Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
Week 20: Book III, Chapter 9 — Charity
Read Book III, Chapter 9 of Mere Christianity ('Charity').
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Lewis reclaims the word 'Charity' from its watered-down modern meaning and sets it against the backdrop of the previous chapter's diagnosis of Pride.
Discussion Questions
6 questions1.Lewis insists that 'charity' in the Christian sense means love — not just generosity with money. He says Love (in the sense of willing the good of another) is a virtue, not a feeling, and therefore it can be commanded. Why does it matter whether love is primarily a feeling or a choice?
2.He gives the practical advice: do not waste time wondering whether you 'love' your neighbor; act as if you do, and the feeling may follow. How does this connect to the 'pretending' argument from Book II, Chapter 5?
a.Is there someone in your life you would struggle to 'act as if you loved'? What is the first act you could take?
b.Does the idea that love is a practiced choice make it more or less meaningful to you?
3.Lewis warns that charity includes not liking people — he says there are people he finds annoying or disagreeable, and that is fine. What matters is *acting* toward them in their interest. How does this take the pressure off the feeling and put it on the will?
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