C. S. Lewis is generally regarded as a commonsense Christian whose theology is understandable and practical. And yet, from his memoir Surprised by Joy to his beloved Chronicles of Narnia, from his nonfiction essays to his letters, C. S. Lewis' works display a distinct sense of the mystical. In this book, David C. Downing explores the breadth of Lewis' writing, introducing us to the context of Christian mysticism in Lewis' day and to the writers who most influenced him.
Lewis' critique of mysticism is instructive to us in this day of eclectic religious thought. Exploring Lewis' sense of the mystical can help us safeguard ourselves from false mysticism, even as it opens the way to a full experience of God's presence.
David C. Downing is a professor of English at Elizabethtown College in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. He has written numerous articles on C. S. Lewis as well as Planets in Peril: A Critical Study of C. S. Lewis’ Ransom Trilogy. His book on C. S. Lewis’ journey to faith, The Most Reluctant Convert, was named one of Booklist’s Best Religion Books of 2002.
Simon Vance is an award-winning actor and an AudioFile Golden Voice with over fifty Earphones Awards and thirteen prestigious Audie Awards. He was named Booklist’s very first Voice of Choice in 2008 and an AudioFile Best Voice of 2009.