Is Your Lord Large Enough?: How C. S. Lewis Expands Our View of God - Softcover

Schakel, Peter J

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0830834923 ISBN 13: 9780830834921

Publisher: IVP, 2008

Synopsis

"Every year you grow, you will find me bigger."--Aslan to Lucy in Prince CaspianC. S. Lewis was, of course, a brilliant apologist, and his books contain much to feed your intellect. But Lewis was also very concerned about Christian formation and strongly desired to help believers deepen their faith and broaden their vision of God.In this book Peter Schakel opens to you the more practical parts of Lewis's wonderful writings. Covering areas of potential struggle such as prayer, suffering, doubt and love, Schakel draws principles from Lewis's nonfiction as well as illustrations from the Chronicles of Narnia to stir your imagination and soul so that you might see God in new ways. In addition, the author quotes from contemporaries ofLewis, showing how their thinking fit with Lewis's.With reflection questions included, this deeper look at Lewis's formational writings is valuable for your personal devotions or for group discussions. Either way, as you read you will find God bigger and bigger.

About this title

About the Author

Peter J. Schakel (Ph.D., University of Wisconsin) is Cook Professor of English at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. His books include The Way into Narnia: A Reader's Guide (Eerdmans) and Imagination and the Arts in C. S. Lewis (University of Missouri Press).

Reviews

Schakel (The Way into Narnia), an English professor at Hope College, bases this book on C.S. Lewis's idea that our conception of God should grow as we grow. As Aslan tells Lucy in the Narnia series' Prince Caspian, Every year you grow, you will find me bigger. Each chapter addresses a practical or theological aspect of the Christian life (like prayer, grace, church and the problem of pain), summarizing Lewis's writing on the topic and tracing how his thinking changed as he matured in his faith. Chapters begin with a Bible passage and are filled with quotes from Lewis's books and letters, the musings of his Inkling friends, and other writers he admired, like George MacDonald. Each chapter also refers to how the idea is expressed in Lewis's popular Narnia series. It's a testimony to Schakel's deep familiarity with Lewis that all of this is seamless and easy to read in spite of the vast source material. Readers may find that the book does not entirely live up to the title's premise, but it's a valuable summary of Lewis's thoughts on Christian living, which will be especially useful for small groups. Readers new to Lewis will find the book approachable, and longtime fans will find something new or be reminded of passages they love. (Feb.)
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Edition details

• Publisher: IVP
• Publication date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0830834923
• ISBN 13: 9780830834921
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 208