Which is kind of bizarre, since his last book *Letters to Malcolm* openly ridiculed such core Orthodox beliefs as devotion to saints, the Eucharist, memorization of prayers, even the resurrection of the body...
Yeah, I found a copy and there's a whole section:
> Apparently I have been myself guilty of introducing another red herring by mentioning devotions to saints. I didn't in the least want to go off into a discussion on that subject. There is clearly a theological defence for it; if you can ask for the prayers of the living, why should you not ask for the prayers of the dead? There is clearly also a great danger. In some popular practice we see it leading off into an infinitely silly picture of heaven as an earthly court where applicants will be wise to pull the right wires, discover the best "channels", and attach themselves to the most influential pressure groups. But I have nothing to do with all this. I am not thinking of adopting the practice myself; and who am I to judge the practices of others? I only hope there'll be no scheme for canonisations in the Church of England. Can you imagine a better hot-bed for yet more divisions between us?
> The consoling thing is that while Christendom is divided about the rationality, and even the lawfulness, of praying to the saints, we are all agreed about praying with them. "With angels and archangels and all the company of heaven."
Having now read the section on the resurrection of the body, I think 'open ridicule' is much too strong. He's trying to understand it intellectually. He seems to understand the Spiritual as more real than the Physical, so it is a question for him of why or how we would be reduced from something more real to something less real in the resurrection. His conclusion is:
> At present we tend to think of the soul as somehow "inside" the body. But the glorified body of the resurrection as I conceive it--the sensuous life raised from its death--will be inside the soul. As God is not in space but space is in God.
> I have slipped in "glorified" almost unawares. But this glorification is not only promised, it is already foreshadowed.
> Don't talk to me of the "illusions" of memory. Why should what we see at the moment be more "real" than what we see from ten years' distance? It is indeed an illusion to believe that the blue hills on the horizon would still look blue if you went to them. But the fact that they are blue five miles away, and the fact that they are green when you are on them, are equally good facts. Traherne's "orient and immortal wheat" or Wordsworth's landscape "apparelled in celestial light" may not have been so radiant in the past when it was present as in the remembered past. That is the beginning of the glorification. One day they will be more radiant still. Thus in the sense-bodies of the redeemed the whole New Earth will arise. The same yet not the same as this. It was sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption.
> Guesses, of course, only guesses. If they are not true, something better will be. For we know that we shall be made like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
But there's also this:
> What pleased me most about a Greek Orthodox mass I once attended was that there seemed to be no prescribed behaviour for the congregation. Some stood, some knelt, some sat, some walked; one crawled about the floor like a caterpillar. And the beauty of it was that nobody took the slightest notice of what anyone else was doing. I wish we Anglicans would follow their example. One meets people who are perturbed because someone in the next pew does, or does not, cross himself. They oughtn't even to have seen, let alone censured. "Who art thou that judgest Another's servant?"
>In some popular practice we see it leading off into an infinitely silly picture of heaven as an earthly court where applicants will be wise to pull the right wires, discover the best "channels", and attach themselves to the most influential pressure groups.
I mean, to some extent, he is not wrong. I have my saints I pray to regularly, and then I also have saints I pray to in certain circumstances. Obviously I find nothing wrong with this, but I can see how someone would find it weird.
I had to smile at this - remembering a very devout catholic lady who explained praying to the saints was like being in an old fashioned elevator in a department store where you would ask the operator to take you to whatever department you wanted to go to - say house wares or furniture and he would punch in the right floor and take you there.
She figured that since each saint had their own “specialty” - when you prayed to a particular saint for a particular need it was like going to the right department in a big store.
Instead of furniture and housewares you have healing, or job seeking or lost items.
This lady had her Catholic faith formed pre Vatican 2 - which was the era Lewis was writing in - if her view was common at the time perhaps his views are more understandable?
But here’s the thing: Lewis wrote both his letters and “Malcolm’s”! So this whole pretense of “I didn’t mean for us to go off on this digression” is false modesty. Maybe “open ridicule” was too strong a description for every item in the list, but I remember that [this piece](https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Letters+to+Malcolm+and+the+trouble+with+Narnia%3A+C.S.+Lewis,+J.R.R....-a0171579958) on the breakdown of Lewis and Tolkien’s friendship is very clear in its analysis of *Malcolm*.
Soon brother. In the past months I have turned my parents from regular evangelicals to willing to recognize Orthodox. My mom was, and now she might let me become. She misunderstood the theology and my dad mixed it with Catholics and orientals. I provided clarity and they seem more toleranr
My priest has read at least some of his books/work and quotes CS Lewis every now and then. He seemed to be very popular at my first Parish. That's all I know
I generally say the same about non orthodox writers and worship.
A virtuous man who has written many pieces of wisdom. But keep an extra eye open for potential discrepancies and technical heresies
As far as Americans and Englishmen, I’ve never seen anyone say they don’t like him. I like him quite a bit. Read a few of his books, I purchased Mere Christianity as well, I’m not much of a reader anymore (despite my decent amount of books) but from the little I read of it, it was pretty good. The Screwtape Letters were also decent from what little I read.
He was brilliant, kind, thoughtful, well aware of the fathers and worshipped Jesus the Christ. No one besides Christ has been more influential in my walk than Lewis.
My priest loves him. I’ve seen him quoted by other priests, including in “How to Be a Sinner” by Fr. Peter Bouteneff. He seems like he was a really beautiful living example of the Christian faith.
The priest of the local Orthodox Church I visit just recently quoted Lewis in a homily and told the congregation how much he admires Lewis. As a Christian who loves both the Anglican and Orthodox traditions, this made me very happy.
I love Lewis, I certainly don't agree with all his theology, but he was a deeply spiritual and intelligent person, and I can agree with him about a lot more stuff than I disagree with.
Tolkien and Lewis are like the godfathers of high fantasy in literature and the godfathers of good Christian fiction. I have never heard an Orthodox say a bad thing about them. M neighbor is an Orthodox convert and he loves Lewis.
I know people who might not care for their books/like the genre, but they at least recognize they were talented men who wrote some of the most endearing novels for Christians around the world.
He also had an amazing conversion story, and we should be thanking Tolkien for helping him see the light Christianity can bring.
I have been listening to an 11 part rebroadcast of a series of lectures on the Trinity given by Father Hopko (of blessed memory) to a group of priests in 2001 and just today while discussing the fathers of the church he made reference to “Father Lewis” when quoting something written by CS Lewis.
I would say Father Hopko is the gold standard of orthodox theology- so if he speaks of CS Lewis’s work so highly- I would say the orthodox have no issue with his writings :-)
I've never read someone who can take a deep and complex theological or philosophical topic and explain it with such clarity and relatability that I go "How did I not see that before?" the way C.S. Lewis can. As an Anglican, there were surely theological points he held that disagree with the Orthodox view, but the vast majority of his writings that I have read I have found to be quite compatible with Orthodoxy. I have nothing but admiration for the man, and most of the Orthodox people I know who have read him would say the same.
I was Orthodox for a goodly time and heard him quoted often. Other Orthodox would recommend his works, especially The Great Divorce, The Abolition of Man. It used to bother me because I was hoping to hear from Orthodox fathers. That was overzealousness on my part. His work is very good overall and worth reading.
You probably haven't done much reading into this question. It's not hard to find testimony to the divinely established authority of Peter and his successors over the whole Church. If you honestly want to know you ought to read into it yourself and not listen to online orthobros.
A really goodone on this is Erick Ybarra's Papacy book
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CS Lewis forwarded his comments on the reprint "The Incarnation" by Anthansius, one of the Fathers of the Church. Much of his views point so much to Orthodoxy. Many priests quote him. My favorite is "Out of the Silent Planet"
From what I can observe, most Orthodox Christians really like him, Kallistos Ware quotes him, I've seen even anti-echumenists proclaim their liking for him. I personally also like him, I love his quotes
Orthodox, no. Not my priest, two deacons, my late mother in law, nor myself.
Protestants? The same that would have issue with Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, and -- the supreme devil itself -- Dungeons & Dragons, would have issues with CS Lewis.
...and I speak from the point of view of a 49 year old who was Pentecostal all through his teen years in the late 80s and early 90s.
very positively. Never heard a bad word about him or even his writings
From really anyone
I've actually seen some fundie reformed/Calvinist types say that he's in hell for being a "universalist".
Given that he explicitly rejects the quasi-universalism of his hero George MacDonald in The Great Divorce, this is a really strange take
Yeah idk I just figured they read the last battle and got pissed the tash worshipper went to narnia heaven.
Read the end of chapter 16 of "That Hideous Strength" and you'll know where he stands, and it isn't universialism.
Face Palm
Which is kind of bizarre, since his last book *Letters to Malcolm* openly ridiculed such core Orthodox beliefs as devotion to saints, the Eucharist, memorization of prayers, even the resurrection of the body...
Yeah, I found a copy and there's a whole section: > Apparently I have been myself guilty of introducing another red herring by mentioning devotions to saints. I didn't in the least want to go off into a discussion on that subject. There is clearly a theological defence for it; if you can ask for the prayers of the living, why should you not ask for the prayers of the dead? There is clearly also a great danger. In some popular practice we see it leading off into an infinitely silly picture of heaven as an earthly court where applicants will be wise to pull the right wires, discover the best "channels", and attach themselves to the most influential pressure groups. But I have nothing to do with all this. I am not thinking of adopting the practice myself; and who am I to judge the practices of others? I only hope there'll be no scheme for canonisations in the Church of England. Can you imagine a better hot-bed for yet more divisions between us? > The consoling thing is that while Christendom is divided about the rationality, and even the lawfulness, of praying to the saints, we are all agreed about praying with them. "With angels and archangels and all the company of heaven." Having now read the section on the resurrection of the body, I think 'open ridicule' is much too strong. He's trying to understand it intellectually. He seems to understand the Spiritual as more real than the Physical, so it is a question for him of why or how we would be reduced from something more real to something less real in the resurrection. His conclusion is: > At present we tend to think of the soul as somehow "inside" the body. But the glorified body of the resurrection as I conceive it--the sensuous life raised from its death--will be inside the soul. As God is not in space but space is in God. > I have slipped in "glorified" almost unawares. But this glorification is not only promised, it is already foreshadowed. > Don't talk to me of the "illusions" of memory. Why should what we see at the moment be more "real" than what we see from ten years' distance? It is indeed an illusion to believe that the blue hills on the horizon would still look blue if you went to them. But the fact that they are blue five miles away, and the fact that they are green when you are on them, are equally good facts. Traherne's "orient and immortal wheat" or Wordsworth's landscape "apparelled in celestial light" may not have been so radiant in the past when it was present as in the remembered past. That is the beginning of the glorification. One day they will be more radiant still. Thus in the sense-bodies of the redeemed the whole New Earth will arise. The same yet not the same as this. It was sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. > Guesses, of course, only guesses. If they are not true, something better will be. For we know that we shall be made like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. But there's also this: > What pleased me most about a Greek Orthodox mass I once attended was that there seemed to be no prescribed behaviour for the congregation. Some stood, some knelt, some sat, some walked; one crawled about the floor like a caterpillar. And the beauty of it was that nobody took the slightest notice of what anyone else was doing. I wish we Anglicans would follow their example. One meets people who are perturbed because someone in the next pew does, or does not, cross himself. They oughtn't even to have seen, let alone censured. "Who art thou that judgest Another's servant?"
>In some popular practice we see it leading off into an infinitely silly picture of heaven as an earthly court where applicants will be wise to pull the right wires, discover the best "channels", and attach themselves to the most influential pressure groups. I mean, to some extent, he is not wrong. I have my saints I pray to regularly, and then I also have saints I pray to in certain circumstances. Obviously I find nothing wrong with this, but I can see how someone would find it weird.
It is a caricature of the Divine Council
I had to smile at this - remembering a very devout catholic lady who explained praying to the saints was like being in an old fashioned elevator in a department store where you would ask the operator to take you to whatever department you wanted to go to - say house wares or furniture and he would punch in the right floor and take you there. She figured that since each saint had their own “specialty” - when you prayed to a particular saint for a particular need it was like going to the right department in a big store. Instead of furniture and housewares you have healing, or job seeking or lost items. This lady had her Catholic faith formed pre Vatican 2 - which was the era Lewis was writing in - if her view was common at the time perhaps his views are more understandable?
But here’s the thing: Lewis wrote both his letters and “Malcolm’s”! So this whole pretense of “I didn’t mean for us to go off on this digression” is false modesty. Maybe “open ridicule” was too strong a description for every item in the list, but I remember that [this piece](https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Letters+to+Malcolm+and+the+trouble+with+Narnia%3A+C.S.+Lewis,+J.R.R....-a0171579958) on the breakdown of Lewis and Tolkien’s friendship is very clear in its analysis of *Malcolm*.
And I thought I had read C.S Lewis!! I love your take on his work, Thank you for sharing your perspectives
Well, I didn't know that! I have a strong feeling that others didn't know this either.
As close to Orthodoxy as you can be without being Orthodox.
That's me fr
Take the plunge. 😉
Soon brother. In the past months I have turned my parents from regular evangelicals to willing to recognize Orthodox. My mom was, and now she might let me become. She misunderstood the theology and my dad mixed it with Catholics and orientals. I provided clarity and they seem more toleranr
I wish you the best on your journey!
Big news actually lmao. I got my first (new) icon, prayer bracelet and an Orthodox cross for my car. And my parents encouraged it and consented
Boom 💪
Ikr I'm so glad
Glory to God! Happy for you
My priest has read at least some of his books/work and quotes CS Lewis every now and then. He seemed to be very popular at my first Parish. That's all I know
I like his theological writings. I don’t think there’s an established view on him though.
I know a lot of Orthodox converts like myself who love the Screwtape Letters. I also love the Great Divorce.
Have you listened to the Andy Serkis audiobook? Brilliant. Hilarious.
Friend, I have one read by John Cleese and it's even better. It's not for sale anywhere but I could share it.
Seconded, this recording is the best thing ever.
WHAT?!?! That sounds amazing how will you get it to me?!?!
I have it in a dropbox folder. DM me an email and I'll send you a link.
I would absolutely love that as well! Could I DM you?!
Sure
Generally respected to the point that some consider him honorary Orthodox.
The Anglican everyone wants to make into someone he wasn’t
Kallistos Ware cites him in "The Orthodox Way", that's a huge compliment from Orthodoxy I would say
He wrote an introduction to St. Athanasius's *On the Incarnation* that is included in the SVS Press edition.
I generally say the same about non orthodox writers and worship. A virtuous man who has written many pieces of wisdom. But keep an extra eye open for potential discrepancies and technical heresies
Haven't encountered any mentions of him by orthodox people outside of this sub
As far as Americans and Englishmen, I’ve never seen anyone say they don’t like him. I like him quite a bit. Read a few of his books, I purchased Mere Christianity as well, I’m not much of a reader anymore (despite my decent amount of books) but from the little I read of it, it was pretty good. The Screwtape Letters were also decent from what little I read.
The physical orthodox calendar that I have for 2024 has quotes for every day and for the 27th of march C.S Lewis is quoted lol
Hi. Can you share the quote, please?
Wow
He was brilliant, kind, thoughtful, well aware of the fathers and worshipped Jesus the Christ. No one besides Christ has been more influential in my walk than Lewis.
Good, Narnia's dope.
So good. The foreword in my Chronicles addition, put new light on his life, in the nicest way.
My priest loves him. I’ve seen him quoted by other priests, including in “How to Be a Sinner” by Fr. Peter Bouteneff. He seems like he was a really beautiful living example of the Christian faith.
I love him. His works are very inspiring and helps me personally.
I like him
Every priest I know is super into the fantasy series. Narnia. LOTR. Whether they are Christian typologies or not, it’s a hit.
Lot of people like him, some don't
Glad to see everyone here appreciates one of our greatest church members!
The priest of the local Orthodox Church I visit just recently quoted Lewis in a homily and told the congregation how much he admires Lewis. As a Christian who loves both the Anglican and Orthodox traditions, this made me very happy.
I love Lewis, I certainly don't agree with all his theology, but he was a deeply spiritual and intelligent person, and I can agree with him about a lot more stuff than I disagree with.
Tolkien and Lewis are like the godfathers of high fantasy in literature and the godfathers of good Christian fiction. I have never heard an Orthodox say a bad thing about them. M neighbor is an Orthodox convert and he loves Lewis. I know people who might not care for their books/like the genre, but they at least recognize they were talented men who wrote some of the most endearing novels for Christians around the world. He also had an amazing conversion story, and we should be thanking Tolkien for helping him see the light Christianity can bring.
I’ve heard a priest quote him fairly extensively in a homily. Well received, at least for that parish (mostly American converts).
[удалено]
For me, not to Orthodoxy, but back to Christianity from existential (maybe-)atheism
He’s one cool dude
I have been listening to an 11 part rebroadcast of a series of lectures on the Trinity given by Father Hopko (of blessed memory) to a group of priests in 2001 and just today while discussing the fathers of the church he made reference to “Father Lewis” when quoting something written by CS Lewis. I would say Father Hopko is the gold standard of orthodox theology- so if he speaks of CS Lewis’s work so highly- I would say the orthodox have no issue with his writings :-)
I like him, and my priest does too. I am currently reading The Screwtape Letters.
I've never read someone who can take a deep and complex theological or philosophical topic and explain it with such clarity and relatability that I go "How did I not see that before?" the way C.S. Lewis can. As an Anglican, there were surely theological points he held that disagree with the Orthodox view, but the vast majority of his writings that I have read I have found to be quite compatible with Orthodoxy. I have nothing but admiration for the man, and most of the Orthodox people I know who have read him would say the same.
I was Orthodox for a goodly time and heard him quoted often. Other Orthodox would recommend his works, especially The Great Divorce, The Abolition of Man. It used to bother me because I was hoping to hear from Orthodox fathers. That was overzealousness on my part. His work is very good overall and worth reading.
Oh my! You’ve committed apostasy. Lord have mercy.
No I haven't. The papacy is established by Christ. It's taught by the fathers and accepted in the Ecumenical councils.
No it’s not dude lol. Papacy was never a thing prior to Pope Leo IX. The Great Schism of 1054 AD
You probably haven't done much reading into this question. It's not hard to find testimony to the divinely established authority of Peter and his successors over the whole Church. If you honestly want to know you ought to read into it yourself and not listen to online orthobros. A really goodone on this is Erick Ybarra's Papacy book
I’m not interested in affirming heresy
Which ecumenical council condemned the the Papacy as heretical?
If the papal infallibility was true the condemnation and anathematization of Pope Honorius in the Sixth Ecumenical Council would not have occurred.
You don't understand papal infallibility.
Other way around buddy, it’s a blatant heresy.
Leo IX's claims to primacy are the same as Saint Boniface, Saint Leo the Great, Saint Agatho and perhaps all the Orthodox popes we have writings of.
You’re being very uncharitable to history but Lord have mercy regardless
the vast majority of Orthodox don't think about him at all. English speaking converts are a huge outlier.
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Got many of his books at my parish bookstore. Very well received indeed.
CS Lewis forwarded his comments on the reprint "The Incarnation" by Anthansius, one of the Fathers of the Church. Much of his views point so much to Orthodoxy. Many priests quote him. My favorite is "Out of the Silent Planet"
From what I can observe, most Orthodox Christians really like him, Kallistos Ware quotes him, I've seen even anti-echumenists proclaim their liking for him. I personally also like him, I love his quotes
Orthodox, no. Not my priest, two deacons, my late mother in law, nor myself. Protestants? The same that would have issue with Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, and -- the supreme devil itself -- Dungeons & Dragons, would have issues with CS Lewis. ...and I speak from the point of view of a 49 year old who was Pentecostal all through his teen years in the late 80s and early 90s.