Key themes
- The case for Christianity made through reason, not faith alone
- The 'liar, lunatic or Lord' argument — who was Jesus?
- Moral law as evidence for God
About this book
A clear, conversational case for the Christian faith; influential well beyond its tradition.
Published in 1952, Mere Christianity collects three sets of BBC radio talks broadcast during World War II. Lewis was a literary scholar at Oxford, not a theologian, and wrote explicitly as a layperson trying to describe 'what nearly all Christians at all times have believed.'
Discussion questions
- Lewis begins with the argument from moral law — the observation that humans everywhere seem to have a sense of ought that points beyond evolution or convention. How does he develop this — and how convincing do you find it?
- The central argument of Book II: 'a man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher — he would either be a lunatic, or the devil of Hell.' Does this argument close the options Lewis thinks it closes?
- Lewis writes as a convert who came to Christianity from atheism through argument. How does this background shape his rhetorical strategy — and who is his intended audience?
- The book deals with Christian ethics — pride as the chief sin, charity, the idea that morality is about who you are becoming, not just what you do. How does Lewis develop these ideas — and how do they stand alongside secular ethics?
- Mere Christianity remains one of the most read works of Christian apologetics. What accounts for its enduring appeal — and what are its limitations from both a philosophical and theological perspective?
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