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Rivermont Presbyterian Church
Mere Christianity - C.S. Lewis
Book 3 - Christian Behavior
Summary of Chapters : 1 - The Three Parts of Morality; 2 - The Cardinal Virtues
Faith
1 Tes. 5:23,24
Love
Intellect
Justice
2 Co. 10:4,5
Harmony
Economy
Social Life
Language
Culture
Justice
Prov 4: 23; 23:26
Will
Ps. 40:8
Ps. 119:11
Heart
Thought
Feeling
Soul
Sent.
Phi. 4:6,7
Mercy
Biologic Life
Energy
Body
Motion
Space
Responsibility
Competence
Number
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about
such things. ... put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:8
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Questions for Discussion
I. The Three Parts of Morality- Lewis proposes three concerns of morality
-Fair play and harmony between individuals. According Lewis' ship analogy, why is it not useful to
stop with the first concern of morality?
-Harmonizing the things inside each individual. How is the second morality achieved? What causes
differences between people in regards to the second concern of morality?
-The general purpose of human life as a whole. Why is the idea "as long as I don't hurt others, what I
do is OK", a non-Christian philosophy?
II. The "Cardinal Virtues" - Lewis discusses what he calls the cardinal virtues.
-Lewis says that according to old writers, there are seven virtues. Four of the virtues are called
cardinal and the other three are theological. What are the four cardinal virtues?
-Does being child-like mean that a Christian can be foolish?
-Does temperance apply only to drinking? Does it mean complete abstinence?
-What word does Lewis use to describe justice?
-Fortitude is described in two ways, what are they?
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What is Morality?
Rules to stop us having fun
Rules for running the human machine
Moral Ideals vs Moral Rules
Moral Idealism vs Moral Obedience
Ways The Human Machine Goes Wrong
Individuals drift apart
from one another - collide
Different parts within an
individual drift apart or interfere
with one another
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Morality is concerned with three things
Fair play between individuals
What man was made for
Tidying up or harmonizing the things inside each individual
The behavior of the human machine is related to the
understanding of its origin and destination
To whom we belong to?
How long are we going to live?
Morality : Three Departments
Relations between
man to man
Relations inside
each man
Relations between man and
the power that made him
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The Cardinal (Pivotal - Essential) Virtues
Prudence
Temperance
Justice
Fortitude
Common Sense
Child’s Heart
Grown-up Head
Going the right length and no further
From drinking to reading
Fairness
Honesty
Truthfulness
Keeping Promises
Guts
Christianity requires the whole of us, brains, and all.
One of the reasons why it needs no special education to be a Christian is that Christianity is an
education itself. This is why, an uneducated believer like Bunyan was able to write a book that
astonished the whole world.
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Virtue
Quality
Not a particular Action
Important Observations
1. The right actions done for the wrong reason do not help to build character called virtue
2. God does not want obedience to a set of rules - He is interested in a people of a
particular sort
3. In heaven we may not need to practice the cardinal virtues, but there will be every
occasion for being the sort of people that we can become only as a result of doing such
acts here. ...if people have not got at least the beginnings of those qualities inside of them,
then no possible external conditions could make a “Heaven” for them - that is, could make
them happy with the deep, strong, unshakable kind of happiness God intended for us.
Galatians 6: 1-10
(Let us not become weary in doing good)
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The C.S. Lewis Catechism
Q1. Why does man need God?
A1. Because God made man to run on God Himself
Q2. Why did God give free will to man allowing evil to come into
the picture?
A2. Because free will is the only thing that makes possibly any love
or goodness or joy worth having.
Q3. What did God do to restore / redeem man?
A3. God Himself became man to save man from the
disapproval of God.
Q4. What is formula of Christianity?
A4. That Christ was killed for us, that His death washed out our sins,
and that by dying He disabled death itself. That is the formula. That
is Christianity. That is what has to be believed.
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