The Flaws in ‘Mere Christianity’ by C. S. Lewis

It sold millions of copies, but it doesn’t persuade me

C. S. Lewis met with rejection early in his career before going on to sell 200 million copies of his books. One of them, Mere Christianity, published in 1952 and consisting of previously published or broadcast works, became one of the most influential books for Christians in the late 20th century. It remains popular, having sold some 4 million copies in the first two decades of the 21st century in its original English alone, and it is also available in dozens of other languages.

Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis

If I were primarily a businessman who worked for a publishing house and someone sent me this jackpot manuscript, I would say: So. Much. This.

St. Paul statue sculpted by Adamo Tadolini, St. Peters Basilica, Vatican. Photo by AngMoKio on Wikimedia Commons.

But as I primarily care about the integrity of arguments, instead I say: “Oh, honey.”

Santi Giovanni e Paolo statue, sculpted by Alessandro Vittoria. Chapel of the Crucifix, Our Lady of Sorrows, Venice. Photo by Didier Descouens on Wikimedia Commons.

Here’s the problems with Mere Christianity. First, I respond to its discussions of moral knowledge, moral disagreement, moral action, moral diversity, and spiritual…