MERE CHRISTIANITY

C. S. Lewis

A revised and amplified edition, with a new introduction, of the three books

Broadcast Talks,

Christian Behaviour

and

Beyond Personality

An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

mere christianity. Copyright © 1952, C. S. Lewis Pte. Ltd. Copyright renewed © 1980, C. S. Lewis Pte. Ltd.

The Case for Christianity (aka Broadcast Talks). Copyright © 1942, C. S. Lewis Pte. Ltd. Copyright restored © 1996, C. S. Lewis Pte. Ltd.

Christian Behavior. Copyright © 1943, C. S. Lewis Pte. Ltd. Copyright renewed © 1971, C. S. Lewis Pte. Ltd.

Beyond Personality. Copyright © 1944, C. S. Lewis Pte. Ltd. Copyright renewed © 1972, C. S. Lewis Pte. Ltd.

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first harpercollins paperback edition published in 2001

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Lewis, C. S. (Clive Staples), 1898–1963.

Mere Christianity: a revised and amplified edition, with a new introduction, of the three books, Broadcast talks, Christian behavior, and Beyond personality / C. S. Lewis.—HarperCollins ed.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-0-06-065292-0

1. Theology, Doctrinal—Popular works. 2. Apologetics. 3. Christian ethics—Anglican authors. 4. Lewis, C. S. (Clive Staples), 1898–1963—Religion. I. Title.

BT77.L348

2000

230'—dc21

CONTENTS

preface

foreword

book 1. right and wrong as a clue to the meaning of the universe

1 the law of human nature

2 some objections

3 the reality of the law

4 what lies behind the law

5 we have cause to be uneasy

book 2. what christians believe

1 the rival conceptions of god

2 the invasion

3 the shocking alternative

4 the perfect penitent

5 the practical conclusion

book 3. christian behaviour

1 the three parts of morality

2 the ‘cardinal virtues’

3 social morality

4 morality and psychoanalysis

5 sexual morality

6 christian marriage

7 forgiveness

8 the great sin

9 charity

10 hope

11 faith

12 faith

book 4. beyond personality: or first steps in the doctrine of the trinity

1 making and begetting

2 the three-personal god

3 time and beyond time

4 good infection

5 the obstinate toy soldiers

6 two notes

7 let’s pretend

8 is christianity hard or easy?

9 counting the cost

10 nice people or new men

11 the new men