Was C.S Lewis a heretic? (moved from Christian Advice)

[seeingeyes]

"We have to protect ourselves." Yes, indeed, from deception. "Sometimes that means not listening to messages that when delivered create too much controversy." Kindly show a Bible verse where any such thing is ever said!

Everywhere Messiah went, everywhere the apostles went, there was controversy, controversy, to the point of them being murdered as people would try to shut them up!

Friend, kindly read the Word carefully and thoughtfully if you have not done so before, to see what it is really saying. Do not let anything cause you to fall into the trap of disagreeing with it and offering your worldly "wisdom" in its place.

Praying for you for wisdom and deep knowledge re the Word.

"For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." (James 3)

"Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4)

"avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned." (Titus 3)

"So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels." (2 Tim 2)

"So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits." (Matt 7)

 

[TheDag]

Kindly don't tell me "Well, by deep magic Lewis really meant..." He meant what he said. The Bible means what it says too and it doesn't say, "Well, you can be into magic as long as you read between the invisible lines and try to make it look like it's from Me."

Yeah it totally isn't possible to use something else to describe something. You'd never catch Jesus telling a parable!

I used to love his books until someone helped me see through them. You don't get it both ways. You don't get paganism and the Gospel. And when you try to blend them you get into big trouble with the Almighty who detests anything pagan and tells us to completely shun it.

So we are to completely shun non-believers and never witness to them. Got it! Do you realise that is what you are saying?

Btw I am not going to argue about this, anyone. I know magic is evil, for ex. I know it is forbidden by YHWH. I know Lewis makes it look wonderful. That's just one example where he leaves me no choice but to avoid him.

but there is no magic in any of his books. Just like there is no magic in Harry Potter. That is not real magic.

 

[Radagast]

Lewis' works are filled with detestable (to YHWH) pagan imagery and beliefs.

I've just realised that your faith icon means you follow Judaism, so I'm guessing that what's really going on here is that you object to what C. S. Lewis is saying about Christ breaking the "stone table" of the Mosaic Law.

 

[aiki]

There are a number of things Lewis has written with which I disagree strongly and which clearly do not stand in accord with Scripture. But there are many other things he has written that are quite sound both biblically and philosophically. Take the good and discard the bad. And do this with both C.S. Lewis and Todd Friel. It is no more appropriate to dismiss Friel out-of-hand as it is to do so to Lewis.

Selah.

 

[South Bound]

Is it possible to be heretical in select areas, but still be saved?

Beware of C.S. Lewis' HERESIES - YouTube​

Remember that there are two kinds of heresy: material heresy and formal heresy.

Material heresy means you're following wrong doctrines out of ignorance. Formal heresy means you know the truth and deny it, preferring to promote and believe the heresy over the truth.

I would also add that not all of the issues Lewis is wrong about are essential issues. Some are adiaphoron, which means there's no clear teaching in scripture one way or the other and the conclusion is a matter of conscience, while others are just secondary issues.

I don't think Lewis is a formal heretic, but I do acknowledge that some, if not many, of his beliefs are...for the sake of charity, let's just say problematic.

 

[Knee V]

My advice to anyone reading this is to read Lewis for yourself, learn the definitions of words, and learn the history of "atonement theories". Lewis is not a universalist; just read The Great Divorce. And yes, Lewis denies Penal Substitutionary Atonement, and so has all of historic christianity up until the Protestant Reformation. It is not Lewis' view which is the new and non-historical one. And if you think that the Gospel and the Christian faith stands or falls with Penal Substitutionary Atonement, then my advice is for you to begin reconsidering a great many things.

 

[South Bound]

...so has all of historic Christianity [denied penal substitutionary atonement] up until the Protestant Reformation.

Are you sure about that? Because I know some ECFs who would disagree with you.

 

[Knee V]

Are you sure about that? Because I know some ECFs who would disagree with you.

If you think you know of some, you have misunderstood them.

 

[Inkachu]

Yeah, this really belongs in another area, it has nothing to do with asking for advice, and I tend to get a rash when people start sitting around throwing theological terms at each other like a ping pong match.

 

[South Bound]

If you think you know of some, you have misunderstood them.

Is poisoning the well not considered a logical fallacy where you're from?

The fact that you dismiss them before you even know who they are or what they said tells us that you're not sincere.

The fact that you impugn my understanding before you've even heard what I have to say shows that there's really not any point in wasting my time with you.

 

[Knee V]

Is poisoning the well not considered a logical fallacy where you're from?

The fact that you dismiss them before you even know who they are or what they said tells us that you're not sincere.

The fact that you impugn my understanding before you've even heard what I have to say shows that there's really not any point in wasting my time with you.

There is probably not any point talking to me, I agree. But the fact that people would think that the ECFs would teach an idea like PSA shows that people are reading their post-Reformation biases back onto the early church. The Reformation is what has "poisoned the well", my friend.

 

[Knee V]

And I don't fault people for reading the Reformation back onto history or onto the Scriptures. I once did the same, and I don't consider myself stupid, nor do I think anyone in this discussion is stupid, or anything of the sort. But there were a great deal of novel errors that arose in and after the Reformation, and they cloud our perception of what came before the Reformation. PSA is a Reformational novel teaching, and I know first hand that it is difficult *not* to see it in history and in the Scriptures.

 

[Inkachu]

"I'm right."

"No, I'M right!"

"Nuh uh, you're wrong!"

"Your MAMA's wrong!"

Really, guys. Take it to the Debate area.

 

[Knee V]

"I'm right."

"No, I'M right!"

"Nuh uh, you're wrong!"

"Your MAMA's wrong!"

Really, guys. Take it to the Debate area.

That is true; my mom *is* wrong.

 

[Harry3142]

C. S. Lewis wrote some books in the same vein as Alice in Wonderland and Mother Goose stories. And like them, his books in this vein are intended for children. For an adult to condemn them as heretical is not only mistaken, but silly.

We are adults, not children. So we are to read the books which C. S. Lewis wrote for adult Christians, while deciding for ourselves whether we agree with some of his statements. He never intended his works to be seen as 'hard and fast' doctrine which others must accept or else not be truly saved, but rather he intended them to cause us to think about the subjects.

Where we're running into problems with books such as his, especially here in the USA, is in the area of the radical sects who insist that their own hierarchies must be obeyed slavishly and absolutely, or else we will suffer God's wrath. I call this 'the Hitlerian tactic', due to Adolph Hitler's use of it in order to 'short-circuit' the intellect of his audience so as to manipulate their raw emotions. The tactic of "Obey me without questioning me or God will be mad at you" approach gets very old very quickly. People simply wll not tolerate being bullied, and that is exactly what this tactic attempts to do.

 

[asiyreh]

Yeh everything that's said here... Especially the advise about do some real research instead of listening to conspiracy theories which you accept as fact because some eejet said them on the interweb...

Also take into account what CS. Lewis meant by MERE Christianity. He didn't mean that Christianity was small or lame btw.

He meant that he was showing the world a vanilla flavor of Christianity. Not Baptist, not Catholic, just Christianity.

This probably offended everyone and no one depending on your own heart.

 

[TheDag]

C. S. Lewis wrote some books in the same vein as Alice in Wonderland and Mother Goose stories. And like them, his books in this vein are intended for children. For an adult to condemn them as heretical is not only mistaken, but silly.

yes in the same way the church often dumbs down its teaching for kids.

 

[hedrick]

yes in the same way the church often dumbs down its teaching for kids.

He did, of course, also write for adults. Some of them aren't as well known. Many people know the Narnia series, but there's also a series of fantasy (or scifi) for adults, starting with Out of the Silent Planet. As well as what I think is his best, Til We Have Faces.

 

[seashale76]

He did, of course, also write for adults. Some of them aren't as well known. Many people know the Narnia series, but there's also a series of fantasy (or scifi) for adults, starting with Out of the Silent Planet. As well as what I think is his best, Til We Have Faces.

That one absolutely is his best, hands down. It's my favorite novel. Lewis also thought it was his best work.

 

[Philothei]

Closed for review