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C.S. Lewis as Philosopher

David J. Bagget, Gary R. Habermas, and Jerry L. Walls, eds. (InterVarsity Press: Apr 2008), 280 pages.

What did C. S. Lewis think about truth, goodness and beauty? Fifteen essays explore three major philosophical themes from the writings of Lewis: Truth, Goodness and Beauty. This volume provides a comprehensive overview of Lewis’s philosophical reflections on arguments for Christianity, the character of God, theodicy, moral goodness, heaven and hell, a theory of literature, and the place of the imagination. Contributors include Victor Reppert, Dave Horner, Peter Kreeft, Russell Howell, and Michael Peterson. “There are three things that will never die: truth, goodness, and beauty. These are the three things we all need, and need absolutely. Our minds want not only some truth and some falsehood, but all truth, without limit. Our wills want not only some good and some evil, but all good, without limit. Our desires, imaginations, feelings or hearts want not just some beauty and some ugliness, but all beauty, without limit.” ~ Peter Kreeft, chp. 1

Table of Contents

    • Foreword Tom Morris Morris, Tom 9
    • Introduction Jack of the Philosophical Trade Jerry L. Walls  13
  • Pt. 1 Truth
    • 1 Lewis’s Philosophy of Truth, Goodness and Beauty Peter Kreeft  23
    • 2 From Atheism to Deism: A Conversation Between Antony Flew and Gary R. Habermas  37
    • 3 Defending the Dangerous Idea: An Update on Lewis’s Argument from Reason Victor Reppert  53
    • 4 Aut Deus Aut Maws Homo: A Defense of C. S. Lewis’s “Shocking Alternative” David A. Horner 68
    • 5 The Abolition of Man: C. S. Lewis’s Prescience Concerning Things to Come Jean Bethke Elshtain  85
    • 6 C. S. Lewis and Emotional Doubt: Insights from the Philosophy of Psychology Gary R. Habermas  96
  • Pt. 2 Goodness
    • 7 Is Divine Iconoclast as Bad as Cosmic Sadist? Lewis versus Beversluis David Baggett  115
    • 8 Pursuing Moral Goodness: C. S. Lewis’s Understanding of Faith Kevin Kinghorn  131
    • 9 “Belief” in the Writings of C. S. Lewis David Rozema  144
    • 10 To Reign in Hell or to Serve in Heaven: C. S. Lewis on the Problem of Hell and Enjoyment of the Good Matthew Lee  159
    • 11 C. S. Lewis on the Necessity of Gratuitous Evil Michael L. Peterson 175
  • Pt. 3 Beauty
    • 12 Evil and The Cosmic Dance: C. S. Lewis and Beauty’s Place in Theodicy Philip Tallon  195
    • 13 Lewis’s Miracles and Mathematical Elegance Russell W. Howell  211
    • 14 Beastly Metaphysics: The Beasts of Narnia and Lewis’s Reclamation of Medieval Sacramental Metaphysics Michael P. Muth  228
    • 15 Lewis and Tolkien on the Power of the Imagination Gregory Bassham  245
    • Index 265