Jennie's Analysis of "What Christians Believe"

Jennie Boyer
Kerry Spencer
Writing 150 Section:
10 October 2011

An Atheist’s Guide to Christian Views

What do Christians believe? This mystery lingers in the minds of many people, especially those who do not believe in God. C.S. Lewis’s article “What Christians Believe” is a persuasive explanation of Christian beliefs because he wrote it such that atheists could thoroughly understand and have their questions set at ease. Lewis effectively appeals to logos, pathos, and ethos by using analogy, tone and his past experiences to explain to atheists what Christians believe.

Lewis appeals to logos through the use of analogy, helping atheists understand Christian views in a way that relates to them. Analogies accentuate logic by assisting readers to visualize an abstract or complicated idea. One example of an analogy in this article occurs when Lewis states, “it is like cutting off the branch you are sitting on” (180). In this quote he is explaining the inefficiency of arguing against God. Lewis uses the kinesthetic imagery of the branch to provide his audience with a relatable physical experience. Unlikely that his atheist audience would understand the feeling of arguing against God, this analogy proves effective because they would be able to imagine the experience of cutting off a branch on which they were sitting, helping them see the inefficiency of both ideas.

A second example of Lewis’ use of analogy is when he states, “A painter is not a picture, and he does not die if his picture is destroyed . . . you can only mean that all its beauty and interest has came out of his head” (176). Here Lewis is explaining the difference between Pantheist and Christian views, where Pantheists believe that the universe is God, while Christians believe that God made the universe, but is a separate being. The analogy of the painter explains that God is not the universe, the same way that a painter creates his picture, but he himself is not the actual painting. The analogy creates an image that thoroughly explains this concept in a way that atheists could understand and relate to the idea.

A personal, conversational tone helps atheists understand Christianity in a more meaningful way. Lewis appeals to the readers’ emotions by “treating” them as an intellectual individual. For example, Lewis begins this article by speaking to the reader, “I have been asked to tell you what Christians believe, and I am going to begin by telling you . . .” (175). This tool effectively speaks to his atheist audience in a more personal way that helps them feel more comfortable than if he had patronized them or forced his beliefs upon them. He continually addresses the reader as “you” throughout the article, creating a relationship with them and helping them understand his views more personally. Appealing to pathos, this friendly tone enables Lewis to speak to them on the same level, causing his atheist audience to trust him and therefore be more willing to listen and accept his arguments about Christianity.

Using an appeal to ethos, Lewis speaks with authority on his topic because of his past experience as an atheist. An example occurs when Lewis discusses his previous atheist views, “My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust.” He then explains his chain of logic in which he progresses from doubting God to accepting Him and recognizing His existence as a just, fair god. The progression of logic proves credible as he uses his past views to paradoxically show the faults of atheism and essentially prove his past beliefs about justice wrong. The validity of his arguments are much more effective than someone who has a purely Christian past because he has experienced both and chosen for himself which one he believes to be true. It is similar to someone who only tries vanilla ice cream and decides it is his favorite, compared to someone who has tried both flavors of vanilla and chocolate and decided vanilla to be the preferred choice. The choice becomes more meaningful if it has been compared to other options and selected as the better alternative. Lewis effectively uses ethos to convince his audience of the truthfulness of Christianity because he has experienced both Christianity and atheism and can testify that there indeed exists a just, merciful god.

Another example of appealing to ethos through past experiences can be seen in his statement, “atheism is too simple” (177). After this statement, Lewis proceeds to explain how he believes Christianity to be more complicated, but a thorough explanation of his questions. This statement may seem patronizing, but it captures the attention of his atheist readers as they eagerly await an explanation for such a bold statement against their beliefs. This statement would be offensive if he had a purely Christian past, but since Lewis has experienced atheism for himself, he owns the right to have a strong opinion about their beliefs. His atheist background makes his arguments more credible to his audience, effectively appealing to ethos and helping them understand Christian views.

Lewis understood the importance of appealing to logos, pathos and ethos, more effectively convincing his atheist audience of his Christian views. He appeals to logos by using analogies that help atheists understand Christianity in a way that they do not need to be Christian to understand. He appeals to pathos by using the emotional value of creating a conversational relationship with the audience, helping them feel at ease and making them more ready to listen. Lastly, he appeals to ethos by comparing his atheist past to his newfound religion, making it more meaningful to atheists that he can understand their views. The use of these tools effectively convinces his audience of Christian views in a meaningful way that helps them appreciate Lewis’ deep insights about religion.