Notes on Hillsdale College Online Course part 1

C.S. Lewis on Christianity  

By Reverend Lonnie C. Crowe

I have recently finished an online study from Hillsdale College entitled “C.C. Lewis on Christianity.  The lecturer was Michael Ward, a fellow at Oxford in England as well as Hillsdale.  The course stretched both my mind and my soul and, therefore, my spirit.  I am delighted to share some of my notes from the course. Remember these are my notes.  They are what captured my thoughts.  They are not an outline of the course. 

 

 Notes on Hillsdale College Online Course 

C.S. Lewis on Christianity 

Lecturer Michael Ward 

“Good and Evil” 

Lewis was born in Belfast, Ireland before division into the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.  Lewis’ experience in boarding school was difficult .  He later forgave the head master.  He became an “effective” believer at that time. He learned that Christian doctrine is different from general uplift.  He faithfully "practiced" Christianity. Self doubt came with the study of ancient mythology. He abandoned Christianity from the age of 13 or so.   

Adult Lewis was an academic.  Started out in philosophy .  Taught English lit.  He was an ethicist.  He lectured on the qualities of goodness.  Moral value is objective and not a subjective choice.  Moral value is universal, self-evident and learned by practice. It is discovered.  To deny moral value makes one morally blind. 

Reason is the organ of morality.  The Tao-the way- Is the basic universal principles of morality.  We learn moral value by practice.  It becomes a way of life.   

A dogmatic belief in objective value is necessary to the very idea of a rule which is not tyranny or an obedience which is not slavery. 

Character development comes from what we see and hear. It depends on where we are standing and the person we are. (subjective) 

To participate in the Tao (practical reason) makes one truly human.  One must walk the talk. We mature into the Tao as our influencers demonstrate the Tao. 

The Tao is consistent with Christianity because God created man in His own image.  Therefore, we are created to walk in the image of God.