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Saturday, February 03, 2007
C.S. Lewis Quote
I've been struggling with issues related to faith and belief lately - there are certain aspects of Christianity that I am unable to believe in regardless of how they are packaged. This quote from C.S. Lewis helps:

"The world does not consist of 100% Christians and 100% non-Christians. There are people who are slowly ceasing to be Christians but who still call themselves by that name…There are other people who are slowly becoming Christians though they do not yet call themselves so. There are people who do not accept the full Christian doctrine about Christ but who are strongly attracted by him that they are his in a much deeper sense than they themselves understand. There are people in other religions who are being led by God’s secret influence to concentrate on those parts of their religion which are in agreement with Christianity and who thus belong to Christ without knowing it."

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posted by Lydia at 9:05 AM ¤ Permalink ¤


4 Comments:


  • At 2/03/2007 09:51:00 AM, Blogger Jemila Kwon

    I definitely hear/feel where you're coming from Lydia. I have struggled alot in the areas where I still sense I *should* believe certain things, which I cannot fully believe, no matter how hard I try, and the straining/guilt tends to drive me from God, rather than draw me closer to Her. I appreciate the quote. But even more so the shared journey with others who are running toward God, not away, yet who also cannot believe every doctrine the way the church has tended to teach or understand it. Thanks for the company!

     
  • At 2/03/2007 10:28:00 AM, Blogger Julie

    That Lewis quote reminds me of a lot of what McLaren writes in More Ready than you Realize.

    And I hear you about just not being able to accept certain things. For me realizing that there are alternate validly "christian" packagings does help - but there are some things I still have a hard time wrapping my mind around or fitting together.

     
  • At 2/03/2007 02:48:00 PM, Blogger Anne

    I love the inclusiveness of this. Perhaps one of the blessings of this writing by Lewis is how it embraces shades of grey when so many Christians have been taught to live in a black and white world.

     
  • At 2/04/2007 11:15:00 AM, Blogger Lydia

    No problem, everyone. :)

    the straining/guilt tends to drive me from God, rather than draw me closer to Her

    Yes, exactly.

    realizing that there are alternate validly "christian" packagings does help

    It does to a certain extent for me as well.

    But I also don't want God to become someone who fits neatly and completely into the box I built for Her. I've known Christians who've managed to do that, many of whom don't seem to realize the contradictions. But that's not what following Christ is about.