1898-1963

Writer and Defender of the Faith

C. S. Lewis

Summary
British professor and author, writer of classics such as The Chronicles of Narnia and Mere Christianity. A former atheist, he used reason and imagination to defend the faith with clarity, becoming one of the most widely read and influential Christian voices of the twentieth century.
Who they were
Biography

Many people have felt the sensation of losing their faith or of thinking that God is nothing more than an illusion created by human imagination. Clive Staples Lewis knew this pain well. After losing his mother as a boy and fighting in the horrors of World War I, he decided that Christianity made no sense and adopted atheism for more than a decade.

Born in Belfast, Lewis went to study literature and philosophy at the University of Oxford. There, he became a respected professor and met other scholars with whom he debated mythology and truth for entire nights. Two friends were decisive in changing his way of thinking: Hugo Dyson and J. R. R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings, who helped him see the gospel with new eyes.

In 1929, Lewis admitted the existence of God, considering himself the most reluctant convert in all of England. Two years later, in 1931, after a nighttime walk with Tolkien and a trip to the Whipsnade Zoo, he confessed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. From then on, he dedicated his communication skills to explaining biblical truth in a simple way.

During World War II, the BBC invited him to record messages of hope for the British people. While bombs fell on the cities, Lewis spoke about morality, forgiveness and salvation using easy everyday words. These broadcasts gave rise to the book Mere Christianity, one of the most widely read defenses of the faith in the modern world.

Lewis was not perfect and, in academic discussions, he sometimes acted impatiently with those who disagreed with him. Later, he experienced a short and striking marriage with Joy Davidman. When she passed away due to cancer, Lewis faced deep pain and recorded his anguish with honesty, showing that Christians also face grief.

Today, Lewis remains a great reference in the rational defense of the Christian faith. His Narnia stories and his theological reflections show that reason and imagination can walk together in the proclamation of Christ. His life teaches that God does not fear difficult questions and can transform even the most convinced skeptic into a blessing for the nations.

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”
C. S. Lewis · The Weight of Glory
Timeline
Nov 29, 1898

Birth in Belfast

Born in Northern Ireland, son of Albert and Florence Lewis.

1908

Death of his mother and crisis of faith

The early death of his mother shakes his childhood and begins his departure from Christianity.

1917

Military service in the trenches

Fights in World War I in France, where he is wounded in combat and has his atheism reinforced by the violence of war.

1925

Appointment as professor at Oxford

Assumes the position of professor of English Language and Literature at Magdalen College, where he teaches for nearly three decades.

1931

Conversion to Jesus Christ

Abandons atheism and confesses the Christian faith after long dialogues with J. R. R. Tolkien and Hugo Dyson.

1941 to 1944

BBC radio lectures

Records radio broadcasts to comfort the British population during World War II.

1950

Publication of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Releases the first Narnia book, enchanting generations with narratives that reflect the truth of the gospel.

1956

Marriage to Joy Davidman

Marries the American writer and poet, who passed away four years later.

Nov 22, 1963

Passing in Oxford

Dies peacefully at his residence, The Kilns, at age sixty-four.

Works and milestones

Mere Christianity

1952

Radio broadcasts recorded during the bombing raids of the Second World War that were gathered into a book, explaining the core points of biblical faith common to all Christians.

The Chronicles of Narnia

1950 to 1956

Series of seven fantasy books presenting central truths of biblical faith, such as creation, redemption through the sacrifice of Aslan and the hope of a new world.

The Screwtape Letters

1942

Brilliant satire in the format of letters between demons, exposing the subtleties of temptation, spiritual pride and human weaknesses in daily life.

The Problem of Pain and A Grief Observed

1940 and 1961

Works addressing pain first from a theological perspective and later through the sincere account of personal grief following the passing of his wife Joy.

Founding and leadership of the Oxford Socratic Club

1942 to 1954

Chaired an open university space where Christians and atheists debated philosophical and religious themes with respect and rigor of thought.

Contributions
1

Defense of the faith in simple language

Explained the rational defense of the faith, human morality and the divinity of Jesus in simple language, reaching readers who never stepped into a theology faculty.

2

Use of imagination to communicate truth

Showed that children's stories and fantasy tales can convey the glory of the gospel, opening doors for the message of salvation in the hearts of children and adults.

3

Focus on essential Christianity

Defended the unity of believers around core biblical doctrines, avoiding secondary divisions and encouraging mutual love among different church traditions.

4

Honesty in the face of pain and doubt

Dealt with the silence of God and loss with total sincerity in his books, teaching that Christians do not need to hide their wounds to remain faithful.

Missionary legacy

Remains one of the most effective evangelistic bridges for intellectuals, scientists and skeptics seeking solid reasons to believe in God.

The Chronicles of Narnia reach homes and schools in countries closed to the gospel, planting biblical truths through good literature.

Inspired university ministries to engage in dialogue in the public square with respect, clarity and firmness in the Word of God.

His emphasis on the shared gospel motivates cooperation between churches and missionary agencies in the global proclamation of Christ.

Other people