Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
Week 15: Book III, Chapter 4 — Morality and Psychoanalysis
Read Book III, Chapter 4 of Mere Christianity ('Morality and Psychoanalysis').
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Lewis engages the new psychology of his day — a conversation that is surprisingly relevant to our therapeutic moment.
Discussion Questions
6 questions1.Lewis argues that psychoanalysis and Christianity are not rivals but operate on different levels. Psychoanalysis deals with the material of our instincts and complexes; Christianity deals with what we *do* with that material. What is the distinction he is drawing, and why is it important?
2.He makes a crucial point about moral responsibility: two people with different psychological starting points cannot be compared simply by their actions. A person who overcomes a powerful temptation may show more virtue than someone who is not tempted at all. How does this challenge common judgmentalism?
a.Think of a moral struggle someone you know has that you do not share. How does Lewis's point change your assessment of their effort?
b.Does this principle let people off the hook for their behavior, or does it simply adjust how we measure virtue?
3.Lewis says God judges us by the raw material we were given and what we did with it — not by comparison with others. How does this shape the way you think about your own moral progress?
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