The Weight of Glory by C.S. Lewis
Week 5: "Is Theology Poetry?"
Read Essay 5: "Is Theology Poetry?" in The Weight of Glory. Key Scripture: John 1:1-14; Colossians 1:15-20.
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Lewis asks whether Christianity appeals to us merely because it is a grand and beautiful story — a kind of cosmic poetry — or whether it makes claims to truth that can be evaluated. His answer is one of the most elegant summaries of his entire apologetic.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.What is the challenge embedded in Lewis's title? In what sense might someone argue that theology is "only" poetry, and why would that be a problem for the Christian faith?
2.Lewis argues that naturalism — the view that nature is all there is — is actually less poetically satisfying, and less intellectually coherent, than Christianity. Walk through his argument. Do you find it persuasive?
3.Lewis makes the famous observation that he believes in Christianity as he believes in the sun — not because he can see it directly, but because by it he can see everything else. What does he mean, and what kind of evidence is this for the truth of Christianity?
a.What things in your own experience "make more sense" in the light of Christian truth than they do without it?
b.Is this kind of argument satisfying to you, or do you want something more like direct proof? Why?
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