Customer Reviews

God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics

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First, be aware that this collection was originally published in the UK under the title "Undeceptions - Essays on Theology and Ethics". Next, be aware that there is a UK Fontana paperback lurking about called "God in the Dock - Essays on Theology" that is substantially shorter than this collection. Caveat emptor (let the buyer beware).

Second, the reader should know that Lewis's shorter works were generally originally composed as speeches or as articles for periodicals. Various sets of them were collected and published in book form both during his life and after his death. Trying to determine what works are in what collections is difficult - most works appear in more than one collection, some works appear under more than one title, and some collections (including this one) appear under more than one title.

To aid readers, in this review I've listed the works in this collection, with notes indicating other collections they have appeared in. Where a work has appeared under more than one title, I give both titles separated by a slash.

Table of Contents:

"Answers to Questions on Christianity" (1), (2), (3)

"Before We Can Communicate" (3), (4)

"Behind the Scenes" (3), (5)

"Bulverism: or The Foundation of Twentieth Century Thought" (3), (4), (6)

"Christian Apologetics" (1), (2), (3), (6)

"Cross-Examination" / "I was Decided Upon" & "Heaven, Earth and Outer Space" (1), (3), (5)

"Dangers of National Repentance" (1), (3), (5)

"Delinquents in the Snow" (3), (5)

"Dogma and the Universe" / "Dogma and the Universe" & "Dogma and Science" (1), (3)

"Evil and God" (3), (5)

"First and Second Things" (3), (4), (6)

"God in the Dock" / "Difficulties in Presenting the Christian Faith to Unbelievers" (1), (3)

"'Horrid Red Things'" (1), (3), (4), (6)

"Is Progress Possible?"

"Is Theism Important?" (2), (3), (6)

"Man or Rabbit?" (1), (3)

"Meditation in a Toolshed" (3), (4), (6)

"Meditation on the Third Commandment" (3), (5)

"Miracles" (1), (3)

"Miserable Offenders: An Interpretation of Prayer Book Language" (3), (5)

"Modern Translations of the Bible" (1), (3), (4), (6)

"Must Our Image of God Go?" (3)

"Myth Became Fact" (1), (3)

"On the Reading of Old Books" (1), (3), (4)

"On the Transmission of Christianity" (3), (4)

"Priestesses in the Church" (3)

"Rejoinder to Dr. Pittenger" (2)

"Religion and Science" (1), (3)

"Religion Without Dogma?" / "A Christian Reply to Professor Price" (1), (2), (3), (6)

"Revival or Decay?" (3), (4)

"Scraps" (1), (3), (5)

"Some Thoughts" (1), (3), (4), (6)

"The Decline of Religion" (1), (3), (4), (6)

"The Founding of the Oxford Socratic Club" (2), (3)

"The Grand Miracle" (1), (3)

"The Humanitarian Theory of Punishment" (3), (4), (6)

"The Laws of Nature" (1), (3)

"The Pains of Animals" (2), (3)

"The Sermon and the Lunch" (1), (3), (4)

"'The Trouble With "X" ...'" (1), (3)

"Two Lectures" (3), (4)

"Two Ways With the Self" (1), (3), (5)

"Vivisection" (1), (3), (4), (6)

"We Have No 'Right to Happiness'" (3)

"What are We to Make of Jesus Christ?" (1), (3)

"What Christmas Means to Me" (1), (3), (5)

"Work and Prayer" (1), (3)

"XMas and Christmas: A Lost Chapter from Herodotus" (3), (4), (6)

Notes:

(1) also published in "The Grand Miracle, and Other Selected Essays on Theology and Ethics"

(2) also published in "Timeless at Heart: Essays on Theology"

(3) also published in "Essay Collection and Other Short Pieces"

(4) also published in "First and Second Things: Essays on Theology and Ethics"

(5) also published in "Christian Reunion and Other Essays"

(6) also published in "Compelling Reason"

Recommendations:

If you are interested in Lewis's shorter works, my best advice is to get "Essay Collection and Other Short Pieces", which, as of the time of this writing, is available from Amazon UK but not Amazon US. That collection consists of about 130 short works by Lewis. The works in that collection are mostly, but not exclusively, Christian.

If your interest in Lewis's shorter works is restricted to those on Christianity, and your budget or enthusiasm does not run to "Essay Collection and Other Short Pieces", then my second-best advice is to get any or all of the following (they don't overlap significantly, and between them they include most of Lewis's shorter Christian writings):

"God in the Dock - Essays on Theology and Ethics"

"The World's Last Night and Other Essays"

"Christian Reflections"

"The Weight of Glory and Other Addresses"

Have you ever wanted to read C.S. Lewis' thoughts on a variety of subjects? If so, then this book is for you. There are 48 separate essays, which vary in length from a few pages to around 12. Such topics include "Religion and Science," "Is Theism Important?" "The Decline of Religion," and the actual essay entitled "God in the Dock." The latter essay is about how we put ourselves on the bench and God in the dock. We will believe in God only if he answers the hard questions for us, and then we may actually "acquit" God. Like Lewis' other works, it is very thought prokoving. There are also 12 letters which Lewis wrote that cover a variety of topics including capital punishment and singing hymns. These letters show both Lewis' personality and intellect. When I first checked this book out of the library and read a few of the essays, I had to buy it. For a long time I have asked myself, "What does Lewis think of this or that issue?" This book is a good way to find out basically what he believes. I don't think reading these essays is an excuse not to read his longer works (such as the utterly amazing "Great Divorce), but they do give a broad picture of what Lewis thinks.

C.S. Lewis is known for being one of the best apologists (and amateur theologians) of our day. Primarily, Lewis is a writer; he knows how to use words to draw the reader in, and then humbly offers his insights on whatever topic is at hand. It is this humility that I think makes him so accessible - he talks about what he knows and doesn't presume to be an authority over anyone.

About GOD IN THE DOCK specifically, this is a collection of his letters, columns, and speeches. Most are short (4-10 pages) reflections on something he has encountered recently, from animal-rights protestations to dogma within the church to attempts to debunk myth to Christmas. Really, though, each one of these essays is about modernism. Modernism is the arch-enemy to Lewis - in its materialism, rationalism, statism and "groupism", it denies the validity of opposing systems of thought. Miracles are definitively ruled because they can't be reproduced in a lab (which Lewis argues is precisely why they are "miraculous" in the first place." Christian beliefs are discarded because they are similar to other "primitve" myths; Lewis argues that if God is real and we are made in His image, it makes sense that we would have common motifs in how we think about Him.

The essays in GOD IN THE DOCK are mostly designed to show the fallacies in people's thinking. They start with an observation, continue to describe the orthodox Christian point of view, point out something which the reader already knows to be true, and then shows that it makes more sense in the context of orthodox thought rather than modernist thought. What I found most interesting was that the same problems that Lewis wrestled with in his day are the same ones that Americans face today! I'm not sure if this proves that history repeats itself or if America is just 50 years behind England. Either way, Lewis' predictions for the future if his society continued to follow the modernist path were vindicated (if anything, he underestimated the degree to which society would degenerate).

In summary, C.S. Lewis was a humble and insightful man whose essays cover a wide gamut of topics. Each essay is short, about a 15 minute read, which is a comfortable way to wind down the day. I think that he very correctly evaluated the danger that modernism poses to humanity. Finally, his essay topics are very relevant to Americans whose country is now hashing outt he same issues that Lewis' nation did fifty years ago.

After years of struggling with the modern church's lack of appetite for the intellectual, I finally found an author who wasn't afraid to ask the hard questions that plague Christians and non-Christians alike:
> Should we pray, and [why] does it work?
> Why would God want to bother with a tiny, insignificant planet in the universe?
> Has science negated God?
> Why should anyone go to church?
...and many more challenging topics in this complilation of essays written over CS Lewis's lifetime.
The amazing thing about this book is he doesn't just ask the hard questions--he has well thought out, mind-blowing answers as well, backed up by theologians, scientists, the Socratic method, and of course, the Bible. The essays may have been written in the 1940s and 50s, but they have lost none of their relevance or power in today's world.
As a Christian, this book has taken me to a whole new depth of understanding about what I believe. As a thinking person, it challenged me to look at my motivations for everything I do. For example: Why do I try to be a good person? Why is "good" better than "bad"?
I would recommend this book to any Christian with a thirst for deeper understanding of Christian theology. I would also recommend this book to anyone who is interested in what being a Christian REALLY means at the foundation, not what modern culture has tried to make it mean.
Some people may have trouble reading this book --it is definitely not light reading. Lewis was an English professor at Cambridge, and it shows in his dense writing and complex subject matter. He frequently quotes Latin and from sources and authors only a literature scholar would know of. However, the editor does a good job in translating and citing references where appropriate.
It is not enough to say that I have been profoundly moved and changed by this book. Definitely, definitely read it.

As always, CS Lewis is absolutely amazing as a Christian apologist. He seems to have all the answers and, what's more, knows how to explain them in language and in terms that everyone can understand. I consider him to be one of the best Christian apologists of the last few centuries, and my intense interest in `all things Lewis' is what led me to buy this collection of essays (it should be noted that these essays do not deal exclusively with Christianity, but, as the subtitle implies, also treat the subject of ethics).

Lewis has never let me down with a work of his, and this proved no exception. The one small objection (not really an objection--more of a comment) I have is that many of these essays (and most of Lewis's ideas in them) can be found in other works of his in a much more refined and pleasant version. This, of course, is not Lewis's fault, nor the fault of Reverend Hooper, who compiled them. That much of this is old news to a longtime fan of Lewis is attributable simply to the fact that this is a compilation, and hence bound to include things found elsewhere. What is important is the content, and the content of these essays is unbelievably good.

Many of these essays sound surprisingly like other essays in the same collection, and for this reason I would not recommend this collection to just anybody. If you want a good introduction to Lewis's thinking, it will be better found in such works as Mere Christianity, Miracles, or the Problem of Pain. In fact, this collection would be best suited to a very dedicated fan of Lewis (like myself), who doesn't mind reading things he's already read and is willing to put up with seeing his subject bounce around from essay to essay. This is not a good starting place, but as I said, for some of us there just isn't enough CS Lewis, and it is here that this collection becomes indispensable.

If Indiana Jones was a theologian, this would be the type of book he would write. This book is a collection of essays and speeches on various topics, such as evolution, miracles, absolute values, et cetera! It provides a good introduction to Clivian thought.

Despite having died in 1963, Lewis still remains relevant. He has that wonderful blend of velvet and steel, of logic and humor, that keeps us interested. Even if you are not Anglican, as I am, you still appreciate his logic, arguments, and reasoning.

Lewis never takes "the ostrich approach" to difficult questions like so man Christians. he doesn't use his faith as a security blanket, or a doge, or a trump card. And He has NEVER checked his brain in at the door! I really believe that many Christians use the "Ostrich Technique" as a cover for laziness. they prefer Sports Center, or shopping to the knuckle-work of actually understanding what we believe, and where we are going.

Lewis does none of this. He takes the questions head-on and provides a reason for belive. Remember, religion is not just an affair of the heart, but also of the mind. Remember, God invented brains. God invented logic!

It's hard to summarize a book that contains all essays. All I can say by way of summary that there are four parts: Part One contains twenty three essays, Part Two contains sixteen, Part Three contains nine. Part Four contains letters written by Lewis.

These essays deal with a lot of subjects written by C. S. Lewis, one of the most thorough and profound Christian writers that I have read. This book has influenced me beyond my ability to describe it. I've been a student of the Bible all of my life and of C. S. Lewis for more than 25 years -- and I can truthfully say that Lewis has helped me more than any other single Christian author, and I've read some good ones.

Of special interest to me were (and still are)Essay #13 on page 114 (Section one) Essay #1 on page 189 (Section 2) and Essay #3 on page 196 (also Section 2) which deal directly or indirectly with the subject of politics and religion. I won't tell you what Lewis says about it -- I'd be happier if you'd read it for yourself.

Even the articles I didn't agree with (and there were very few of those) still were worth reading and gave me a lot to think about.

If you're a thinking person, this will be some of the best money you will spend on any Christian book -- except for the Bible itself.

Few authors become more relevant as time passes. Lewis, who died in 1963, is more relevant now than ever before. This collection of 38 essays and letters is not only enjoyable to read over and over since Lewis is a master at prose and image, it is food for your mind and soul, helping us to see reality more clearly. His sharp intellect and readable style help show the results of various codes of ethics, the joy of reading old books, the ultimate meaning of Christ, the logic of miracles, the logic of monothiesm, his doubts about animal experimentation, the morality of punishment, the nature happiness, and much more. Since each essay stands on its own, this is a convenient read for those who don't want to read a whole book or want something to ponder throughout the day.

Essays are: PART I 1)Evil and God 2)Miracles 3)Dogma and the Universe 4)Answers to Questions on Christianity 5)Myth Became Fact 6)'Horrid Red Things' 7)Religion and Science 8)The Laws of Nature 9)The Grand Miracle 10)Christian Apologetics 11)Work and Prayer 12)Man or Rabbit? 13)On the Transmission of Christianity 14)'Miserable Offenders' 15)The Founding of the Oxford Socratic Club 16)Religion without Dogma? 17)Some Thoughts 18)'The Trouble with X...' 19)What Are We to Make of Jesus Christ? 20)The Pains of Animals 21)Is Theism Important? 22)Rejoinder to Dr Pittenger 23)Must our Image of God Go?

PART II 1)Dangers of National Repentance 2)Two Ways with the Self 3)Meditation on the Third Commandment 4)On the Reading of Old Books 5)Two Lectures 6)Meditation in a Toolshed 7)Scraps 8)The Decline of Religion 9)Vivisection 10)Modern Translations of the Bible 11)Priestesses in the Church? 12)God in the Dock? 13)Behind the Scenes 14)Revival or Decay? 15)Before We Can Communicate 16)Cross-Examination

PART III 1)'Bulverism' 2)First and Second Things 3)The Sermon and the Lunch 4)The Humanitarian Theory of Punishment 5)Xmas and Christmas 6)What Christmas Means to Me 7)Delinquints in the Snow 8)Is Progress Possible? 9)We Have No 'Right to Happiness'

Part IV Letters

I have continued to find this book helpful to my thinking on a number of topics over the years. I never tire of reading from it. There are 48 essays collected here (along with 12 short letters), all brief enough to be read in one sitting. They are as entertaining as they are useful. This is Lewis at his discoursive best.

Lewis expounds wonderfully on many subjects here that should be of interest to all: is their a higher power or causative force in the universe?, if so, is this the God described in the Bible or some other being?, good & evil, Natural & moral law, Ethics, Virtue, Christian belief, Atheistic belief, hope etc. This book is basically short (usually not more than 4 or 5 pages) excerpts from his other writings compiled to give the reader a good overview.

The title of the book actually refers to the court system. When someone is called as a witness during a trial, the podium they sit or stand at is called the 'dock.' So if someone is 'in the dock' they are being questioned and critiqued. In other words, this book is meant to be a serious questioning of God and his actions as one might question a witness in a trial. But not only that; here Lewis explains-as only he can-his views on how and why and where and when and to what extent there is a God operative in the universe. Read the chapter "Horrid Red Things" and then read his book THE GREAT DIVORCE to see how the two are tied together.

Essential.