The Pilgrim's Guide: C.S. Lewis and the Art of Witness (Hardcover)

by David Mills (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
The centennial of C.S. Lewis's birth is upon us, and it is not surprising that a slew of publications mark this milestone, as his popularity continues unabated. In fact, more than 1.5 million copies of his works are sold annually. Lewis (1898-1963) was a professor of English at Oxford and Cambridge, and he made significant contributions in that subject. A Christian apologist who used popular essays and literature to justify belief in Christianity and clarify the elements of belief, he is best known for his children's books (especially the Chronicles of Narnia, begun in 1950 with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) and his space trilogy, as well as from the recent movie Shadowlands, which portrays his relationship with Joy Davidman, whom he married and soon lost to cancer. The C.S. Lewis Readers' Encyclopedia contains more information about Lewis?than most of us would want to know?good news in the case of all cult figures, for there are those who want to know everything. Major entries on Lewis's chief works, relatives, and acquaintances and lesser entries on almost everything else associated with Lewis?every letter to the editor, every poem, receives its own entry?are arranged alphabetically. All but the briefest articles include a bibliography. Also included are a brief biography; an appendix listing Lewis resources, including web pages, bookstores, centers, and the like; and a chronology of his life. With a perspective influenced by their experience in political science, editors Schultz (coeditor of The Encyclopedia of the Republican Party/The Encyclopedia of the Democratic Party, LJ 11/1/96) and West (The Politics of Revelation and Reason, Univ. Pr. of Kansas, 1996) present articles on those who influenced Lewis (e.g., Aristotle and Aquinas) and on his ideas (e.g., "Friendship," "Prayer," and "Natural Law"). This welcome approach helps to elucidate his thought. This is sure to become an essential reference for students of Lewis's works. The Pilgrim's Guide, concerned specifically with Lewis's Christian beliefs, collects 17 articles by authors who are all committed Christians of a conservative bent. They make no bones about their faith and for the most part agree with Lewis on certain moral issues such as abortion and homosexuality. Some of the essays examine the origins of his thought, others look at his method of apologetics, and still others consider his critique of contemporary Christianity. While this book discusses his children's literature and his space trilogy, it does so in terms of the theology behind them. A fine bibliographical essay by Diana Pavlac Glyer on books and other resources, as well as a Lewis time line, complement the essays. Those who agree with Lewis, and serious students, will find much to like in this collection. In C.S. Lewis: Memories and Reflections, Lawlor (English, emeritus, Univ. of Keele, Great Britain) offers insights into Lewis's personality and little-known details about already-known incidents through this memoir of his friendship with Lewis. (He was Lewis's student, friend, and professional colleague.) Enhanced by the inclusion of previously unpublished correspondence and a previously unpublished photo of Lewis just returned from World War II, this work provides a weighty assessment of Lewis's scholarship and, like the others, defends Lewis from his critics?in this case the literary critics. This makes a welcome addition to Lewis biography. Also for the serious reader, Branches to Heaven looks at Lewis's work for the purpose of examining the inner man and finds an unsettled convert. Como (editor of C.S. Lewis at the Breakfast Table and Other Reminiscences, Harvest: Harcourt, 1992) quotes extensively from the few sermons extant. Like Lawlor, he adds interesting tidbits to the Lewis biography and defends him from his critics. Como generally reexamines Lewis's writing and his life from the perspective of rhetoric and in doing so adds some good insights into Lewis the man.?Augustine J. Curley, O.S.B., Newark Abbey, NJ
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description
Published in the centenary year of C.S. Lewis's birth, "The Pilgrim Guide" offers a study of Lewis's witness to the truth of Christianity, especially in his works of fiction and popular anthologies.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 297 pages
• Publisher: Eerdmans Pub Co (July 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802837778
• ISBN-13: 978-0802837776
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #314,373 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A HIGHLY RECOMMENDED addition to your CS Lewis library!, April 27, 2001

By	Michele Gill (Orlando, FL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Pilgrim's Guide: C. S. Lewis and the Art of Witness (Paperback)

Although there are a lot of books about CS Lewis out there, I found this one to be much better than I had anticipated. Rather than being a series of merely academic essays about his work, the authors of these essays do what good critics should do--help one understand the original text on a deeper level. Reading these essays not only helped increase my understanding of Lewis' theology but also deepened my enjoyment of his fictional works. The essay by Root entitled "Tools Inadequate and Incomplete: C.S. Lewis and the Great Religions" was particularly enlightening in articulating how Lewis' perspective on Christianity acknowledges commonalities with the great world religions yet still preserves the unique contribution of Christianity as well. In all, the essays do a great job of synthesizing broad themes (including hell, scientism, language, gnosticism, and grace) across many of C.S. Lewis works, fictional and nonfiction, and have personally helped me in my own journey of faith.