C S Lewis

C S Lewis Clarity and Confusion by Andrew Wheeler is a helpful little book that came out in 2006. Mr Wheeler is clearly a big Lewis fan but like other evangelicals can see that there are problems with his theology. What he does, therefore, is to outline what is positive and negative in the man's writings, from the perspective of evangelical belief. He is perhaps a little hampered in this by apparently having no formal training in theology but he is clear enough and well able to do what he sets out to do.

After a brief sketch of Lewis's life he first sets out his sound credentials as a genuine Christian who knew conviction of sin and salvation through Christ's death and had a correct view of God (though spoiled by his willingness to condone the use of images and pictures) and a right understanding of the resurrection.

Having given us some glimpses of God's grace in Lewis's life with ample and apt quotations from his works, he goes on to some areas concern. These concern Lewis's understanding of the Bible, creation and evolution, other religions and the Christian world (his belief in purgatory is highlighted).

Some may object to such a box ticking approach but it is done with some understanding and is very useful to evangelical Christians who sometimes feel they are in something of a love hate relationship with the work of C S Lewis.

The work is enhanced by three appendices - some great quotations, a quite thorough chronological list of his writings and (most useful of all) a Scripture index to the works (necessarily excluding the fiction - I wonder, has anyone ever attempted something of that sort?).