C. S. Lewis for the Third Millenium

By Peter Kreeft

Kreeft, one of the foremost students of Lewis' thought, distills Lewis' reflections on the collapse of western civilization and the way to renew it. Few writers have more lucidly grasped the meaning... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0898705231
• ISBN13: 9780898705232
• Release Date: January 1
• Publisher: Ignatius Press
• Length: 190 Pages
• Weight: 0.06 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Tonic for our times

This book is a treat. One of the great Christian apologists, writers and thinkers of the last century is discussed by one of the best of this century. Peter Kreeft, Professor of Philosophy at Boston College, here gives us an introduction to the thought and influence of the great Oxford don. Both authors are known for their clarity of mind, their prolific literary output, and their commitment to the truths of historic Christianity. And both authors have been known as fearless warriors against the prevailing secularism and relativism of our culture. Indeed, a major target of Lewis's pen was modernism and all that it entails. The rejection of the sacred and the elevation of the secular was a defining feature of modernism. It meant the exaltation of human reason and the rejection of non-human revelation. Autonomous man, guided only by intellect, could usher in a perfect world, accompanied by science and technology. Such a utopian quest was doomed to failure of course, and many of Lewis's works were directed at this theme. The Abolition of Man was a classic volume in this regard. So too was the third volume of his space trilogy, That Hideous Strength. The naïve and baseless belief of modernism that fallen reason, aided and abetted by science (really scientism), could create a new man and an earthly paradise has been the cause of more human misery and death than any other worldview. The Judeo-Christian worldview, which gave rise to Western civilisation, has been repudiated, resulting in a host of heresies that beguile modern man. Kreeft lists twenty "isms" that Lewis waged war against, all the products of the modernist rejection of it transcendent roots. These include subjectivism, cultural relativism, utilitarianism, pragmatism, cynicism, hedonism, and secularism. These destructive isms plaguing the West today are part of a much bigger sweep of history. Lewis argued that the history of Western civilisation has been characterised by two monumental spiritual revolutions, the first from pre-Christian to Christian, the second from Christian to post-Christian. He argued that the second revolution was more radical than the first, just "as divorce is more traumatic than marriage". The second change is happening quicker and is more destabilising. As a result, the soul of Western civilisation is dying. The real question is how long and how deep this second revolution will run. The first revolution however is the permanent one. It may appear to have been eclipsed for now, but our vantage point is limited. True, the new dark ages may continue for quite sometime. Writing six years before the new millennium, Kreeft could argue that we have two options: "Either we will build Gothic cathedrals again, from a restored faith, or we will build the Tower of Babel again, from a restored apostasy". As a prophetic figure, Lewis could clearly see the stark choice facing the West. He knew that if we rejected the right choice, many more horrors would await us. But if

I can't get enough of this book!

Just read the preface to the book and you'll be hooked!Kreeft does a wonderful job of elaboration upon Lewis' ideas of the process of "abolishing" humanity. The central question to Lewis's book is: can we cease to be human by loosing our moral sense? Kreeft's central question is: how does Lewis's writings and thought apply to us in the Third Millenium?His most haunting chapter is Chapter Four: "Can Natural Law ever be Abolished from the Heart of Man?" He discusses weather or not we can ever lose our moral sense, our conscience. This is an urgent dicussion, when you look at the souless children killing children in the school shootings. We seem to be raising up a generation of moral zombies who are acting like Hannibal Lecter eating each other up.The Founding Fathers well recognized the necessity of moral law, and that structure in government can only go so far (see Federalist Papers 10 and 51). there needs to be an undergirding morality upon which our government, and every government rests. If not, somthing worse than the dark ages will occur.(Question: What is the difference between someone without a moral sense, and someone who ignores it? I can't see any difference.)Kreeft's voice is a voice of warning. But will we listen? And will we care?

The Abolition of Western Civilization

Prof. Peter Kreeft of Boston College and author of several books such as "Making Sense Out of Suffereing" and has written a reflective writing on C.S. Lewis' "The Abolition of Man" and its prophetic role in today's civilization.Dr. Kreeft has done a great job in making Lewis' work understandable and demonstrates how much foresight Lewis actually had in regards to the problems facing western society. Further, Kreeft expands this thought and details the modern trends of thought without overburdening the reader with "academic" jargon.The chapters "Darkness At Noon" and "Can Natural Law Be Abolished" are the works strongests arguments for Kreeft's position, which if you want to know what that is, then buy this book. The book is cheap and is an easy read. Kreeft's wit also makes this little book likable and fun.

An excellent current analysis of Lewis' predictions.

This book is an excellent study of C.S. Lewis' Abolition of Man. Kreeft's book is not too academic, but yet very convincing. It is humorous and yet serious. If I could take a course with this professor, I would. His chapter on Natural Law is well done, and helped me understand the current context of how our society's conscience is being removed. It is a book that I would read again and probably again after that. If I had to say something critical about this book, I would say that the book is not documented enough. However, this could have been the publisher's decision, since the author is a professor. Anyway, have an excellent read, and I hope that every serious Christian could read this book.

Changed my Cosmology for sure!

A must read. Kreeft shatters the depressing World-View that this post-modern, post-historical, post-Christian culture beats into our souls each day. Read this book and you WILL BE "Suprised by Joy"! I was.