Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
Week 4: Book I, Chapter 3 — The Reality of the Law
Read Book I, Chapter 3 of Mere Christianity ('The Reality of the Law')
Previewing Week 4 of Mere Christianity
Read 3 of 6 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 29-week guide when you’re ready.
Lewis presses the evidence: the Moral Law is real, demanding, and not of our own making — and the implications are deeply uncomfortable.
Discussion Questions
6 questions1.Lewis argues that the Moral Law is not simply a description of how humans behave but a *prescription* of how they ought to. What is the difference, and why does it matter for his argument about God?
2.He says the Moral Law is the one thing in the universe that cannot be dismissed as 'just the way things happen to be.' Why can't we be comfortable with that explanation for morality when we can be comfortable with it for, say, gravity?
3.Lewis points out that we feel *guilt* when we break the Moral Law — not just regret or inconvenience. How does the phenomenon of genuine guilt support his argument that the Law comes from outside us?
a.Describe a time you felt genuine guilt — not just fear of consequences. What did it feel like, and where did you sense it was pointing?
b.How is guilt different from shame? Does Lewis's argument depend on that distinction?