Entries that relate to C.S. Lewis and his work.
Including Trace Lee Simmons’s book Climbing Parnassus on this blogsite is a bit of a stretch, since it’s really not about Christianity or the Bible. It’s a book I saw written up recently as we near the 25th anniversary of its first printing, and its point is to explain how invaluable it is to learn Greek … [Read more…]
I’ve read that, while there are many questions hard for an atheist to answer, there is really only tough one for a Christian apologist — but’s it’s a doozy: Why do bad things happen to good people on this earth? Here’s a possible elevator answer: It depends. (1) Sometimes it’s because God has given us … [Read more…]
For anyone looking for reading material for pre-teens/young teens, I want to recommend the four books (totaling about a thousand pages) in the Wingfeather Saga. It’s fantasy along the lines of the Narnia books and Lord of the Rings, with Christian themes but also allusions and similarities to classical and Norse mythology. The plot is … [Read more…]
I’m happy to begin the New Year with this blogpost: I noted earlier my excitement on hearing about a new biography of Blaise Pascal, and I successfully solicited it as a Christmas gift. This blogsite is, after all, named for works by Pascal and my other great Christian hero, C.S. Lewis. *** The book did … [Read more…]
The reasonableness — indeed, the profound wisdom exhibited over and over again — of what Jesus said should be a powerful apologetic tool, should it not? That is, if Jesus’ teachings are godlike then it is evidence that He is indeed God. Conversely, if He consistently talked rot that would undercut claims of His divinity. … [Read more…]
This 2016 book has been cited in several recent apologetic works, and it is easy to see why: It’s terrific, and discussing it is a good way to begin the Advent Season. The author is a professor at the Augustine Institute, a private Catholic theology graduate school. The book is 198 pages of text with … [Read more…]
One of the blurbs on the back of the cover jacket describes Charles Murray as, “Arguably, the most consequential social scientist alive.” Yes, indeed, and so I was delighted to hear of this book and to get an advance copy of it. It is similar to another book published earlier this year, Ross Douthat’s Believe: … [Read more…]
This is another book that I read because it was cited in Ross Douthat’s recent and excellent Believe. After this book’s 15-page introduction, there follows the author’s new translation of Mark’s Gospel and his and verse-by-verse (more or less) commentary on it. Since there are sixteen chapters in Mark, the book is divided into sixteen … [Read more…]
This book was recommended by Ross Douthat in his recent book, and an excellent recommendation it was! *** I’ll begin with an overview of the book, starting with the author’s definition of the eponymous “undesigned coincidence” (12): An undesigned coincidence is a notable connection between two or more accounts or texts that doesn’t seem to … [Read more…]
It is exciting to have a book of Christian apologetics on the New York Times best seller list — debuting at number eight among nonfiction hardbacks! I will give you a quick summary and my bottom line first: The book begins with chapters on how recent science on fine-tuning, human consciousness, and supernatural events like … [Read more…]