Mere Christianity

By: C. S. Lewis

Narrated by: Geoffrey Howard

Length: 5 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

Mere Christianity is C.S. Lewis' forceful and accessible doctrine of Christian belief. First heard as informal radio broadcasts and then published as three separate books, The Case for Christianity, Christian Behavior, and Beyond Personality, Mere Christianity brings together what Lewis sees as the fundamental truths of the religion. Rejecting the boundaries that divide Christianity's many denominations, C.S. Lewis finds a common ground on which all those who have Christian faith can stand together, proving that "at the center of each there is something, or a Someone, who against all divergences of belief, all differences of temperament, all memories of mutual persecution, speaks with the same voice".

©1942 C. S. Lewis Pte. Ltd. (P)2000 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"Geoffrey Howard's performance is superb; he is clear and unhurried, giving just the right emphasis and/or inflection....Whether or not one agrees with Lewis's arguments, it is a pleasure to hear such a skillful reading of an eloquent work." (Library Journal)

Valuable for Non-believers Too

A great text for drawing out the universal wisdom within Christianity, even if one isn’t a believer and doesn’t accept all his arguments for Christianity as the preferred religion.

Christian view in full effect

Mere Christianity gives an overview of Christian life intersects with cultural issues. Must read.

Great book

I read this 20 years ago, but listening to it again as an audiobook was an even better experience than the first time. It’s a classic.

Best Description of the abstract complicated topic of God

Tapered of at the end.. But the start to middle is profound and greatly explained what the faith is about

hard at first

I tried listening to this a few years ago but had to buy the book to really get through the first chapter or so. After that listening to it was a easy and very funny. C.S. Lewis is sharp and funny. He gives it like he sees it and so much of what he says will still be relevant for years to come.

A Classic That Gets Better & Better With Time!

This is probably my favorite book of all time. Lewis' straightforward logic on basic questions such as "How do we know there is a God?" and "What is God Like?" are still fresh and insightful more than half a century after they were written. Some of this book's great strengths are the lack of religious jargon and simplistic explanations as well as the freedom of sectarian denominational bias.

I have read this book multiple times (in addition to listening to this audiobook) and always glean something new from it. It is no coincidence that in Ken Hughes' survey of great 20th Century Christian Leaders, when he asked "Other than the Bible, what book has influenced you the most" - the #1 choice was "Mere Christianity". Yes, that's correct - it was selected above such classics as Calvin's "Institutes of the Christian Religion", Tozer's "The Pursuit of God" and "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers. It is also the book that convinced Charles Colson of the reality of God and changed his life during the Watergate years.

If you are new to reading philosophy or theology that is deeper than the constant pop-theology of the month books, you may want to take it slow and ponder (even re-listen to) the chapters - the slow rumination will help with the depth of thought that abounds in this book. Many do not know that Lewis is one of the best selling authors of all time - this book is a great example of why this is true!

Whether you are an athiest, a Christian, or of any other religious persuasion, this book is full of great concepts to consider. If you've done much reading, you'll notice numerous passages that often appear as quotes in other books. One of the few Christian books that deserves the title "Classic"!

As with most (or all) Blackstone Audiobooks - the narration is SUPERB!

Where has this book been all my life?

I've never heard a book that has had such an impact on my life. Easy to understand, yet very powerful message.
I'm very happy to have stumbled upon this audiobook.

Excellent Reading of an Great Book

The conversational tone of the reader augments the style of C. S. Lewis' sometimes dry writing and forms a amazing reading of a work that is timeless.

Brain Food

As an atheist religion major in college, the Christian apologists of the "Enlightenment" were some of the most circular reasoning folks to ever breathe (best example: Descartes). Were it up that that bunch, I’d still be an atheist today. But given only C.S. Lewis and his incredible gift for reason and rhetoric, I’d be a Christian, or at least an open-minded atheist. The only pitfall I can see to listening to this audiobook is the painful realization that most contemporary writers lining the bestseller lists are second-rate thinkers at best (a strong argument against the microevolutionary theory, one to which I still subscribe).

My How Things Have Changed ...

This book was written in the 1940s by Lewis, a famous author, as a lay member of the Church of England. The book is written as an intellectual defense of Christianity in general without getting into the schisms that divide various denominations.

The book is incredibly well-written and the arguments are laid out in a logical and compelling manner. In fact, the book would be worth studying simply as a guide to presenting a tight and very cogent argument.

I found the book generally thought-provoking and inspiring. Remember, however, that this book was written about 70 years ago. Many of the author's statements, such as regarding women and gays, will strike many readers as old-fashioned at best. That said, the book illustrates how views in the mainstream Christian denominations have changed since the book was written.

The book remains a convincing defense of Christianity that is well worth listening to by believers and those who are on the fence.