Lewis on the Christian Life: Becoming Truly Human in the Presence of God

Few authors stand as tall as C. S. Lewis. Lewis was unmatched in wit, wordplay, and woodland creatures. I was thankful when I saw that Joe Rigney was publishing a book in the fantastic ‘Theologians on the Christian Life’ series focused on my favorite fiction author. The goal of this series is to help present-day Christians “listen to the past” by exploring each figure’s work and its implications on for Christian living. 

Rigney himself is a Lewis expert, having written Live Like A Narnian: Christian Discipleship in Lewis's Chronicles (order here) and taught literature and Great Books at Bethlehem College and Seminary. Rigney’s Lewis expertise shines through in Lewis on the Christian Life: Becoming Truly Human in the Presence of God, offering readers insight into the practical Christian themes in books such as “The Space Trilogy,” The Great Divorce, and more.

The book is arranged into several chapters, each exploring a different facet of Lewis’s application to the Christian life. In each chapter, Rigney expertly weaves different works and essays from Lewis to formulate a coherent thesis regarding the Christian life. Really, for Lewis and Rigney, it all boils down to The Choice: God or self. The first chapter dives deep into The Choice, whilst each subsequent chapter parses out The Choice in regard to a different doctrine. Will we choose God or self, heaven or hell, pride or humility? 

This book, in ways that only Lewis can do, paints Heaven as a beautiful reality for those that choose God, as well as painting Hell as a terrifying reality for those that choose self. Rigney wants us to understand Lewis’s view of becoming truly ourselves: The person God designed us to be. Becoming truly ourselves, to Lewis, is not self-help, but is choosing God every day so that our lives and Christian walk points others Christward. Rigney helpfully does that in this book.

Rigney also displays to the reader how to disagree with our heroes. Rigney and Lewis would not have seen eye to eye on every point of doctrine and Rigney displays loving critique of Lewis’s incomplete view on penal substitutionary atonement.

I would recommend this book to those looking to delve deeper into C. S. Lewis’s world AND to those looking to grow in appreciation for the beauty found in good literature. Truly, God uses men and women to create and dream up worlds that reflect his nature in some way through literature, and Lewis was a master of that. As you read this book, look at Lewis, because, as Rigney explains, Lewis will point you to choose Christ every day.

Order the book here.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Crossway through their Blogger Review Program.