“If anyone will take the trouble to compare the moral teaching of, say, the ancient Egyptians, Babylonians, Hindus, Chinese, Greeks and Romans, what will really strike him will be how very like they are to each other and to our own” (loc 177 in Kindle addition). This statement, asserted early in the text of Mere Christianity, first published by C.S. Lewis in 1952 (Lewis, 2015, update), captures one of the most important insights of the entire book – the realization that many of history’s greatest philosophers, sages, and prophets agree on the essentials of what it means to be God-centered.
Mere Christianity, establishes the goal of “presenting an agreed, or common, or central, or ‘mere’ Christianity” (loc 59). The idea of God-centered life begins with the question of how we came to be. Lewis addressed this by harmonizing the knowledge science so elegantly describes in the vast, unfathomable complexity, of the earth and broader universe with the simple reality of our individual lives. The vastness and beauty of it all persuaded Lewis that, indeed, there was a power behind the universe that cannot be explained but cannot be denied. Additionally, “the Being behind the universe is intensely interested in right conduct” (loc 432) and this Being has granted free will to his most complicated creation (humankind). This free will allows decisions for good and ill with the choice for good being “the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having” (loc 599).
Lewis asserts that the frequent human choice to violate God’s plan is only resolvable by embracing the Christian belief, “that Christ’s death has somehow put us right with God and given us a fresh start” (loc 665) and this fresh start is possible only by yielding to the omnipresence of God and the resulting discipline of adopting a moral life. He says that morality concerns three things; “fair play and harmony between individuals, tidying up or harmonizing the things inside each individual, and the general purpose of human life as a whole.” (loc 840).
The core beliefs Lewis proposed as common to multiple faith perspectives include:
Humans are both broken and whole.
The agency one has in free will is what distinguishes humanity from other creatures.
Free will offers the opportunity to choose humility, compassion and love over pride, selfishness, and hatred.
The choice for love then introduces the potential for charity toward others but Lewis acknowledged that “… the great obstacle to charity lies not in our luxurious living or desire for more money, but in our fear – fear of insecurity” (loc 991). Conquering this fear requires a depth of faith that is anchored in one’s beliefs and seeking to “make some serious attempt to practice the Christian virtues” (loc 1606).
Christian theology or the “science of God” says that “Christ is the Son of God (whatever that means). They say that those who give Him their confidence can also become Sons of God (whatever that means). They say that His death saved us from our sins (whatever that means)” (loc 1742). The parenthetical “whatever that means” may seem odd but, as I read it, the purpose is to convey the important point of how one’s faith evolves through life’s experience. In Lewis’ words “… as you advance to more real and more complicated levels, you do not leave behind you the things you found on the simpler levels; you still have them, but combined in new ways – in ways you could not imagine if you knew only the simpler levels” (loc 1802). The development portrayed by advancing to “more real and more complicated levels” may seem difficult because it requires turning one’s whole self over to Christ but Lewis asserts “…it is far easier than what we are all trying to do instead” (loc 2173), that being rejection of faith and refusal to live a Christ-centered life.
Mere Christianity proposed essentials that Lewis believed should be at the core of the numerous sub-groups that embrace Christian beliefs. He started with an inclusive perspective and, although he did not reiterate this point in his conclusion, his ideas offer a platform to connect across faith perspectives that could create wholeness and affirmation among the many who are faithful to God, no matter what name she is given.
