has to acknowledge craft his intellectual and imaginative his misgivings about assuming a public vision of reality? role. Lewis was indeed a prophet to his In our discussion, we shall consider own day and age, and beyond; yet it must Lewis’s rise to fame, and some of the be said that he was a reluctant prophet. factors that lay behind this. Yet it is one Even his own conversion seemed to take thing for Lewis to have become famous; place against his better judgement; and it is another for him to remain so fifty having been converted to Christianity, years after his death. Many commentators Lewis spoke out on its themes largely back in the 1960s believed that Lewis’s because of the silence or unintelligibility fame was transitory. His inevitable declin e of those he believed were better placed into obscurity, many then believed, was than he was to engage religious and just a matter of time—a decade at most. theological questions publicly. It is for this reason that the final chapter Lewis also comes across as something of this work tries to explain, not simply of an eccentric, in the proper sense of why Lewis became such a figure of that term—someone who departs from authority and influence, but why he recognized, conventional, or established remains so today. norms or patterns, or who is displaced Some of the more important early from the centre of things. His curious biographies were written by those who relationship with Mrs. Moore, to be dis - knew Lewis personally. These continue to cussed in some detail in this work, placed be invaluable as descriptions of what him well outside the British social norms Lewis was like as a human being, as well of the 1920s. Many of Lewis’s academic as offering some important judgements colleagues at Oxford came to regard him ewis was indeed a prophet to his own day and age, and beyond; yet L it must be said that he was a reluctant prophet.