Was C. S. Lewis a CHRISTIAN?

[Cappadocian]

Martyn Lloyd-Jones, a leading Calvinist Evangelical of his time, declared that C. S. Lewis was not a Christian at all. Lloyd-Jones denied that Lewis was a Christian because C. S. Lewis did not believe in a soteriology of justification by faith. Lewis also denied the doctrine that "hell" is a place where non-Christians are penalized who are not forgiven by God. Lewis also denied the penal and substitutionary theory of the atonement.

Although C.S. Lewis could post on this forum because he accepted the Nicene Creed's statement of Trinitarian Theism, and accepted a notion of the atonement, he denied the soteriology of "Justification by Faith."

So, is LJ right that one must have "faith" in the doctrine of "justification by faith" to be considered a Christian? Isn't this kind of circular?

Here is an article agreeing with LJ:

Did C. S. Lewis go to heaven?

So we ask again: Did C. S. Lewis go to Heaven? And our answer must be: Not if he believed what he wrote in his books and letters.

What do you think?

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

I think only God can judge who is and who is not a Christian. I've read nothing in his writings that I would consider heretical. Granted I have not read all his writings but if I come across any, I'll reconsider recommending his books.

God bless.

 

[seebs]

LJ is very wrong.

Note that one can be a heretic and a Christian. Indeed, you cannot be a heretic to Christianity unless you are a Christian; non-Christianity isn't "heresy", it's just not Christianity. Heresy is false Christian beliefs. (Well, arguably, Muslims could use the word to refer to versions of Islam which contradict their orthodoxy.)

 

[Knee V]

All those things you just accused Lewis of are exactly what the Orthodox believe. Lewis was about as Orthodox as an Anglican can get without actually becoming Orthodox. But, as Lewis said, to roughly paraphrase,the Anglican Church was the local church for him. So why go anywhere else?

 

[Knee V]

Sorry, not things that YOU accused Lewis of. Things that HE accused Lewis of. Sorry for that one.

 

[JimfromOhio]

CS Lewis was probably one of the most powerful Christian writers of his time and from his writing, I truly believed he was saved. I have to leave this up to God to make the final decision and we WILL find out when we get into heaven.

 

[Devasha]

I think only God can judge who is and who is not a Christian.

I agree, and so does the author of Acts.

[BIBLE]Acts 2:47[/BIBLE]

I believe C. S. Lewis added greatly to the body of literature for those who believe and follow the Son of YHVH.

 

[Borealis]

Martyn Lloyd-Jones, a leading Calvinist Evangelical of his time, declared that C. S. Lewis was not a Christian at all. Lloyd-Jones denied that Lewis was a Christian because C. S. Lewis did not believe in a soteriology of justification by faith. Lewis also denied the doctrine that "hell" is a place where non-Christians are penalized who are not forgiven by God. Lewis also denied the penal and substitutionary theory of the atonement.

Although C.S. Lewis could post on this forum because he accepted the Nicene Creed's statement of Trinitarian Theism, and accepted a notion of the atonement, he denied the soteriology of "Justification by Faith."

So, is LJ right that one one have "faith" in the doctrine of "justification by faith" to be considered a Christian? Isn't this kind of circular?

Here is an article agreeing with LJ:

Did C. S. Lewis go to heaven?



What do you think?

Justification by faith alone is not a 'Christian' doctrine, it is a Protestant doctrine. To claim that denying that theory means one is not a Christian means denying that Catholics, Orthodox, and Coptics aren't Christian.

 

[PaladinValer]

Martyn Lloyd-Jones, a leading Calvinist Evangelical of his time, declared that C. S. Lewis was not a Christian at all. Lloyd-Jones denied that Lewis was a Christian because C. S. Lewis did not believe in a soteriology of justification by faith. Lewis also denied the doctrine that "hell" is a place where non-Christians are penalized who are not forgiven by God. Lewis also denied the penal and substitutionary theory of the atonement.

Sounds like Lloyd-Jones is the real heretic.

Although C.S. Lewis could post on this forum because he accepted the Nicene Creed's statement of Trinitarian Theism, and accepted a notion of the atonement, he denied the soteriology of "Justification by Faith."

So do most Christians. Heck, the three largest Christian groups, all Apostolic churches, deny that too.

C.S. Lewis was one of the greatest Anglicans, even Anglican theologians, to have ever lived. If he's Anglican, he's not just a Christian, he's an Apostolic one.

I think only God can judge who is and who is not a Christian.

Anyone who followed a belief declared anathema by the Spirit-Inspired Ecumenical Councils isn't a Christian. This includes followers of Arianism, Apollinarianism, Gnosticism, Montanism, Monothelitism, and Sabellianism.

 

[edie19]

I've read a fair amount of Lewis - put "Mere Christianity" up there with "Knowing God" by J.I.Packer. By all appearances (and I agree that we truly can't judge this), yes, he absolutely was a Christian. Definitely in the top 5 Christian apologists of the last century.

 

[Cappadocian]

I've read a fair amount of Lewis - put "Mere Christianity" up there with "Knowing God" by J.I.Packer. By all appearances (and I agree that we truly can't judge this), yes, he absolutely was a Christian. Definitely in the top 5 Christian apologists of the last century.

BTW, JI Packer wasn't so happy about C.S. Lewis either. J. I. Packer complained of Lewis’s "failure ever to mention justification by faith when speaking of the forgiveness of sins."

If Lewis was one of the top Christian Apologists and he didn't believe in a doctrine of justification by faith, and did not ever defend such a doctrine, or a doctrine of a penal hell, perhaps this means that such beliefs are indefensible?

 

[Cappadocian]

Anyone who followed a belief declared anathema by the Spirit-Inspired Ecumenical Councils isn't a Christian. This includes followers of Arianism, Apollinarianism, Gnosticism, Montanism, Monothelitism, and Sabellianism.

You gosta become Orthodox!

 

[Egghead]

didnt he believe in reincarnation?

Martyn Lloyd-Jones, a leading Calvinist Evangelical of his time, declared that C. S. Lewis was not a Christian at all. Lloyd-Jones denied that Lewis was a Christian because C. S. Lewis did not believe in a soteriology of justification by faith. Lewis also denied the doctrine that "hell" is a place where non-Christians are penalized who are not forgiven by God. Lewis also denied the penal and substitutionary theory of the atonement.

Although C.S. Lewis could post on this forum because he accepted the Nicene Creed's statement of Trinitarian Theism, and accepted a notion of the atonement, he denied the soteriology of "Justification by Faith."

So, is LJ right that one must have "faith" in the doctrine of "justification by faith" to be considered a Christian? Isn't this kind of circular?

Here is an article agreeing with LJ:

Did C. S. Lewis go to heaven?



What do you think?

 

[Cappadocian]

didnt he believe in reincarnation?

Reincarnation...

I'm pretty sure that all Christians believe in reincarnation in the sense that we will all have new corporeal "carnal" bodies after our life. At the resurrection Jesus was reincarnated, having a body that could be touched and that could digest a fried fish breakfast...

But as for a thought that humans would be reincarnated within our human time and into our earth... I don't think I've read anything like this from Lewis, and have read many statements of heaven that would run contrary to such an idea (in the Great Divorce, and the Problem of Pain).

I've heard that one of his friends among the "Inklings" believed in reincarnation in this sense, but I've forgotten which one. Perhaps this is what you are thinking of.

Reincarnation is an interesting thought tho -- if I were reincarnated, I would like to be reincarnated as a chinchilla:

Or a meerkat:

 

[Leimeng]

~ Is not an "Evangelical Calvinist" kind of a contradiction of terms? (Of course, I have yet to find cavlinist doctrine to be the end of all, or even a good starting point for soterology.)
~ Continue to discuss amongst yourselves...

Peace,

Leimeng,

Flatulo Ergo Sum ~~~

(***Insert Personal One Liner Here***)

 

[Joykins]

I think justification by faith is a useful concept for those who feel that they have to work their way to salvation, know they're incapable of it, and are tempted to despair or self-punishment because of that.

I prefer to think of it in another way, that God forgives our sins as promised

At any rate, I read that nasty little article linked and have to say that if you look at the world through a tiny little flawed lens, everything you are going to see will seem to be flawed and tiny as well.

 

[Cappadocian]

I think justification by faith is a useful concept for those who feel that they have to work their way to salvation, know they're incapable of it, and are tempted to despair or self-punishment because of that.

This was Lewis's position as well; if the doctrine of justification by faith gives a person comfort, then no one should try to argue a person out of such a doctrine.

Lewis refers to the advice Luther gave his flock: Martin Luther’s answer “Do you doubt whether you are elected to salvation? Then say your prayers, man, and you may conclude that you are! It is as easy as that."

But Lewis spoke also for those who recoil at certain doctrines, discovering how horrible it would be to have such an unreality for God as represented in those doctrines. For those hearts who begin to search about and see whether they must indeed accept such statements concerning God, Lewis whispers in a very small voice for those who listen: No they don't.

 

[PaladinValer]

Faith is a work. I work on my faith constantly. If I don't, then I really don't have much faith.

 

[Joykins]

Faith is a work. I work on my faith constantly. If I don't, then I really don't have much faith.

Faith is a work and a gift and a trust and a hope and a whole lot of other things as well. It can create its own reality ("such faith as to move mountains").

And yet if I have not love, I am nothing...

 

[PaladinValer]

And I would agree