God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics

Clive Staples Lewis

William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970 - Philosophy - 346 pages

Lewis struck me as the most thoroughly converted man I ever met, observes Walter Hooper in the preface to this collection of essays by C. S. Lewis. "His whole vision of life was such that the natural and the supernatural seemed inseparably combined." It is precisely this pervasive Christianity which is demonstrated in the 48 essays comprising God in the Dock. Here Lewis addresses himself both to theological questions and to those which Hooper terms "semi-theological," or ethical. But whether he is discussing "Evil and God," "Miracles," "The Decline of Religion," or "The Humanitarian Theory of Punishment," his insight and observations are thoroughly and profoundly Christian. Drawn from a variety of sources, the essays were designed to meet a variety of needs, and among other accomplishments they serve to illustrate the many different angles from which we are able to view the Christian religion. They range from relatively popular pieces written for newspapers to more learned defenses of the faith which first appeared in The Socratic Digest. Characterized by Lewis's honesty and realism, his insight and conviction, and above all his thoroughgoing commitments to Christianity, these essays make God in the Dock very much a book for our time.

What people are saying

Review: God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics

User Review  - Lynn Joshua - Goodreads

As always, Lewis meets the hard questions head-on and gives profound answers in his clear and compelling writing style. He is brilliant, humble, humorous...simply unparalleled as a writer and thinker ...

Review: God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics

User Review  - Teni - Goodreads

A great collection of Lewis essays', many of which are not available anywhere else. As a fan of Lewis' writing, I thoroughly enjoyed reading through his essays on theology and ethics. I especially ...

About the author

C. S. (Clive Staples) Lewis, "Jack" to his intimates, was born on November 29, 1898 in Belfast, Ireland. His mother died when he was 10 years old and his lawyer father allowed Lewis and his brother Warren extensive freedom. The pair were extremely close and they took full advantage of this freedom, learning on their own and frequently enjoying games of make-believe. These early activities led to Lewis's lifelong attraction to fantasy and mythology, often reflected in his writing. He enjoyed writing about, and reading, literature of the past, publishing such works as the award-winning The Allegory of Love (1936), about the period of history known as the Middle Ages. Although at one time Lewis considered himself an atheist, he soon became fascinated with religion. He is probably best known for his books for young adults, such as his Chronicles of Narnia series. This fantasy series, as well as such works as The Screwtape Letters (a collection of letters written by the devil), is typical of the author's interest in mixing religion and mythology, evident in both his fictional works and nonfiction articles. Lewis served with the Somerset Light Infantry in World War I; for nearly 30 years he served as Fellow and tutor of Magdalen College at Oxford University. Later, he became Professor of Medieval and Renaissance English at Cambridge University. C.S. Lewis married late in life, in 1957, and his wife, writer Joy Davidman, died of cancer in 1960. He remained at Cambridge until his death on November 22, 1963.

Bibliographic information

• Title: God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics
• Author: Clive Staples Lewis
• Edition: reprint
• Publisher: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970
• ISBN: 0802808689, 9780802808684
• Length: 346 pages
• Subjects: Philosophy / Ethics & Moral Philosophy; Religion / Christian Theology / Ethics; Religion / Christian Theology / General