C.S. Lewis--the Work of Christ Revealed

Synopsis: C. S. Lewis--The Work of Christ Revealed focuses on three doctrines or aspects of Lewis's theology and philosophy: his doctrine of Scripture, his famous mad, bad, or God argument, and his doctrine of christological prefigurement. In each area we see Lewis innovating within the tradition. He accorded a high revelatory status to Scripture, but acknowledged its inconsistencies and shrank away from a theology of inerrancy. He took a two-thousand-year-old theological tradition of aut Deus aut malus homo (either God or a bad man) and developed it in his own way. Most innovative of all was his doctrine of christological prefigurement--intimations of the Christ-event in pagan mythology and ritual. This book forms the second in a series of three studies on the theology of C. S Lewis titled C. S. Lewis, Revelation, and the Christ (www.cslewisandthechrist.net). The books are written for academics and students, but also, crucially, for those people, ordinary Christians, without a theology degree who enjoy and gain sustenance from reading Lewis's work. Endorsements: "P. H. Brazier's comprehensive study details Lewis's Christology and reveals that what Lewis thought about Christ was what he thought about everything. This insightful, thorough, and learned exposition of the quintessence of Lewis's theology also suggests a reading of his fiction and literary theory, bringing readers back to Lewis again and again." --Sřrina Higgins, book review editor of Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal "A groundbreaking treatment demonstrating C. S. Lewis's depth and originality, reinforcing him as one of the twentieth century's greatest Christian thinkers. Crucially, for those evangelicals undecided on aspects of Lewis's theology, Brazier's masterful examination of Lewis on Christology and revelation offers welcome reassurance. This substantial and nuanced volume is a must-read, not only for evangelicals, but any student of the life and thought of C. S. Lewis." --Calvin L. Smith, author of Pentecostal Power "Serious investigations into the theology of C. S. Lewis have been long in coming. . . . [T]he fact that Lewis was not a professional theologian has led to his being overlooked by those who were most able to engage critically and creatively with his writings. Fortunately . . . a new generation of scholars has taken up the task. Paul Brazier's latest contribution to this is a most welcome accomplishment that will leave an indelible impression on our understanding of--and appreciation for--Lewis's remarkable theological contributions." --Dr. Grayson Carter Associate Professor of Church History Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California Editor of Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal "In this rigorous and searching study of the theology of C. S. Lewis, Paul Brazier locates Lewis within the wider context of theological scholarship and shows him to be a theologian to be reckoned with in his own right, rather than simply a popularizer of Christian faith. This most welcome volume in a proposed three-volume series will surely prove invaluable in the assessment of Lewis's legacy." --Dr. Murray Rae Professor and Head of the Department of Theology and Religion University of Otago, New Zealand Author Biography: P. H Brazier is an independent theologian and scholar living in London. He is the author of Barth and Dostoevsky (2008), and editor of the late Colin E. Gunton's The Barth Lectures (2007) and Revelation and Reason (2009).