C. S. Lewis: A Reluctant Christian

C. S. Lewis is considered one of the most influential Christian apologists of his time. He taught at Oxford and wrote several great books related to apologetics and Christianity, including “Mere Christianity” and “The Chronicles of Narnia.” But C. S. Lewis was not always a Christian. Lewis grew up in a Christian home. But, sadly, his mother died of cancer when he was a boy. In his grief, Lewis became angry that God had not healed her. Her tragic death was one of several reasons that eventually led Lewis to become an atheist. But God was still at work in Lewis’s life. Through the help of the writings of authors like George MacDonald as well as through friends like J. R. R. Tolkien, Lewis eventually became a theist and then a Christian. Lewis himself said that his conversion was not easy. In Surprised by Joy, his memoir, he even described himself as kicking, struggling, resentful, and darting his eyes in every direction for a chance of escape when it came to believing in God. After putting his trust in Jesus, Lewis went on to write about apologetics and refute popular claims against Christianity. To this day, his words carry hope and meaning, especially since he experienced atheism personally. He knew popular objections to Christianity because he had had them himself. None of Lewis’s novels, apologetics, or life story would have been possible without God. Not only does Lewis’s work argue for Christianity, but his reluctance to accept the truth of the gospel is an argument in itself. Lewis was an intelligent man, and he would have remained an atheist if God had not intervened in his life. And God is still using Lewis’s writings to bring others to the knowledge of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection today. Naomi Zylstra Have you ever been angry at God like C. S. Lewis was? What did you do about it? Have you ever felt like Christianity was illogical? What questions do you have about it? Who are trusted Christians in your lifesuch as pastors, counselors, or youth leadersyou could bring your questions to? And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)

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Psalm 19