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Justin Buckley Dyer
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C. S. Lewis on Politics and the Natural Law

by Justin Buckley Dyer (Author), Micah J. Watson (Author)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 22 ratings
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Conventional wisdom holds that C. S. Lewis was uninterested in politics and public affairs. The conventional wisdom is wrong. As Justin Buckley Dyer and Micah J. Watson show in this groundbreaking work, Lewis was deeply interested in the fundamental truths and falsehoods about human nature and how these conceptions manifest themselves in the contested and turbulent public square. Ranging from the depths of Lewis' philosophical treatments of epistemology and moral pedagogy to practical considerations of morals legislation and responsible citizenship, this book explores the contours of Lewis' multi-faceted Christian engagement with political philosophy generally and the natural-law tradition in particular. Drawing from the full range of Lewis' corpus and situating his thought in relationship to both ancient and modern seminal thinkers, C. S. Lewis on Politics and the Natural Law offers an unprecedented look at politics and political thought from the perspective of one of the twentieth century's most influential writers.
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  1. ISBN-10
    1107518970
  2. ISBN-13
    978-1107518971
  3. Publisher
    Cambridge University Press
  4. Publication date
    May 18, 2017
  5. Language
    English
  6. Dimensions
    6 x 0.5 x 8.75 inches
  7. Print length
    172 pages
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"In their thoughtful, engaging, and wise book, Dyer and Watson remind us of why Lewis remains so valuable and influential, and they deserve a wide reading for this service." - R.J. Snell, Public Discourse

"[Dyer and Watson's] efforts will leave readers with an urge to read (or re-read) parts of Lewis' sizable oeuvre. This is a sign of the book's success." -Kian Hudson, Liberty Fund

". . . Dyer and Watson prove themselves reliable guides through Lewis's scattered writings on politics and the too often scatter-brained attempts of modern and postmodern educators, sociologists, and political theorists to establish justice and ensure domestic tranquility in a world that has lost its moorings in the Tao." -Louis Markos, The Federalist

Book Description

This book shows how Lewis was interested in the truths and falsehoods about human nature and how these conceptions manifest themselves in the public square.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cambridge University Press (May 18, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 172 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1107518970
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1107518971
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.5 x 8.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 22 ratings

About the author

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Justin Buckley Dyer

Justin Buckley Dyer

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Justin Dyer is executive director of the Civitas Institute, professor of government, and Jack G. Taylor Regents Professor at The University of Texas at Austin. He writes and teaches in the fields of American political thought, jurisprudence and constitutionalism, with an emphasis on the perennial philosophical tradition of natural law. He is the author or editor of eight books and numerous articles, essays and book reviews. Previously, he taught for 13 years at the University of Missouri, where he was the founding director of the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy, a signature academic center for the study of American political thought and history.

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
22 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Jota Borges
5.0 out of 5 stars a Great political and ethical companion
Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2023
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Watson and Buckley did an extraordinary achieve showing in an very and smooth way, the fabric of Lewis political thinking. I agree with them that Lewis was a visionary of the effects of postmodernism
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B. Sparks
5.0 out of 5 stars Sublime
Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2019
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A wonderfully readable account of Lewis’ complex thought on natural law, reason, the effects of sin and the Fall, and his indirect means of re-introducing what he called the Tao - moral truth - into the battle between good and evil, through fiction, his ultimate purpose being the promulgation of the Gospel.
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Kevin Ross
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for those interested in politics or understanding C.S. Lewis
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2020
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A fascinating look into the politics of one of the most influential writers of the 20th century,
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Amy Neal
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended reading
Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2017
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A great read. C.S. Lewis has a lot to offer us in our current political climate. A very unique viewpoint of one of the 20th century's most influential authors.
One person found this helpful
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FobusFan
5.0 out of 5 stars who knows?
Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2019
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it was a gift. I heard no complaints so I guess it was just fine.
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William P. Brandt
5.0 out of 5 stars As good as I had hoped!!
Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2017
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Wonderfully insightful writing.
One person found this helpful
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Spencer
5.0 out of 5 stars A helpful synthesis of Lewis on an important topic
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2018
This brief book has seven chapters. It begins by debunking the misperception that Lewis was not political in Chapter One. In the second chapter, the authors summarize the pattern of the Christian worldview–– Creation, Fall, and Redemption––which is always present and often overt in Lewis’ writing. Chapter Three puts Lewis’ work in contact with some of the significant criticisms of natural law theory, particularly the critique of Karl Barth.

In the fourth chapter, Watson and Dyer focus on one of Lewis’ most important works for both ethics and political science, The Abolition of Man. In that chapter they outline some of the many changes in culture that Lewis was responding to in that short volume. Chapter Five contains the most debatable proposition of the volume, where they argue that Lewis’ held to a form of Lockean Liberalism. There is evidence to support their case, though Lewis never cites Locke; the authors remain on safe ground by arguing that Lewis and Locke shared many tenets in their political philosophy. In the sixth chapter, the authors discuss some of Lewis’ writing on political discourse and the place of Christianity in the political sphere. There is much to be learned from Lewis in this regard. The book concludes with Chapter Seven, the authors summarize their arguments and urge the reader to continue to engage contemporary issues through the work of C. S. Lewis.

At times, given the amount of secondary literature on C. S. Lewis, one wonders whether there is much more to say about him. Whether academic studies of Lewis will run their course remains to be seen, but Dyer and Watson have demonstrated that there is still more to be gleaned from the voluminous work of C. S. Lewis. This book adds to the ongoing conversation about political theology, political science, and the work of C. S. Lewis.

A significant danger with dual-authored volumes is uneven writing styles, which can make them difficult to read. This volume, however, has a consistent flow throughout and is a pleasure to read. C. S. Lewis on Politics and the Natural Law is a book that has potential to be a ready resource for years to come.

This volume presents Lewis fairly and thoroughly and it makes it clear how Lewis can be helpful for Christians. One area that deserves further exploration is how Lewis and natural law can be helpful in building a common understanding beyond the ranks of the redeemed.

NOTE: I received a gratis copy of this volume with no expectation of a positive review. This is an edited version of a review posted at Ethics and Culture.
6 people found this helpful
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Ilovebooks
5.0 out of 5 stars Very Helpful To Christians Wanting Clarity On Their Political Stance.
Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2016
As a CS Lewis fan I was keen to read this book to help me make sense of politics and social issues of the day. Lewis believed in small government, and that no sin should be a crime unless it caused injury. His arguments against theocracy are very timely, highlighting how theocracy can start small and unnoticeable, and then go on to become the worst kind of tyranny because 'God' is invoked. We see this lived out in Islamic countries today. Lewis believes equating God’s will with their own politics is breaking the third commandment. He warned against governments that engage in "soulcraft."

Along the same lines, Lewis thought that teaching morals in the same way that biology is taught, is counterproductive. Further, he disagreed with state sponsored religious or morality programs in schools. He saw the same problem of a theocratic government attempting to control sinful behavior with laws, with the problem of the state attempting to indoctrinate children. He suggested Christian schools run by teachers who lived their faith, and evangelizing to neighbors and teens.

This book has been wonderful in helping me sort the wheat from the chaff when it comes to politics and living out my faith.
6 people found this helpful
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