Chapter 1
What is Theology?
"the science of God"
What does Christianity offer that is the only one on the market?
"The Christian idea of a super-personal, 3-person God"
What does Lewis say about God's relation to time?
"Almost certainly God is not in time"
The Son exists because...
The Father exists
What is C.S. Lewis' full name?
Clive Staples Lewis
What is the purpose of Theology?
The purpose of Theology is to direct us to God
How does Lewis employ the analogy of multiple dimensions?
God is like a cube, He has multiple personalities but He's all One God
What does it mean that God is eternally present in time?
"God has infinite amounts of time to spare for each one of us" God is always in the present, He exists outside of time.
How is God involved when we love?
God is love, and that love works through men-especially through the whole community of Christians, God is always acting through us
When was Lewis born
November 29, 1898
Everyone has ideas about God, but what does Lewis say about the danger of this?
If you don't listen to theology, that does not mean you have no ideas of God, but rather a lot of wrong ideas...bad, muddled, out-of-date ideas
What is the classic orthodox statement regarding the Trinity Lewis states?
"In God's dimension, so to speak, you find a being who is three Persons while remaining one Being, just as a cube is six squares while remaining one cube"
What does Lew say about time-series relating to God?
He sees our whole past, present, and future simultaneously, we only live in the present
"If you picture Time as a straight line along which we have to travel, then you must picture God as the whole page in which the line is drawn"
According to Lewis, what is the best way to think of this cause/result concept?
"Imagine a book. Your act of imagination was the cause and the mental image was the result. But that does not mean that you first did the imagining and then got the picture. Your will was keeping the picture before you all the time"
How old was Lewis when he decided to become an atheist?
15
How does Lewis explain the difference between making and begetting?
"To create is to make. To beget is to become the father of" When you beget, you beget something of the same kind as yourself. When you make, you make something of a different kind from yourself.
In what sense is Theology an experimental science?
"Initiative lies on his side. If he does not show himself, there is nothing you can do that will enable you to find him"
How does Lewis resolve the issue of God's relation to future events and free will?
"He does not 'foresee' you doing things tomorrow. He simply sees you doing them: because, though tomorrow is not yet there for you, it is for him"
Why do the words "God is love" mean nothing if you believe God is a singular person?
Because love requires 2 people in relationship with each other, so "God is love" requires Two Persons.
How old was Lewis when he converted to Christianity?
32
What two kinds of life does Lewis describe?
Bios: biological, natural, decay, temporarily, here on earth
Zoe: spiritual, eternal
What is the only adequate instrument for learning about God?
"The whole Christian community, waiting for him together"
What analogy does Lewis use to explain God's perception of time?
Lewis uses the analogy of an author writing a story to illustrate God's non-linear experience of time. He compares the author's ability to move within the story's timeline to God's timeless existence.
How can you think of the third-person?
As something inside you, or behind you. It is the love of The Father and The Son working directly in your life.
How many times did Lewis fail his Oxford entrance exam?
twice