Why has Lewis’ Mere Christianity become a classic?
Whenever someone asks me for one book that explains Christianity and the reasons for believing it, I always mention this book first. Why? Perhaps its strength is in Lewis himself, who paradoxically comes through the book to you precisely by not trying to. This book is not about Lewis’ faith but about the Faith. Yet Lewis’ honesty, humility, transparency and objectivity come through impressively, like a clear window opening onto a spectacular view. When you first enter a beach house with a great picture window over the sea, you are overwhelmed with the sea, not the window. But as you settle into the house, you realize that the best thing about it is the window, and you are grateful for it. Other writers have clear windows, too, but most modern ones open up into alleys or streets or tangles of cancerous consciousness. When I first read Mere Christianity I did not realize its greatness. This is stuff I know already, I thought. But I didn’t— not really, not clearly. If there is a genius in
