A great overview of some of the main theological aspects of modern Christianity. Lewis' writing is fluid, clear, and convincing. Though perhaps a little simplistic for readers desiring a deep theological engagement, it nevertheless remains an accessible, accomplished work. ( )

CS Lewis writes this tiny book for the average Christians who want to feel reconnected to their faith. It's quite conversational - parts of it were done as a radio broadcast before they were a part of this book. It's also a solid foundation upon which to build and encourage belief, devoted both to faith in Christ and daily Christian living. It doesn't seem like much of a book when you first pick it up, but it ends up covering a lot of ground quite approachably. ( )

One of my favorite books of all time. There is a chapter on forgiveness that will change how you think for ever. Awesome! ( )

I listened to this book in audio format from Audible, and although I had read it multiple times--the audio format added a whole new rich texture that I enjoyed thoroughly. Lewis' clarity never ceases to amaze me and strengthen my faith. One thing I do want to note though is how Lewis is misused. Often I hear many Christians state (sometimes as an excuse to avoid taking a position on the things that God intends us to study) that they just practice "mere Christianity." Lewis would not have approved. He never intended his work to be used in that manner. I suggest these "mere Christians" re-read this book and take to heart Lewis' admonition that the basic principles he elucidated are not intended to be a stopping place, but rather a juncture that we all pass through in the "hall" on the way to the "room" that will be our home. We are not intended to remain in the milk of "mere Christianity," but to move on to the rich and bountiful meat of deep study and immersion into the joy of knowing God. ( )

Sometimes faith needs a little logic. Here you can find some. And, as a bonus, what great history. Think about hearing this on the radio during a most fearful period. ( )

Partially read; Interesting, but pales in comparison to Dungan's book

gets to the root of the christian experience

Very Heady ( )

Although originally a set of radio lectures, this book is possibly the best treatment of Christian theology and apologetics for the lay reader. ( )

What an incredible book.
Britain is suffering a monumental decline in religious belief: if this book were to be compulsive reading for each secondary pupil, that trend would be reversed in an instant. Lewis does not push Christianity: how often do these type of books contain phrases such as, "you would therefore be stupid to doubt the existence of..."? Not here.
The book is a carefully thought out argument in favour of a deity. He makes it very clear, at the beginning of the work, that he is not going to force the correctness of his Anglican beliefs but merely point out the inevitability of a creative entity.
One of the surprising side issues of this book is that it contains the clearest explanation of the concept of time that I have come across. The idea that time is not a linear progression is one that is prevalent in all scientific talk currently and, each time that it is explained, it becomes more confusing. Lewis gives this a perspective which is both believable, and understandable.
The only book which could be perfect (for me) is one written by myself, so, inevitably, there was one issue upon which I would have to disagree with the great man: the subject of women, where Lewis affirms the Old Testament concept that women should obey their man. This is a paragraph, or so, in a book of 200 pages and, I would like to believe that this is a view that he would have amended with more serious thought. ( )

A little dated, assigning roles within the family based solely on gender, but excellent food for thought... for religious and atheist alike. A discourse on what 'morality' is, where our human morals might have come from and how the Christian teachings relate to this. One of C.S.Lewis best pieces of non-fiction. ( )

Got better as it went along. Profound but simple truths unpacked in a way only C.S. Lewis can. Will take a second and third read to take it all in. ( )

As a young child I fell in love with C.S. Lewis. As an adult, I stumbled upon Mere Christianity. It is a beautiful, but tough read. I was able to re-evaluate my own understandings of faith and belief through the words of someone that had experienced the same doubts about religion. It addresses some the 'basic' principles of Christianity, such as morality. ( )

A truly great work. I cannot indeed say much more than what has already been written, other than he has a way of explaining a topic that transcends more than what words can convey. He has a deep sense of understanding that translates well to the reader through his choice of words and brings ideas you already may understand to an even higher level. ( )

It is no wonder that Christians should revere a miracle-working carpenter. I think one must be the son of a god to build an attic before the rest of the house.

There is no fundamental basis for Lewis' arguments. I was hoping to find something more thought-provoking and convincing, but it just felt like the same old ideas Aquinas and Descartes bandied around. These are no longer sufficient in a world of thermodynamics and evolution.

The skill and intellect of Lewis are without question, but the way he meanders about duality, truth, social darwinism, pathetic fallacy, comparative anthropology, and scientific process tends more towards self-justification than any profundity.

Lewis clearly wants to believe, and wants to bolster and justify those beliefs, but he never overcomes a reasonable burden of proof. Since belief seems so important to him, Occam's Razor suggests that he doesn't have a 'secret vault' of excellent religious proofs which he failed to elucidate here. He's put together the best indications he could find, but they don't add up to much.

Every time Lewis embarked on a thought, it would grow and blossom in intriguing ways until he would simply bunch together the whole bundle, tie it with a bow, label it 'god's handiwork' with a reverent bow, and move on before reaching an insight. It made me think the allegory in Onan has been widely misread.

The righteousness of his belief contrasts hypocritically with the way he blithely writes off any other faith or reason. To believe everyone else is so faulty but still think yourself infallible is not only insulting, but a black mark on any otherwise reasonable mind.

I like Lewis, both his tone and his mind. In many ways, I found I wanted to find something compelling in him. I wanted to find something that made sense. I sense Lewis also wanted to find something that made sense, something he could attach himself to. After being alone and afraid in a grand world ripped by World Wars, he wanted meaning.

He found it. He found a meaning he could cling to, but in reading this book, I found his grasp was too tentative. I cannot share it with him, because it does not find its tenacity in reason, but in romanticism, in idealism, in fear, and in self-blindness. ( )

An excellent guide to LIVING and overcoming obstacles in your life!

The most amazing apologetic work I've ever read! C.S. Lewis is one of those authors who has truly mastered the art of the written word. With a pragmatic touch and an astounding ability to create clear and beautiful images from nothing, Lewis's written version of his radio broadcasts captures the true essence of Christianity in a way that few others have ever managed. Truly inspiring! ( )

I certainly appreciated C.S. Lewis’s analogies and explanations of Christianity. It encouraged me to ponder my own understandings and determine what I believe. It reminded me of lots of things I should do to improve myself. There are so many quotable analogies!

C.S. Lewis’s strength lies in his analogies and his personal voice. His perspective is also significant, since he was an atheist until age 33. (He was 44 when he wrote this book.) The book was highly readable and personable, and the analogies followed his logic.

Mere Christianity, of course, describes what C.S. Lewis believes is core to Christianity in general, rather than a specific denomination in Christianity. In some respects, I think any Christian (well, if they were a good writer) could develop a similar book for their own understanding of the core of their faith. And while the “core” of this core would remain the same, I suspect there may be differences. Mere Christianity is not scripture, and Lewis is not a prophet.

One of C.S. Lewis’s goals in writing this book was to bring everyone into the “hall” of Christianity. Will atheists and other non-Christians be convinced of Christianity after reading this book? I don’t think so. I’m not a logic expert, but I’m not sure Lewis’s logic would convince anyone determined in their current beliefs. However, for me, a Christian, it was an interesting perspective on my faith and one I should reread to better comprehend in full.

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Lucid but dull. Explains Christian doctrine as the author perceives it in clear but unexciting prose. Written in the 1940's, some of the examples are becoming dated. ( )

Many years ago, when I was young and exploring Christianity in a serious way, this book stood out as the most inspiring and understandable writing I had come across on the topic. I LOVED CS Lewis for it, and went from here to read the Narnia Chronicles, the Screwtape Letters, and many more. But this was always my favourite. ( )

The best explanation bar none of the basics of Christian religion and doctrine, the "least common denominator" and foundation for all the different Protestant sects and probably the Catholics with some caveats. Unfortunately, he jumps through all the hoops trying to make sense of the triune God, instead of using his formidable reasoning powers to figure out it really doesn't make any sense. Why not ust say believe the Gospels when they tell us "God is our Father" in a real, literal although spiritual fashion? ( )

Good thoughts, as always. ( )

I first picked up this book because I was intrigued by the title. Mere Christianity? I had never heard Christianity referred to as ‘mere’ before. Silly, perhaps, or all-powerful. But never such a tiny, harmless, powerful word such as ‘mere.’ I guess at first I expected this book to explain to me why I shouldn’t believe in Christianity; but it ended up being the most powerful argument I’ve ever read for why I should believe in Christianity.
C.S. Lewis makes a smart move in starting out his book without any mention of Christianity. He begins instead by explaining the basic common morals of mankind, regardless of any religion. He points out that all people are guided by a similar set of internal morals. He argues that the very existence of these morals is proof that a higher power exists.
From there, he slowly moves towards talking about Christianity by laying out the common beliefs of religions and compares them. When Lewis does talk about Christianity, it is no single sect of the religion. He clearly points this out in the foreword to the book, and this is where the word ‘mere’ comes from – it is the basic principles of Christianity he is talking about, not differences between, say, Catholics and Baptists. The rest of the book is Lewis stating what he believes to be these common beliefs, explaining them to those who may not be familiar, and then giving strong arguments to those who may not belief.
Though this is a book seeped with religion, the parts I loved most about this book were the parts where no specific religion was mentioned. In fact, the only reason I gave the book 4 ½ stars instead of 5 was because of the instances when he did mention religious specifics such as marriage or homosexuality, and I disliked his thoughts out of personal reasons. Most of the book, however, seems less like a guide to Christianity and more like a guide to being a good human being, which is the fundamental point of all religions. Lewis explains things in a straight-forward, relatable and easy to understand matter; I think there are few authors who could handle the complex thought patterns he deals with in such an eloquent way. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who believes in following the morally right way, regardless of their religion or lack thereof. ( )

This is about explaining the fundamentals of Christianity in a simple and profound way. It is what I call a 'fly-over' of Christianity – a survey of its essence. In this classic, C.S. Lewis demonstrates conviction in ardently holding to the pillar beliefs of The Faith. The author provides great examples and symbols that make more keen our senses for dealing with the ironies and the obscurities that make elusive our ability to gasp ultimate truth.

I have been a Christian for my entire life. In fact my father was a Lutheran minister. But when asked why I believed what I believe, my answer inevitably was, "because that is what I was taught." Since reading Mere Christianity the answer to the same question is sent forth from my lips in a more comprehensible and coherent form of rhetoric. This book has helped me to understand why we as Christians believe what we believe and practice what we practice.

Lewis has the uncanny ability of writting about Christianity in an abstract manner that steers clear of specific Christian denominations. Fear not noble Christian this pure text is not slanted towards the rule hardened Catholics, or the fancy free Baptists or even the "I was born again on ...." nondenominational Christians. This book is about Christianity in its purist form. Just how God would probably wish it to be. As we say in the US "One Nation Under God." when reading Mere Christianity, I can't help but to think "One Religion Under God." Leave your denominations at the door, sit back, relax and enjoy the peace. ( )