The Big Idea – CS Lewis Quotes

“The time is always ripe for re-union.  Divisions between Christians are a sin and a scandal, and Christians ought at all times to be making contributions toward re-union, if it is only by their prayers.”

~CS Lewis

Good evening, brothers and sisters!  So as this journey progresses towards creating “The Big Idea” for both God’s glory, our unity, and your pleasure, I am using this blog more now to update my readers and hold myself accountable than I am using it for updates as a Christian teacher in the public school setting (although God is at work there mightily as well!).

Assist from a Head on the Mount Rushmore of Theologians

When I arrived home tonight, I posted up at my kitchen table while my beautiful wife Jessica pleasantly cooked in the kitchen.  Before arriving to my newly found favorite spot for this project, I felt led to grab my “The Quotable Lewis” book: a reference book entirely of CS Lewis quotes organized by subject.  Here are a couple highly intriguing quotes by ol’ Clive on the subjects of church unity and the danger of division and what I believe the Lord is teaching me through them regarding TBI:

• Church: Divisions – “Disputations do more to aggravate schism than to heal it: united action, prayer, fortitude and (should God so will) united deaths for Christ – these will make us one.”
  • Letters: C.S. Lewis/Don Giovanni Calabria (25 November 1947), para. 5, pp. 39.
    • Truths extracted: –
      • a united church is on the heart and mind of CS Lewis.
      • He desires to “make us one” and there are specific, unified actions we as believers should take
      • Debating or “disputing” works against the unity of the Church.  We can infer that it is best to seek common ground, what the Holy Spirit alone would lead us to agree upon as the essentials of our faith, as opposed to arguing over whose unessential happens to also lie within the appendix of God’s reference manual on truth.
• Church: Divisions – “Our divisions should never be discussed except in the presence of those who have already come to believe that there is one God and that Jesus Christ is His only Son.”
  • Mere Christianity, Preface, para. 2, p. 6.
    • Truths extracted –
      • We can assert that it is required for “The Big Idea” to have a concise, ultimate list of the essentials of the Christian faith.  This quote could lead us to say that the essential of essentials is “that there is one God and that Jesus Christ is His only Son.”
• Church: Unity – “The time is always ripe for re-union.  Divisions between Christians are a sin and a scandal, and Christians ought at all times to be making contributions toward re-union, if it is only by their prayers.”
  • God in the Dock, “Answers to Questions on Christianity” (1944), ans. 14, p. 60
    • Truths extracted –
      • CS Lewis asserts that “divisions between Christians are a sin and a scandal”.  What is the scriptural support of this because this is fascinating!  So, church divisions are sinful.
      • We should be seeking to re-unify
        • This means we were once united
      • We should be praying for a united Church.

There are other quotes Lewis has on unity and division in the Church, but this is a most affirming start in seeing that a great theologian who has preceded us can agree that the Church would be much better off united than divided!  Praise God!

Closing Prayer

Lord, thank you for the words you have spoken through all the prophets, apostles, theologians and all those we may call “Christian” who have walked before us.  Thank you for the encouragement given through your servant CS Lewis, who encourages us to be united and discourages us from being divided.  Please use the lessons learned this evening towards encouraging the Church to be united, your Great Commission fulfilled, our Lord returned in his glory, and the end of all evil.  We love you, Sir, to you be all the glory, and it’s in Jesus’ name, by the power of the Holy Spirit we pray, amen.

Please follow and like us: