C. S. Lewis on Politics and the Natural Law

This book shows how Lewis was interested in the truths and falsehoods about human nature and how these conceptions manifest themselves in the public square.

Justin Buckley Dyer (Author), Micah J. Watson (Author)

9781107108240, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 8 August 2016

174 pages
24 x 15.4 x 1.5 cm, 0.37 kg

'This volume presents Lewis fairly and thoroughly and it makes it clear how Lewis can be helpful for Christians. … The more Lewis I read, the more I find him helpful. Dyer and Watson's book both supports that sentiment and deepens it. They have done excellent work in producing a readable volume that is both illuminating and applicable.' Andrew J. Spencer, Ethics and Culture blog (www.ethicsandculture.com)

Conventional wisdom holds that C. S. Lewis was uninterested in politics and public affairs. The conventional wisdom is wrong. As Justin Buckley Dyer and Micah J. Watson show in this groundbreaking work, Lewis was deeply interested in the fundamental truths and falsehoods about human nature and how these conceptions manifest themselves in the contested and turbulent public square. Ranging from the depths of Lewis' philosophical treatments of epistemology and moral pedagogy to practical considerations of morals legislation and responsible citizenship, this book explores the contours of Lewis' multi-faceted Christian engagement with political philosophy generally and the natural-law tradition in particular. Drawing from the full range of Lewis' corpus and situating his thought in relationship to both ancient and modern seminal thinkers, C. S. Lewis on Politics and the Natural Law offers an unprecedented look at politics and political thought from the perspective of one of the twentieth century's most influential writers.

1. The apolitical and political C. S. Lewis
2. Creation, fall and human nature
3. Divine commands and the natural law
4. The early modern turn and the abolition of man
5. Lewis' Lockean liberalism
6. Screwtape is in the details
7. Conclusion: politics in the shadowlands
8. Selected bibliography.

Subject Areas: Christian social thought & activity [HRCX6], History of religion [HRAX], Religion & politics [HRAM2], Philosophy of religion [HRAB], Philosophy [HP]