HarperCollins to Release C. S. Lewis Bible
To go along with the other tie-in books being released in October for The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, HarperCollins will be publishing a C. S. Lewis Bible.
Thought-provoking meditations from beloved author C. S. Lewis’s own spiritual writings are paired with corresponding Bible passages in The C. S. Lewis Bible. This NRSV Bible provides readings comprised of over 600 selections from Lewis’s celebrated spiritual classics, a collection that includes Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, The Problem of Pain, Miracles, A Grief Observed, The Four Loves, and The Weight of Glory, as well as letters, poetry, and Lewis’s lesser-known works. Each reading, paired alongside relevant passages in the Bible, offers C. S. Lewis as a companion to a reader’s daily meditation of scripture.
Sample pages from the C. S. Lewis Bible can be viewed here and more information on this Bible can be found on HarperCollins’ website here. You can also pre-order the Bible here.
Thanks to johobbit for the heads-up!
UPDATE: In digging around for more information on the C. S. Lewis Bible, I ran across another book being released on Oct 12 called ‘A Year with Aslan: Daily Reflections from The Chronicles of Narnia’.
In the tradition of A YEAR WITH C. S. LEWIS, get your daily dose of Narnia inspiration in this first of its kind collection of 365 readings from the beloved children’s series. A Year with Aslan will select the most thought-provoking and poignant passages from all seven books in the series, and provide reflective questions that get the heart of what matters most.
Sorry: "…just because something doesn’t seem to make sense *by human, natural standards* doesn’t mean it’s NOT true…"
I don't agree. I love to study the Bible and I love to read what other people who love to study the Bible have written about it. Normally, I have to go to a different book, to find out what my favorite writers have written about passages of scripture that I am looking at. With this Bible, however, we can have a commentary, by a man whom God has worked through for a lifetime, to aid us in reading God's word. This is not an addition to the Bible itself, but a study tool, that will help all who read it gain a different perspective into the word itself.
We are the body of Christ. Each part of the body serves a purpose and all parts are needed. To read another mans take on the bible is not to think it to be a part of the Bible, but an insight into what God has shown that man. To me, that is the Church working well. If a person would read C.S. Lewis passages next to scripture and assume that they are additions to the word, exposes more issues in that person than it does in the publishing company who created this Bible. We can glean from C.S. Lewis, but not take away from the Word of God. Let's enjoy the fruit of the body of Christ. We are not adding to the Bible, but being good stewards of the Word God has given by reaping the fruit of another's gift.
Bill
I wish it was in KJV too. 😉 That is what I read. 🙂
I stated, Ma'am, that there is a necessity in understanding the context of a person's words, in order to understand what that person means. The fact that a brand-new Christian who saw warfare would struggle with the truth somewhat should not be surprising. Trust me, it's quite realistic. Warfare is not like Hollywood makes it out to be with an inspiring soundtrack playing in the background, and the result never in doubt. I have doubted myself, at times, so I can have sympathy for what Lewis went through.
If you think this makes him, or by extension myself and other, bad Christians, then so be it. I would merely ask that you think, probe, and try to discern, instead of speaking to these issues and those who struggle with such contempt and sarcasm. As a Christian, how can you expect to win souls with such sarcasam and contempt?
As for the argument that it might not help others, well, that is for them to decide between themselves, their families, and, most importantly of all, God. It is not for us to decide. If a company chooses to release a product, then we can condemn it, but it really isn't our place to try to act like a product shouldn't even exist. I, for one, feel that input stops there, at input, and should not get into controlling, or forcing others actions. If I, or anyone want to get it, it is my business, and not anyone else's, except for God's.
Above all, shouldn't we rejoice that a man embraced more and more of the truth in the last few years of his life, instead of ripping him to shreds for not doing so sooner. The Scriptures say that the angels watch us to learn from us, but I wonder if watching our attitudes doesn't cause them to learn how grateful they are not to be us.
Thank you all for your opinions, and I would just ask some of you to try to understand instead of coming down on those of us who struggle with a wave of righteous indignation. You have absolutely no clue what any of us go through.
God bless all.
I am going to have to agree with TalkingRat on this one. On the one hand your saying that one should not have to read all of the C.S. Lewis books to understand where he is coming from and what his points of view are. On the other hand your saying that because you didn’t understand one of his books, you won’t understand the rest. If Clive Staples Lewis were alive right now, and he heard you say that, he would utter his famous line of , “Your argument implodes on itself.” You ‘re saying that I should not have to have context to understand everything, but at the same time your saying that based on the context one book, you can’t understand anything. Context is important to you. Your issue is not context as it stands, but how much context does one need to have. You’re using a little context, to make a large assumption about the study Bible.
Also, commentary is commentary. The Scripture needs to be our context. We’re discussing context in terms of a mans books, when the mans books should be in the context of scripture. I think it is a great idea to take a timeless writer like Lewis, and put him next to the scriptures, so we can see how his writing holds up under the powerful light of Gods truth. This is a wonderful idea and as I have said above, it’s the body of Christ working well with itself.
Bill
While I'm doubting you really gave MereChristian's words enough thought, HighQueen,(because he/she really does have a point) I do agree we shouldn't have to read everything to understand one quote.
While I don't agree with their phrasing eg, "C.S. Lewis Bible" I don't think this is a bad thing. He's got immensely insightful thoughts on lots and lots of things.
Much of the time his more harsh critics take his writings out of context. Much depends on context. Lots of us, every day, say things that would be heretical if they were taken out of context. Lewis is no different.
People that are struggling with this, just think of it as a commentary and it might be easier.
Go with God,
Eavis
I believe, along with most of the rest of you, that the Bible is God's Word. But I think some of us disagree on what that means. One person said in an earlier post that the Bible is "the infallible, unchanging Word of God," and then turned right around and said that some of the "best Bibles around" were full of mistakes, mistranslations, and heresies. That doesn't sound like "infallible" and "unchangeable" to me.
Such arguments raise an interesting question. How do we know which Bibles qualify as God's "unchanging Word" and which don't? In the spirit of Lewis’s ending to Mere Christianity, I see three main possibilities:
1. All modern translations and editions of the Bible can be trusted.
2. Only some modern translations and editions of the Bible can be trusted.
3. No modern translation or edition of the Bible can be trusted.
In the first case, there would be no point to this debate, because there would be nothing to worry about. The average Joe who picks up the C.S. Lewis Bible (or any other) could open it without fear of being assaulted by heresy.
Obviously, the second and third cases present us with a problem. How do we decide which Bibles are trustworthy? Unless I’m an expert in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic, I’m forced to trust the opinion of a scholar to tell me whether a particular translation/edition is trustworthy. But wait! How can I do that if human beings are infallible and only the Bible itself should ever be trusted? Oops. That leaves me with the option of reading a version of the Bible that might be faulty or resorting to the original manuscripts. Assuming that I’m an average Joe (like most of the early apostles), that isn’t really much of a choice.
It shouldn’t take long to realize that we’re forced to trust in God and those who represent Him (or claim to, anyway) in order to get a version of the Bible we understand. If God can produce the original, flawless manuscripts that we all believe are His Word, why couldn’t He ensure that all (or at least most) of our modern translations bring us the message He wants us to hear?
As far as the Lewis Bible goes, live and let live, please, and stop tearing your hair out. It isn’t the end of the world if someone untrained in the Scriptures happens to buy this. If God can speak through an ass (Numbers 21), surely he can speak through Lewis.
Something tells me the ass wasn’t a formal theologian, either. But it still spoke the truth.
I don't like the whole 'C.S.Lewis Bible' thing either IF, (the IF is a big thing there) they/he is ADDING to the actual Word of God. If they are just putting in some quotes and side-notes, that's perfectly fine in my opinion. Every person has their own walk with The Lord,and so long as they believe that Jesus Christ came to save our sins and that his blood and sacrifice is the One and Only way to Heaven, then it is up to the individual to determine the direction of their walk with God. Obviously, if they are into things that directly contradict the Scriptures, we obviously have a problem there, and it is then up to fellow believers to GENTLY AND KINDLY point out what they are erring in; but if they are using good solid Christian literature that will enhance and build up their walk with The Lord, then by all means, leave them alone and let them do so!
Some may find problem with using any other literature than the Bible, but as before said, it is up the the believer and their walk with The Lord that will determine what they should do concerning those matters, and it is not our place to criticize them and tell them what they are doing is wrong. That is not our place, and in reality we are doing more harm than good!
I'm with you on that. I just don't think CS Lewis would have liked this.
Here is my question for everyone…?
This is being called the C.S. Lewis Bible!!!
What if it were called, The Bible with C.S. LEwis commentary.
Would we feel different about it?
Once again the Bible tells us to learn from one another. It tells us to study to show our selves approved. If all we do is read the Bible, without any help at all from other people who read it, we are in essence saying that we are capeable of understanding on our own. Some of us more spiritual people may say that they read the Word with the Holy Spirit. I say that the Holy Spirit was poured out on a people of God and not on one isolated individual. the context for the Holy Spirit is the body of Christ. If we read the Bible apart from others at all, we are neglecting the Body of Christ, thus neglecting the indwelling of the holy Spirit all together.
Maybe if they came out with a seperate book called, "The C.S. Lewis commentary, people would not be so upset. Mere Christian, I love your words and agree with you. I feel blessed to have C.S. Lewis as a gift given by God to the church. He is human, but he also has been used by God. He flaws matched with his usefulness should give all of us sinners some hope that God uses the foolish things of this world to confound…..the wise.
Bill
No, I still think it would be fun to read!
I think I might puke
I think that would be fine, so long as they are not adding to the actual Bible.
Just want to clarify again, since the conversation has gone on so long: I'm not freaking out about this, I just think it's something to consider. 🙂 I don't think it's absolutely and terribly dangerous, I just think it's maybe on the edge of being dangerous, where for some people it could be helpful and for others it might be a bit of a stumbling block.
Darktiger09: I totaly agree with you! That I would NOT read!
I agree with you all, it shouldn't be added to the Bible as a substitute, its just a study tool. I don't like the name, it's a little like using the Lord's name in vain for me, I think it should be different like "The Bible with additions and commentary by C S Lewis", not the "C S Lewis Bible." We'll just have to wait and see what it's really like.
yeah, if they started doing that then i think they would have a lot of angry Christians to deal with!
ok your right about that, highqueenofnarnia. i was just saying i dont think we have to freak out too much that they're calling it "Bible", but yes you are right it is from God. instructions from God, thats what they are, and i can never get enough of it 😀
This is NOT adding to the Word. It's commentary. That's all. It's no different than a Matthew Henry commentary. It's not bad, it's not a sin. It's a Bible, with commentary by C.S. Lewis. If this is "adding to the Word," than we should never study anything but the Bible itself. No works written about it, no opinions, not even our own. Chill out every one….it's a commentary. Enjoy it.
Bill
You guys are absolutly right. I actualy have the Henry Morris commetnary bible but his views on baptizim are absolutly wrong.
Pippin…this is what I'm talking about. You're saying that his views on baptisim are wrong. That is your opinion. If you can state your opinion based on what we read in the bible, then why is it wrong for C.S. Lewis to do the same. We have a Bible here that is simply C.S. Lewis not in place of, but next to the scriptures with his opinion. this is great in my opinion. Maybe they are wrong about baptisim. That's fine. We are the body of Christ moving towards got through study and relationship. Praise God.
Pippin…this is what I’m talking about. You’re saying that his views on baptizim are wrong. That is your opinion. If you can state your opinion based on what we read in the bible, then why is it wrong for C.S. Lewis to do the same. We have a Bible here that is simply C.S. Lewis not in place of, but next to the scriptures with his opinion. this is great in my opinion. Maybe they are wrong about baptizim. That’s fine. We are the body of Christ moving towards God through study and relationship. Praise God
Very true! 🙂 Thank You. 🙂