April 27: Mere Christianity: Book III, Chapters 1-4

From the March meeting: here's a link to the book From Atheism to Christianity: The Story of C. S. Lewis. And here's the link to the C. S. Lewis Doodle of "The Shocking Alternative," Mere Christianity, Book II, Chapter 3.

On Sunday, April 27, 4:00-5:30 p.m., we'll continue our discussion of Mere Christianity with Book III, "Christian Behaviour," Chapters 1-4.

BOOK III: Chapter 1, paragraph 5:

Morality, then, seems to be concerned with three things. Firstly, with fair play and harmony between individuals. Secondly, with what might be called tidying up or harmonising the things inside each individual. Thirdly, with the general purpose of human life as a whole: what man was made for: what course the whole fleet ought to be on: what tune the conductor of the band wants it to play.

BOOK III: Chapter 2, paragraph 2:

The word "cardinal" has nothing to do with "Cardinals" in the Roman Church. It comes from a Latin word meaning "the hinge of a door." These were called "cardinal" virtues because they are, as we should say, "pivotal."

BOOK III: Chapter 3, paragraph 1:

Really great moral teachers never do introduce new moralities: it is quacks and cranks who do that. As Dr. Johnson said, "People need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed."

BOOK III: Chapter 4, paragraph 1:

I now want to begin considering what the Christian idea of a good man is—the Christian specification for the human machine. 

C. S. Lewis: A Companion and Guide by Walter Hooper contains the "twelve inexplicable lunatics" quote that we discussed at the March meeting. Walter Hooper's "Background" on Mere Christianity gives the story of the invitations Lewis received such that he spoke on the radio during those years. Here's a photo of the page with the "lunatics" quote.

Central Texas C. S. Lewis is a reading group that meets in Austin, Texas.
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