Lewis argued for Christian faith in multiple writing genres
By Mike Haynes
When people
find out I’m a Beatles fan, they often ask which is my favorite song by the
greatest band in history. Although on any given day I could pick a different
one, I always reply, “I Saw Her Standing There,” because it’s fun, energetic
rock ’n’ roll and because for me, the “Her” is my wife, Kathy.
Nobody has
asked who my most admired Christians are, but I do have a short list. There
could be many more, but my Fab Three are Billy Graham, John Wesley and C.S.
Lewis, now all in heaven forever with the only one really worthy of praise.
In his almost
65 years on Earth, Lewis preached only a few sermons. His interaction with
people in person was limited pretty much to those he encountered in his career
as an Oxford and Cambridge professor. The British intellectual didn’t reach millions
in stadiums and on television like Graham, and he didn’t start a new Christian
movement like Wesley.
But man, you
could argue that his impact for God was right up there with anyone. Before and
after his 1963 death, more than 120 million copies of his “Chronicles of
Narnia” children’s books, which have a definite Christian theme, have been
sold, according to the Steve Laube publishing agency. That number doesn’t
include millions more of his overtly Christian books such as “Mere
Christianity” and “The Screwtape Letters,” his science fiction novels or his
scholarly writing on literature.
Lewis is
exceptional in that his arguments for the Christian faith and his subtle
promotion of it in multiple writing genres appeal to all kinds of Christians,
including evangelicals, Catholics and mainstream Protestants.
So it isn’t surprising that even Amarillo,
Texas, has at least one group that meets monthly to discuss his books, his life
and his ideas.
The Lewis
Underground meets at 5:30 p.m. the fourth Monday of each month, usually in the
clubhouse of the River Falls Apartments. It’s associated informally with the
C.S. Lewis Foundation, based in Redlands, California, established in 1986. The
foundation owns the Kilns, Lewis’ home in Oxford, England, which hosts visiting
scholars and seminars, and stages regular Christian events.
The
Underground and the foundation don’t worship Lewis. Here’s a statement that
both groups follow: “Inspired by the life and legacy of C.S. Lewis, the vision
of the C.S. Lewis Foundation is to restore a vital Christian presence
throughout higher education, the arts and the culture at large.”
Many would
agree that education, the arts and our culture all need a new infusion of
Christian principles, and the local group is expanding its own presence by
planning free public events.
The first
will be at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 26, at the Bible Chair of the Southwest at 512
SW 22nd Ave., across the street from Amarillo College. Although the
organizers expect lots of college students to attend, the program will be of
interest to anyone attracted to the ideas I’ve mentioned above.
Dr. Mike
Bellah, retired from the AC English department, will talk briefly about the
concepts of friendship in Lewis’ writings. Randy Ray, who teaches mass media at
West Texas A&M University, will bring some WT students to talk about their
2017 study trip to Oxford and Lewis’ stomping grounds. And Kirk Manton, a Trinity
Fellowship staffer and a CSL Foundation regional representative, will talk
about the foundation and its activities.
On the arts
front, Amarillo’s Randy Palmer will play and sing, and graphic artist Cody
Watson will show his recent work. Local writer Nan Rinella will offer “low tea”
in the form of English tea and scones.
In “Mere
Christianity,” Lewis called the world “enemy-occupied territory.” “Christianity
is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in
disguise,” he wrote, “and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of
sabotage.”
The Lewis
Underground, with its March 26 event and its monthly meetings, seeks to
participate in that spiritual mission.
