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Selected from sermons delivered by C. S. Lewis during World War II, these nine addresses show the beloved author and theologian bringing hope and courage in a time of great doubt. "The Weight of Glory," considered by many to be Lewis's finest sermon of all, is an incomparable explication of virtue, goodness, desire, and glory. Also included are: "Transposition," "On Forgiveness," "Why I Am Not a Pacifist," and "Learning in War-Time," in which Lewis presents his compassionate vision of Christianity in language that is both lucid and compelling.… (more)
atimco: "The Weight of Glory" is Lewis's sermon that sparked the whole idea of Christian hedonism in John Piper. Piper quotes it extensively in Desiring God, but it's good to read Lewis's thoughts in their full context.
A nice collection of essays, some better than others, varying from insightful to mere intellectual exercise. Regardless, there's plenty of wisdom to be found and it's relatively easy going compared to some of Lewis' other works. ( )
This is a book of essays. As usual, I struggle with C.S. Lewis. Sometimes he makes perfect sense, and helps me to understand what people are thinking with this whole religion thing. Other times he will make sweeping generalizations, "a scientist would think", "an atheist would think", that are frustrating. A good book, and I still admire him even if he sometimes makes me want to fling the book across the room.
This is the first book I’ve ever finished by C.S. Lewis—including the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe series (yes, I know!). I assumed that I would find myself bored or confused by his books. I never knew how sharp his arguments are. I found myself constantly just impressed at how he weaves through this complicated theology in such a profound way. I’m sure that about five re-reads would have to be in order for me to even grasp half of what he’s saying, but for my first read, I gained a lot. This is one for those who like to argue, those on the fence, those who doubt the depth of faith. It was GOOD! ( )
THE WEIGHT OF GLORY: If you asked twenty good men today what they thought the highest of virtues, nineteen of them would reply, Unselfishness.
LEARNING IN WAR-TIME: A university is a society for the pursuit of learning.
WHY I AM NOT A PACIFIST: The question is whether to serve in the wars at the command of the civil society to which we belong is a wicked action, or an action morally indifferent, or an action morally obligatory.
TRANSPOSITION: In the church to which I belong this day is set apart for commemorating the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the first Christians shortly after the Ascension.
IS THEOLOGY POETRY?: The question I have been asked to discuss tonight - "Is Theology Poetry?" -- is not of my own choosing.
THE INNER RING: May I read you a few lines from Tolstoi's War and Peace?
MEMBERSHIP: No Christian and, indeed, no historian could accept the epigram which defines religion as "what a man does with his solitude."
ON FORGIVENESS: We say a great many things in church (and out of church too) without thinking of what we are saying.
A SLIP OF THE TONGUE: When a layman has to preach a sermon I think he is most likely to be useful, or even interesting, if he starts exactly from where he is himself, not so much presuming to instruct as comparing notes.
[Introduction] In his beautiful peroration at the end of his sermon "The Weight of Glory," C. D. Lewis, after commenting on the immorality f the human soul, says, "This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. ..."
[Preface] This book contains a selection of the too numerous addresses which I was induced to give during the late war and the years that immediately followed it.
Quotations
Last words
THE WEIGHT OF GLORY: If he is your Christian neighbour, he is holy in almost the same way, for in him also Christ vere latitat -- the glorifier and the glorified, Glory Himself, is truly hidden.
LEARNING IN WAR-TIME: But if we thought that for some souls, and at some times, the life of learning, humbly offered to God, was, in its own small way, one of the appointed approaches to the Divine reality and the Divine beauty which we hope to enjoy hereafter, we can think so still.
TRANSPOSITION: Not by a new sense but by the incredible flooding of those very sensations we now have with a meaning, a transvaluation, of which we have here no faintest guess?
IS THEOLOGY POETRY?: I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.
MEMBERSHIP: Neither the individual nor the community as popular thought understands them can inherit eternal life, neither the natural self, nor the collective mass, but a new creature.
A SLIP OF THE TONGUE: Our morning prayer should be that in Imitation: Da hodie perfecte incipere- grant me to make an unflawed beginning today, for I have done nothing yet.
[Introduction] My thanks also to Owen Barfield for permitting me to edit this book and for all the other things that cause me to regard him as one of those friends who, by any reckoning, is one of the most obvious boasts of our fallen race.
[Preface] A different version of Transposition, written expressly for that purpose and then translated into Italian, has appeared in the Rivista of Milan.
This work contains nine essays. Do not combine with editions containing only five. "The Weight of Glory" has been published in two major editions. The first, identical with "Transposition and other Addresses", was published with five essays in 1949 and intermittently until 1980, when an expanded edition was published, with four additional essays.
Those with pre-1980 five-essay works are invited to separate out and combine their editions with "Transposition and other Addresses".
Selected from sermons delivered by C. S. Lewis during World War II, these nine addresses show the beloved author and theologian bringing hope and courage in a time of great doubt. "The Weight of Glory," considered by many to be Lewis's finest sermon of all, is an incomparable explication of virtue, goodness, desire, and glory. Also included are: "Transposition," "On Forgiveness," "Why I Am Not a Pacifist," and "Learning in War-Time," in which Lewis presents his compassionate vision of Christianity in language that is both lucid and compelling.
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