C. S. Lewis is generally regarded as a commonsense Christian whose theology is understandable and practical. And yet, from his memoir Surprised by Joy to his beloved Chronicles of Narnia, from his nonfiction essays to his letters, C. S. Lewis' works display a distinct sense of the mystical. In this book, David C. Downing explores the breadth of Lewis' writing, introducing us to the context of Christian mysticism in Lewis' day and to the writers who most influenced him.
Lewis' critique of mysticism is instructive to us in this day of eclectic religious thought. Exploring Lewis' sense of the mystical can help us safeguard ourselves from false mysticism, even as it opens the way to a full experience of God's presence.
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"C.S. Lewis' "mysticism" demands more attention. Downing begins the conversation. I wish that this book had received more attention. A topic for an Emerging Scholars Network Blog post?" — Thomas (5 out of 5 stars)
"C.S. Lewis' "mysticism" demands more attention. Downing begins the conversation. I wish that this book had received more attention. A topic for an Emerging Scholars Network Blog post?"
“The author’s affection for his subject ably informs this sensitive reading of Lewis’ life and writings. Highly recommended.”
“Downing offers a wonderful corrective to a C. S. Lewis we are tempted to cut down to fit our own mental, spiritual, and imaginative wardrobe. Beautifully written, a joy to read.”
“David Downing has probed, with great skill (and fidelity to Lewis’ own vision), the works which we all know, and has opened up to us a fresh appreciation of this component in Lewis’ writings.”
" Book is not only about the mysticism of Lewis but about the subject in general which gives the view of Lewis a context. Well written. "
" The best secondary source I have read about C.S. Lewis. Absolutely inspiring and instructive! "
" Awesome book! A glimpse into C S Lewis' own views on mysticism and what books he was influenced by. "
David C. Downing is a professor of English at Elizabethtown College in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. He has written numerous articles on C. S. Lewis as well as Planets in Peril: A Critical Study of C. S. Lewis’ Ransom Trilogy. His book on C. S. Lewis’ journey to faith, The Most Reluctant Convert, was named one of Booklist’s Best Religion Books of 2002.
Simon Vance (a.k.a. Robert Whitfield) is an award-winning actor and narrator. He has earned more than fifty Earphones Awards and won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration thirteen times. He was named Booklist’s very first Voice of Choice in 2008 and has been named an AudioFile Golden Voice as well as an AudioFile Best Voice of 2009. He has narrated more than eight hundred audiobooks over almost thirty years, beginning when he was a radio newsreader for the BBC in London. He is also an actor who has appeared on both stage and television.
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