Mere Christianity

Lewis explains that this book is based on a series of shorter talks that he had delivered via radio. Lewis has not sought to replicate his exact speech patterns here, but he has endeavored to maintain a “familiar” tone while amending the text to reflect any changes in his thinking or to rectify previous misunderstandings.

Lewis is open about his own position as “a very ordinary layman of the Church of England” (viii), but he does not strive to convert readers to a particular sect or denomination. His goal is to explain and defend the core beliefs of Christianity; he does not believe that he has the skill or knowledge to engage in complex theological disputes, and he believes that discussing the divisions within Christianity is hardly productive in bringing people into the fold.

Relatedly, Lewis says that where he is silent on a certain matter, it does not always mean that he is fence-sitting or uncertain; there are times when he does have a stance but does not wish to share it, because his goal is not to expound his religion but Christianity as it existed long before he was born. Nevertheless, he’s aware of the danger of focusing solely on his own branch of Christianity, and so has consulted with clergymen from other denominations.