Ty's Analysis of "What Christians Believe"

Ty B.
Writing 150H, Winter 2012
Dr. Kerry Spencer


C. S. Lewis is perhaps best known for his Chronicles of Narnia series, which is commonly known as a Christ allegory, but Lewis was actually a converted atheist. He struggled to rationalize his faith in many essays which are highly regarded in the academic and religious communities alike. This essay not only develops ideas central to what Christianity believes, but how Lewis came to believe them through basic logical arguments. In What Christians Believe, C. S. Lewis uses comparisons, such as metaphors and similes to effectively explain his thoughts on Christianity to Christians and non-Christians alike.


Lewis, in recounting his final argument for atheism before he finally accepted Christianity, likens knowing that the universe has no meaning to discovering that the universe was dark if we had no eyes to see. “If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning: just as, if there were no light in the universe and therefore no creatures with eyes, we should never know it was dark. Dark would be without meaning” (177). This simple simile aids in Lewis’ explanation of the simplicity of atheism by showing that life would be meaningless to those who take part in it. Lewis’ mastery of logic was able to lead him to an explanation that not only comforts the minds of non-Christian readers, through avoiding argumentative language, but that appeals to the tenets of Christian theology, that we are here on this Earth for a purpose.


The complexity of Christian theology is exactly why it is so believable; Lewis argues that nothing is naturally simple; everything has a queer attribute, as part of nature. He explains this by comparing the other planets to Earth. “In fact, you find no rhyme or reason (that we can see) about either the sizes or the distances [of the planets]; and some of them have one moon, one has four, one has two, some have none, and one has a ring” (177). The comparison of religion to the natural variety of the planets helps Lewis to explain why the utter absurdness of Christianity (at face value) is in fact a testament of the truthfulness of it. Everything that is part of this universe has a natural quirk, and the fact that Christianity is so different means it could not have been thought up, just as the vast differences between the planets could not have been thought up. This is often a train of thought that Christians tend to avoid, as a sort of blind faith technique, and though it could lead to doubts, Lewis uses it to strengthen his knowledge of the truthfulness of Christianity.


Christianity, Lewis explains, does inherently include the basics of the theory of Dualism (the explanation that the universe is a battleground between a Good force and an Evil force. “But in reality we have no experience of anyone liking badness just because it is bad. The nearest we can get to it is in cruelty. But in life people are cruel for one of two reasons – either because they are sadists… or else for the sake of something they are going to get out of it – money or power, or safety” (178). Although not a metaphor or simile, the reader can call to mind the cruel among the inhabitants of Earth, and understand that they are not an example of this force of Evil. They may be deceived or guided by this force, but they are inherently Good and even being cruel for money or power or safety is a Good thing, not an Evil thing. Lewis argues that Christians and non-Christians alike can see that the children of God are not placed on this Earth to do Evil, but that some fall away by the real power of Satan.


After explaining the theory of Dualism, and then debunking it, Lewis compares Christianity to a military operation within the Kingdom of Satan, or the Earth that we now occupy. “Enemy-occupied territory – that is what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage” (179). This allegorical metaphor goes to show that the power of Satan (as the Evil force of Dualism) really is the power that inhabits this Earth, but that as a duty to our Heavenly Father, and rightful king, we need to accept Christ and engage in doing Good. Non-Christians may struggle with this point, but assuming the Christian idea of Sin and applying it to this world, it is not difficult to grasp that ‘Satan’ has real power over the hearts of men. Different denominations of Christianity may have different feelings on this point, but Lewis does an excellent job defending his reason logically.


Lewis uses a defiant child as an example of how this Earth could be in seeming turmoil and yet remain within the Will and Power of the Lord. “It may be quite sensible for a mother to say to the children, ‘ I’m not going to go and make you tidy the schoolroom every night. You’ve got to learn to keep it tidy on your own.’ Then she goes up one night and finds the Teddy bear and the ink and the French Grammar, all lying in the grate. That is against her will” (180). Lewis uses this very relatable example to show, essentially, how there can be opposition against the Lord. This is an important doctrine of Christianity, especially for non-Christians to understand, because Heavenly Father does have real and true power, but it is not him that needs to ‘learn to keep the schoolroom tidy’, rather us, his children. The relevancy of this doctrine is not limited to non-Christians though, and Lewis is not only teaching them, he is using his new found faith and his soapbox to get Christians to understand the why behind Christianity as well.


The essay is effective in laying out what Christianity is step by step, as well as going in depth into why Lewis decided to forsake his atheism in favor of it. Both Christians and non-Christians can read the article and develop a greater understanding of why Christians believe what they believe, not only what it is that they believe. The understanding of the essay itself is dependent on the understanding of the many comparisons that Lewis makes, ultimately not unlike the teachings of Christ in the New Testament. Lewis favors examples that people can relate to, and being the great thinker that he was he definitely hit the nail on the head.