God in the Dock

Essays on Theology and Ethics

By: C. S. Lewis

Narrated by: Ralph Cosham

Length: 10 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's Summary

C. S. Lewis was a profound thinker with the rare ability to communicate the philosophical and theological rationale of Christianity in simple yet amazingly effective ways. God in the Dock contains 48 essays and 12 letters written by Lewis between 1940 and 1963 for a wide variety of publications. Ranging from popular newspaper pieces to learned defenses of the faith, these essays cover topics as varied as the logic of theism, good and evil, miracles, vivisection, the role of women in church polity, and ethics and politics. Many of these writings represent Lewis' first ventures into themes he would later treat in full-length books.

©1970 C.S. Lewis Pte Ltd. (P)2007 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic Reviews

"[Both Lewis'] searching mind and [his] poetic spirit are readily evident....Here the reader finds the tough-minded polemicist relishing the debate; here, too, the kindly teacher explaining the cosmic extraction by means of clarifying analogies." ( New York Times Book Review)

A must-have!

Although the title means virtually nothing to American readers not being familiar with English legal terminology, it is still the perfect title. (It means, God on Trial)

If you like C.S. Lewis, or if you have never read him and have an interest in serious philosophical thinking regarding life and meaning and religious and legal issues this book has something for you. An anthology of never printed, or obscure, articles, speeches, letters, and essays ranging from about 5 minutes to perhaps half an hour each, these pieces are a great introduction to critical thought regarding God, criminal justice, existence, miracles, social issues, etc. It is amazing how little has changed in 50+ years since the last of these were presented... but then mankind is always mankind.

If you were thinking about his book Miracles, but had trouble getting through it, two chapters in this give you the simplest summary of much of that book.

I have listened to this book a number of times and will continue to listen to parts of it on occasion as it is timeless and unparalleled in its clarity of thought and expression. I especially like Lewis' assertion that if you cannot explain a theological concept without using theological terms then you probably don't understand the concept. He is a master at presenting complex concepts in simple terms understandable by the masses, hence his being asked to speak to labor organizations and commoners meetings where he was as well received as at the Oxford Society which he led.

Astounding

This is the real deal. Excellent. What a beautiful mind.

If you like narrator---I do---try the Divine Comedy.
Beautiful.

This is a superb work. I liked it so much, I ordered the Hard Cover Book---not cheap.

Superb

Listening to this is like I suspect it would have been to listen at the feet of CS Lewis. Excellent and insightful in every respect. If you like Mr. Lewis, you will love this collection of letters, comments, personal talks, etc that he gave. Amazing mind!

More Hidden Gold

I don't why someone said this was boring.

If anyone knows the works of C.S. Lewis, they know that it is so rich that you have to listen to it again and again to get its full benefit.

The narrator is perfect. Sound like the Mere Christianity narrator. I am pumped that this book has been published.

Music, sweet music

These Are Great

Any additional comments?

Get this collection and also the audio of his essay collection called "The Weight of Glory" and you'll be in great shape. I'm so much a fan of Lewis that I don't know how valuable my review can be - indeed, I don't even go to him to find answers anymore so much as for the pleasure of his company - but I can at least say that if you like Lewis in general, these essays are not a step down from his books. They're just... you know ... shorter. Happy listening. Cosham performs well as always.

Excellent for the C.S. Lewis fan

Would you listen to God in the Dock again? Why?

Yes, because C.S. Lewis is a great thinker and helps to elucidate different topics so well.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. I never do that.

Any additional comments?

I wouldn't choose this as my first C.S. Lewis book, go to Mere Christianity, Chronicles of Narnia, Screwtape Letters and Weight of Glory first. This one is more for the fan who has read most of the other items and wants to continue to read more. Which describes me.

Very interesting book

Any additional comments?

This was my first introduction to Lewis, and I have to say it was enlightening. I have not read/listened to any of his books. This is a collection of essays/newspaper articles/speeches that Lewis gave over the years. It seems to really give a sense of Lewis's religious philosophy (and zealousness!) and his logical defense of Christianity. Not only that, it is written so well -- and with such a conscious intention to be accessible -- even when he was discussing topics that are either uninteresting to me or really dated, it still kept my attention. Let there be no doubt -- Lewis was a "true believer" of the truest believer clan. However, some of his defenses of Christianity have such a logical flavor and are so honest and straightforward in the issues and questions that he addresses, that I have to say that I was very impressed.. Who should read this? Let me go secular first and say writers who want to see someone take what could be complicated/boring material and make it really accessible (my bias: this is me) should just absorb the metaphors and analogies he uses to make points that you may think would otherwise be indefensible. For those interested in a defense of Christian dogma -- you'll find a lot of logical defenses here as well. I am sure they are more completely developed in his book-length treatments, but for me I thought this was well worth the listen.

This was one of the best books I have read all year!

I absolutely loved this book. It covers a broad array of subjects. In short, it makes you think.

It is the perfect book to read during our modern times. CS Lewis work strikes me as being extremely relevant to helping better appreciate the society we live in.

If you've wanted more C.S. Lewis...This is it!

Absolutely great collection of his essays combined into a collective whole. Many of these aren't available elsewhere.
Also - great reader! Does a wonderful job, you would think Lewis was there speaking it himself.

great book!

I love the wide-ranging topics covered. I'm a CS Lewis fan to begin with but I loved it

Crystal clear logic and great insight

As an ex-atheist with a scientific mind and no time for sentimental and wishy washy drivel, that had driven me away from and kept me away from serious thought about God and existence, it is a huge relief to come across writings (or readings in this case) that actually address in a sensible and logical way the issues surrounding belief. I can say that almost certainly if I had not been recommended to read these works (I bought the Audible version instead so as to listen in the car) - I would almost certainly not now think of myself as (it still makes me cringe to say it) a convert. Yes it was written decades ago, but clear thinking that addresses real and timeless issues does not go out of date (although perhaps someone worthy and trustworthy of the task could rephrase some of the essays with permission of the estate?). The section on vivisection is, for example, one of the clearest pieces of reasoning I have come across, similarly that on the position of women in the church (particularly relevant at the time of my writing this review).

I think that the modern Christian church(es) seriously need someone of this kind to bring balance to the arguments: who will take up the batten?

Never Gets Old! Never Gets Dated!

I have listened to this many, many times over the 5 or 6 years that I have owned this. It never gets old...

'The Problem With X' is one that I have bookmarked and listen to often! Because I am X!

Also, 'What Should We Do With Jesus Christ?! Which follows immediately afterwards. If only for these 2 essays alone, this compendium is worth purchasing!

Enjoy!

More than just a writer of children's stories.

Most of the secular world knows CS Lewis as the man who wrote the Narnia chronicles. Unfortunately many of them probably don't know that he was one of the most accomplished Christian apologists of the 20th century. His supreme talent lay in being able to tailor the complexity of his arguments to his audience and this is superbly illustrated in this collection of his lectures, letters and articles. There is something for everyone here and is fascinating reading/listening for both those who want to defend their faith to those who seek understand why Christians believe what they do. Don't let the title put you off! It is much more user-friendly that the words "theology and ethics" suggests. It is also a fascinating look into the mind of one of literature's towering intellects.

Excellent content with still much to say today

Although written in the very different post world war period Lewis still has much to say to is today. The language is outdated in parts, and the attitudes particularly towards the sexed reflect the prevailing sentiments of the time, but get beyond this and Lewis gives timeless insights to life that cut through superficialities of the current day. Good production. recommended.

A treasure trove of wisdom and insights!

This one is great for short bursts. So many great pieces and all deserving more than a single listen. I highly recommend.

Brilliant, but very much a miscellany

As the introduction to this book makes very clear, God in the Dock is a collection of miscellaneous pieces published by C.S. Lewis in newspapers and other media and assembled into a book after his death. Because of this the material is understandably ragged in nature. It is wonderful to have all of these scattered pieces in one place and conveniently arranged by theme, but unfortunately there is a great deal of repetition. Lewis uses material familiar from his other works and will sometimes employ exactly the same form of words in two consecutive pieces. This is a minor niggle, however, as the content is so strong. The book would probably work better in printed form due to the nature of the material. Ralph Cosham tries hard, but his delivery is sometimes a little robotic for this listener. Recommended for existing fans of Lewis; those new to Lewis would be advised to start with Mere Christianity instead.

Great insights into a feisty mind!

the mature, interesting and even controversial reflections of a mind awake! God send us more like this.

Apologetics with that Old School British Swag

I enjoyed each letter. The narrator really took back to the moments of each letter and essay.
Ofcourse Lewis doesn't disappoint, his view is beautifully crafted and presented with pure simplicity and authenticity.

Timeless wisdom

This is a book that deserves to be read, and re-read. Clear thinking that seems to wholly absent from our so called modern world.

Tremendous insights

I am very familiar with the writings of CS Lewis. This book, is a collection of manuscripts, letters, essays, lectures and other writings provide incredible insight into his way of thinking. Whether you agree or disagree with his conclusions it is extremely important to contend with them and his arguments. Definitely worth reading.