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Sandbox Template (Premium) by C. S. Lewis

Main Idea

Surprised by Joy

Among all the influential Christian thinkers throughout history, C.S. Lewis is among a select few who were, at some point in their lives, strongly atheist. Looking at Lewis’ literary output and his profound influence on popular and academic Christianity in the 20th century, one might be hard-pressed to believe that, as a young man, Lewis was an avowed unbeliever.

Surprised by Joy details that long, varied journey from faith to atheism and back again. Lewis carries us through his early childhood, a hapless, happy existence, into his rowdy adolescence, his priggish high-school years, and his early adulthood’s burgeoning rationalism. Throughout, Lewis encounters horrid and brutal schoolmasters, the death of his mother, suffocating intra-scholastic social hierarchies, strains and bonds with his brother and father, friendships, losses, and a myriad of other formative events.

Defining that journey, always lingering at the fringes of Lewis’ life, was a certain inexplicable feeling — one that would be the first key to his religious awakening: Joy. This is not joy in the standard, connotative sense, but something much deeper — as Lewis puts it, Joy with a capital J.

Key Insights

Key Insight 1

A Faith Journey Is a Winding Road

For Lewis and many of us, the journey to a genuine Christian faith is arduous, lengthy, and never lacking in trials and tribulations.

For many, C.S. Lewis is the pinnacle of the faithful Christian, a person who dedicated much of his life to explaining Christian ideas and the defense of the Christian lifestyle. For many still, whether through his expert defense of the faith in Mere Christianity, his damning examination of sin in The Screwtape Letters, his moving allegories for the faith in The Chronicles of Narnia, or one of his many other explorations of the Christian life, C.S. Lewis helped to bring them to the faith.

Lewis’ account of his childhood up through his intellectual maturation shows us that, even for a person like the one that Lewis became, the journey of faith is not a straight line, nor is it a short one. Just as Lewis converted many non-believers to the faith through his writing, at one point, Lewis was in dire need of conversion himself. From the beginning of his religious life, he was a Christian by rote more than anything else — a cultural Christian. He participated in the duties and celebrated the holidays, but he knew no deeper spiritual experience than those.

For a moment, Lewis’ Christian spirit rose up, and during his time at boarding school, he became a genuinely devout Christian, praying, studying, and practicing his faith in the company of faithful mentors. After an unfortunate series of spiritual struggles and personal and literary encounters, the seeds of doubt began to loom large in Lewis’ mind. As his increasingly pretentious and rationalist mind developed throughout his teens, a newfound atheism became more and more pronounced and rigid.

Still, even from this deep hole, Lewis would emerge a Christian only a few short years later. After several encounters with Joy, some influential friends and professors, and some crucial readings of Yeats, MacDonald, and Chesterton, Lewis shed his intellectual preference for atheism and materialism in favor of Christianity. Do not be discouraged when your friends, family members, or fellow Christians experience struggles with their faith — Lewis’ story demonstrates that finding one’s faith is a highly personal process, in equal parts self-discovery and intellectual and emotional exploration.

Key Quotes

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Application Questions

  • What can you do for people who are struggling with their faith? What’s the best approach?
  • Is it better to proselytize to a person who has lost or never had faith or to wait and let their journey run its course?
  • Why isn’t there a third question?

Key Insight 2

Atheism Is Untenable

Part of Lewis’ conversion was not only realizing the truth of Christianity, but recognizing the incoherence of atheism.

Though Lewis spent many years at different levels of spirituality, there was a long, crucial stretch where he was both an atheist (did not believe in the existence of God) and a materialist (believed that only physical matter exists).

An important step in his conversion process was the slow realization that atheism and materialism were, ultimately, unjustifiable ideological positions. He could not hold them if he wanted to maintain his intellectual consistency. 

Many friends and influential instructors were involved in this process, as well as a variety of works of fiction and philosophy. Lewis clung to his materialism for a long time, as it allowed him to shut out questions of metaphysics and immortality. As he put it, “Every man who is afraid of spooks will have a reason for wishing to be a Materialist; that creed promises to exclude bogies” (p. 218). As he matured intellectually and spiritually and he further examined his experience of Joy, a tension began between materialism and his burgeoning understanding of the transcendent. 

One turning point for Lewis was the realization that without some form of theism the power of human reason could not be trusted. If the world is just physical matter and nothing else, then humanity’s ability to reason abstractly was nothing but a byproduct of evolutionary forces — there would be no actual reason to believe that our logic is correct or that it actually says true things about reality and the universe around us.

Eventually, atheism and materialism could not support Lewis’ knowledge of the transcendent reality he’d been made aware of through his studies and his experiences with Joy. Through Lewis, we learn that a proper examination of the facts of experience and the intellect, when approached with an open mind, actually force a person into leaving atheism behind.

Key Quotes

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Application Questions

  • How can knowing more about atheism help you make a better case for Christ?
  • What can you do to convince others of the intellectual poverty of atheism and materialism?
  • Again, Why isn’t there a third question?

Key Insight 3

Joy Is Not a State of Mind

The elusive feeling of Joy that Lewis sought for so many years is not a state of mind or simply a feeling, but rather a shedding of the self into an awareness of a holy Otherness.

 

Though the word joy is a simple one, and one we’re intimately familiar with in everyday life, Lewis’ repurposing of the word carries with it a whole new array of definitions. Though the feeling is often ineffable, what is most crucial to clarify is what joy is not.

Joy is not pleasure. Joy is not the feeling of a cozy cup of coffee, a good popcorn-movie, a pleasant book, or a stimulating conversation. These things feel good, of course, and can even be said to be joyous, but they do not contain the multitudinous, rarefied Joy of which Lewis speaks. Lewis’ Joy has nothing to do with the fleeting, ultimately unfulfilling nature of simple, everyday pleasures. Joy also excludes the erotic or the lustful, whose pleasures, though often quite intense and alluring, are equally fleeting and unfulfilling.

Joy is not happiness. There are moments and stretches in our lives where we feel genuinely happy. We feel good about ourselves, have a sense of direction and purpose, enjoy our day-to-day affairs, and feel connected with those around us. The feeling associated with these experiences, the feeling of what one might call ‘happiness,’ has nothing to do with Joy. Lewis even writes that Joy can be described as “a particular kind of unhappiness or grief” (p. 19) just as much as it can be described as happiness. Its experience goes far beyond our normal emotional categorizations and far exceeds any momentary passion or any long-term state-of-mind.

Joy is an encounter with the Holy, a loss of oneself in recognition of the Other. In Joy, you become suddenly aware of the all-encompassing immanence of the Holy all around you — something that is often “too near to see” (p. 221). You cannot find Joy by seeking; in that sense it is a grace of God. It is not a finding but a losing, or as Lewis wrote “if I could only leave off, let go, unmake myself, it would be there” (p. 221). To find Joy we have to eliminate the noise that stuffs up and complicates our everyday existence — our worries, fears, cares, desires, happinesses, and pleasures. Joy is unavailable to us “not because of something I could not do but because of something I could not stop doing” (p. 221). When we feel it, we see that Joy is the most desirable thing in the universe — in fact, the only thing worth desiring.

Key Quotes

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Application Questions

  • When’s a time in your life where you’ve felt Joy, or something like it?
  • What should you tell people who say they’ve never felt this kind of Joy?
  • What are you waiting for? Christmas?

Chapter Ideas

Chp 1 Book Part

Chapter 1

Title 1.1
Title 1.2
Title 1.3
Title 1.4
Title 1.5

Chapter 1 summary text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam gravida aliquam justo, ut viverra nibh ultricies eu. Mauris vitae posuere sem, eget iaculis ligula. Mauris vehicula nisi sollicitudin lacus mollis, eu pulvinar mi dapibus. Pellentesque elementum risus non dolor interdum, sit amet maximus erat pellentesque. Praesent congue tempus interdum. Nam gravida consectetur pretium. Morbi et turpis vitae sem congue tincidunt ut pharetra diam.

Donec imperdiet porttitor feugiat. Aenean malesuada, neque eu ornare scelerisque, ligula ex iaculis dolor, quis pharetra justo lacus quis nibh. Donec vitae justo sed felis aliquet tincidunt. Curabitur vitae leo at tortor dapibus euismod ac eu elit. Pellentesque odio urna, elementum eu posuere quis, egestas vel dolor. In egestas lacus enim, vel viverra lorem eleifend eu. Phasellus non maximus urna, in tristique ex. In non arcu euismod, mollis turpis tempus, faucibus elit. In ultricies suscipit nulla, ut dictum ex tincidunt vel.

Key Quotes

"Quote 1.1. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

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Chp 2 Book Part

Chapter 2

Title 2.1
Title 2.2
Title 2.3
Title 2.4
Title 2.5

Chapter 2 summary text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam gravida aliquam justo, ut viverra nibh ultricies eu. Mauris vitae posuere sem, eget iaculis ligula. Mauris vehicula nisi sollicitudin lacus mollis, eu pulvinar mi dapibus. Pellentesque elementum risus non dolor interdum, sit amet maximus erat pellentesque. Praesent congue tempus interdum. Nam gravida consectetur pretium. Morbi et turpis vitae sem congue tincidunt ut pharetra diam.

Donec imperdiet porttitor feugiat. Aenean malesuada, neque eu ornare scelerisque, ligula ex iaculis dolor, quis pharetra justo lacus quis nibh. Donec vitae justo sed felis aliquet tincidunt. Curabitur vitae leo at tortor dapibus euismod ac eu elit. Pellentesque odio urna, elementum eu posuere quis, egestas vel dolor. In egestas lacus enim, vel viverra lorem eleifend eu. Phasellus non maximus urna, in tristique ex. In non arcu euismod, mollis turpis tempus, faucibus elit. In ultricies suscipit nulla, ut dictum ex tincidunt vel.

Key Quotes

"Quote 2.1. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

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Chp 3 Book Part

Chapter 3

Title 3.1
Title 3.2
Title 3.3
Title 3.4
Title 3.5

Chapter 3 summary text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam gravida aliquam justo, ut viverra nibh ultricies eu. Mauris vitae posuere sem, eget iaculis ligula. Mauris vehicula nisi sollicitudin lacus mollis, eu pulvinar mi dapibus. Pellentesque elementum risus non dolor interdum, sit amet maximus erat pellentesque. Praesent congue tempus interdum. Nam gravida consectetur pretium. Morbi et turpis vitae sem congue tincidunt ut pharetra diam.

Donec imperdiet porttitor feugiat. Aenean malesuada, neque eu ornare scelerisque, ligula ex iaculis dolor, quis pharetra justo lacus quis nibh. Donec vitae justo sed felis aliquet tincidunt. Curabitur vitae leo at tortor dapibus euismod ac eu elit. Pellentesque odio urna, elementum eu posuere quis, egestas vel dolor. In egestas lacus enim, vel viverra lorem eleifend eu. Phasellus non maximus urna, in tristique ex. In non arcu euismod, mollis turpis tempus, faucibus elit. In ultricies suscipit nulla, ut dictum ex tincidunt vel.

Key Quotes

"Quote 3.1. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
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"Quote 3.2. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
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Chapter 4 Book Part

Chapter 4

Title 4.1
Title 4.2
Title 4.3
Title 4.4
Title 4.5

Chapter 4 summary text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam gravida aliquam justo, ut viverra nibh ultricies eu. Mauris vitae posuere sem, eget iaculis ligula. Mauris vehicula nisi sollicitudin lacus mollis, eu pulvinar mi dapibus. Pellentesque elementum risus non dolor interdum, sit amet maximus erat pellentesque. Praesent congue tempus interdum. Nam gravida consectetur pretium. Morbi et turpis vitae sem congue tincidunt ut pharetra diam.

Donec imperdiet porttitor feugiat. Aenean malesuada, neque eu ornare scelerisque, ligula ex iaculis dolor, quis pharetra justo lacus quis nibh. Donec vitae justo sed felis aliquet tincidunt. Curabitur vitae leo at tortor dapibus euismod ac eu elit. Pellentesque odio urna, elementum eu posuere quis, egestas vel dolor. In egestas lacus enim, vel viverra lorem eleifend eu. Phasellus non maximus urna, in tristique ex. In non arcu euismod, mollis turpis tempus, faucibus elit. In ultricies suscipit nulla, ut dictum ex tincidunt vel.

Key Quotes

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Chp 5 Book Part

Chapter 5

Title 5.1
Title 5.2
Title 5.3
Title 5.4
Title 5.5

Chapter 5 summary text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam gravida aliquam justo, ut viverra nibh ultricies eu. Mauris vitae posuere sem, eget iaculis ligula. Mauris vehicula nisi sollicitudin lacus mollis, eu pulvinar mi dapibus. Pellentesque elementum risus non dolor interdum, sit amet maximus erat pellentesque. Praesent congue tempus interdum. Nam gravida consectetur pretium. Morbi et turpis vitae sem congue tincidunt ut pharetra diam.

Donec imperdiet porttitor feugiat. Aenean malesuada, neque eu ornare scelerisque, ligula ex iaculis dolor, quis pharetra justo lacus quis nibh. Donec vitae justo sed felis aliquet tincidunt. Curabitur vitae leo at tortor dapibus euismod ac eu elit. Pellentesque odio urna, elementum eu posuere quis, egestas vel dolor. In egestas lacus enim, vel viverra lorem eleifend eu. Phasellus non maximus urna, in tristique ex. In non arcu euismod, mollis turpis tempus, faucibus elit. In ultricies suscipit nulla, ut dictum ex tincidunt vel.

Key Quotes

"Quote 5.1. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 5.1)

"Quote 5.2. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 5.2)
Chp 6 Book Part

Chapter 6

Title 6.1
Title 6.2
Title 6.3
Title 6.4
Title 6.5

Chapter 6 summary text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam gravida aliquam justo, ut viverra nibh ultricies eu. Mauris vitae posuere sem, eget iaculis ligula. Mauris vehicula nisi sollicitudin lacus mollis, eu pulvinar mi dapibus. Pellentesque elementum risus non dolor interdum, sit amet maximus erat pellentesque. Praesent congue tempus interdum. Nam gravida consectetur pretium. Morbi et turpis vitae sem congue tincidunt ut pharetra diam.

Donec imperdiet porttitor feugiat. Aenean malesuada, neque eu ornare scelerisque, ligula ex iaculis dolor, quis pharetra justo lacus quis nibh. Donec vitae justo sed felis aliquet tincidunt. Curabitur vitae leo at tortor dapibus euismod ac eu elit. Pellentesque odio urna, elementum eu posuere quis, egestas vel dolor. In egestas lacus enim, vel viverra lorem eleifend eu. Phasellus non maximus urna, in tristique ex. In non arcu euismod, mollis turpis tempus, faucibus elit. In ultricies suscipit nulla, ut dictum ex tincidunt vel.

Key Quotes

"Quote 6.1. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 6.1)

"Quote 6.2. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 6.2)
Chp 7 Book Part

Chapter 7

Title 7.1
Title 7.2
Title 7.3
Title 7.4
Title 7.5

Chapter 7 summary text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam gravida aliquam justo, ut viverra nibh ultricies eu. Mauris vitae posuere sem, eget iaculis ligula. Mauris vehicula nisi sollicitudin lacus mollis, eu pulvinar mi dapibus. Pellentesque elementum risus non dolor interdum, sit amet maximus erat pellentesque. Praesent congue tempus interdum. Nam gravida consectetur pretium. Morbi et turpis vitae sem congue tincidunt ut pharetra diam.

Donec imperdiet porttitor feugiat. Aenean malesuada, neque eu ornare scelerisque, ligula ex iaculis dolor, quis pharetra justo lacus quis nibh. Donec vitae justo sed felis aliquet tincidunt. Curabitur vitae leo at tortor dapibus euismod ac eu elit. Pellentesque odio urna, elementum eu posuere quis, egestas vel dolor. In egestas lacus enim, vel viverra lorem eleifend eu. Phasellus non maximus urna, in tristique ex. In non arcu euismod, mollis turpis tempus, faucibus elit. In ultricies suscipit nulla, ut dictum ex tincidunt vel.

Key Quotes Test

"Quote 7.1. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 7.1)

"Quote 7.2. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
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Chp 8 Book Part

Chapter 8

Title 8.1
Title 8.2
Title 8.3
Title 8.4
Title 8.5

Chapter 8 summary text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam gravida aliquam justo, ut viverra nibh ultricies eu. Mauris vitae posuere sem, eget iaculis ligula. Mauris vehicula nisi sollicitudin lacus mollis, eu pulvinar mi dapibus. Pellentesque elementum risus non dolor interdum, sit amet maximus erat pellentesque. Praesent congue tempus interdum. Nam gravida consectetur pretium. Morbi et turpis vitae sem congue tincidunt ut pharetra diam.

Donec imperdiet porttitor feugiat. Aenean malesuada, neque eu ornare scelerisque, ligula ex iaculis dolor, quis pharetra justo lacus quis nibh. Donec vitae justo sed felis aliquet tincidunt. Curabitur vitae leo at tortor dapibus euismod ac eu elit. Pellentesque odio urna, elementum eu posuere quis, egestas vel dolor. In egestas lacus enim, vel viverra lorem eleifend eu. Phasellus non maximus urna, in tristique ex. In non arcu euismod, mollis turpis tempus, faucibus elit. In ultricies suscipit nulla, ut dictum ex tincidunt vel.

Key Quotes

"Quote 8.1. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 8.1)

"Quote 8.2. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
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Chp 9 Book Part

Chapter 9

Title 9.1
Title 9.2
Title 9.3
Title 9.4
Title 9.5

Chapter 9 summary text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam gravida aliquam justo, ut viverra nibh ultricies eu. Mauris vitae posuere sem, eget iaculis ligula. Mauris vehicula nisi sollicitudin lacus mollis, eu pulvinar mi dapibus. Pellentesque elementum risus non dolor interdum, sit amet maximus erat pellentesque. Praesent congue tempus interdum. Nam gravida consectetur pretium. Morbi et turpis vitae sem congue tincidunt ut pharetra diam.

Donec imperdiet porttitor feugiat. Aenean malesuada, neque eu ornare scelerisque, ligula ex iaculis dolor, quis pharetra justo lacus quis nibh. Donec vitae justo sed felis aliquet tincidunt. Curabitur vitae leo at tortor dapibus euismod ac eu elit. Pellentesque odio urna, elementum eu posuere quis, egestas vel dolor. In egestas lacus enim, vel viverra lorem eleifend eu. Phasellus non maximus urna, in tristique ex. In non arcu euismod, mollis turpis tempus, faucibus elit. In ultricies suscipit nulla, ut dictum ex tincidunt vel.

Key Quotes

"Quote 9.1. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 9.1)

"Quote 9.2. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
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Chp 10 Book Part

Chapter 10

Title 10.1
Title 10.2
Title 10.3
Title 10.4
Title 10.5

Chapter 10 summary text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam gravida aliquam justo, ut viverra nibh ultricies eu. Mauris vitae posuere sem, eget iaculis ligula. Mauris vehicula nisi sollicitudin lacus mollis, eu pulvinar mi dapibus. Pellentesque elementum risus non dolor interdum, sit amet maximus erat pellentesque. Praesent congue tempus interdum. Nam gravida consectetur pretium. Morbi et turpis vitae sem congue tincidunt ut pharetra diam.

Donec imperdiet porttitor feugiat. Aenean malesuada, neque eu ornare scelerisque, ligula ex iaculis dolor, quis pharetra justo lacus quis nibh. Donec vitae justo sed felis aliquet tincidunt. Curabitur vitae leo at tortor dapibus euismod ac eu elit. Pellentesque odio urna, elementum eu posuere quis, egestas vel dolor. In egestas lacus enim, vel viverra lorem eleifend eu. Phasellus non maximus urna, in tristique ex. In non arcu euismod, mollis turpis tempus, faucibus elit. In ultricies suscipit nulla, ut dictum ex tincidunt vel.

Key Quotes

"Quote 10.1. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 10.1)

"Quote 10.2. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 10.2)
Chp 11 Book Part

Chapter 11

Title 11.1
Title 11.2
Title 11.3
Title 11.4
Title 11.5

Chapter 11 summary text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam gravida aliquam justo, ut viverra nibh ultricies eu. Mauris vitae posuere sem, eget iaculis ligula. Mauris vehicula nisi sollicitudin lacus mollis, eu pulvinar mi dapibus. Pellentesque elementum risus non dolor interdum, sit amet maximus erat pellentesque. Praesent congue tempus interdum. Nam gravida consectetur pretium. Morbi et turpis vitae sem congue tincidunt ut pharetra diam.

Donec imperdiet porttitor feugiat. Aenean malesuada, neque eu ornare scelerisque, ligula ex iaculis dolor, quis pharetra justo lacus quis nibh. Donec vitae justo sed felis aliquet tincidunt. Curabitur vitae leo at tortor dapibus euismod ac eu elit. Pellentesque odio urna, elementum eu posuere quis, egestas vel dolor. In egestas lacus enim, vel viverra lorem eleifend eu. Phasellus non maximus urna, in tristique ex. In non arcu euismod, mollis turpis tempus, faucibus elit. In ultricies suscipit nulla, ut dictum ex tincidunt vel.

Key Quotes

"Quote 11.1. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 11.1)

"Quote 11.2. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 11.2)
Chp 12 Book Part

Chapter 12

Title 12.1
Title 12.2
Title 12.3
Title 12.4
Title 12.5

Chapter 12 summary text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam gravida aliquam justo, ut viverra nibh ultricies eu. Mauris vitae posuere sem, eget iaculis ligula. Mauris vehicula nisi sollicitudin lacus mollis, eu pulvinar mi dapibus. Pellentesque elementum risus non dolor interdum, sit amet maximus erat pellentesque. Praesent congue tempus interdum. Nam gravida consectetur pretium. Morbi et turpis vitae sem congue tincidunt ut pharetra diam.

Donec imperdiet porttitor feugiat. Aenean malesuada, neque eu ornare scelerisque, ligula ex iaculis dolor, quis pharetra justo lacus quis nibh. Donec vitae justo sed felis aliquet tincidunt. Curabitur vitae leo at tortor dapibus euismod ac eu elit. Pellentesque odio urna, elementum eu posuere quis, egestas vel dolor. In egestas lacus enim, vel viverra lorem eleifend eu. Phasellus non maximus urna, in tristique ex. In non arcu euismod, mollis turpis tempus, faucibus elit. In ultricies suscipit nulla, ut dictum ex tincidunt vel.

Key Quotes

"Quote 12.1. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 12.1)

"Quote 12.2. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 12.2)
Chp 13 Book Part

Chapter 13

Title 13.1
Title 13.2
Title 13.3
Title 13.4
Title 13.5

Chapter 13 summary text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam gravida aliquam justo, ut viverra nibh ultricies eu. Mauris vitae posuere sem, eget iaculis ligula. Mauris vehicula nisi sollicitudin lacus mollis, eu pulvinar mi dapibus. Pellentesque elementum risus non dolor interdum, sit amet maximus erat pellentesque. Praesent congue tempus interdum. Nam gravida consectetur pretium. Morbi et turpis vitae sem congue tincidunt ut pharetra diam.

Donec imperdiet porttitor feugiat. Aenean malesuada, neque eu ornare scelerisque, ligula ex iaculis dolor, quis pharetra justo lacus quis nibh. Donec vitae justo sed felis aliquet tincidunt. Curabitur vitae leo at tortor dapibus euismod ac eu elit. Pellentesque odio urna, elementum eu posuere quis, egestas vel dolor. In egestas lacus enim, vel viverra lorem eleifend eu. Phasellus non maximus urna, in tristique ex. In non arcu euismod, mollis turpis tempus, faucibus elit. In ultricies suscipit nulla, ut dictum ex tincidunt vel.

Key Quotes

"Quote 13.1. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 13.1)

"Quote 13.2. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
"Quote 13.2. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."
Chp 14 Book Part

Chapter 14

Title 14.1
Title 14.2
Title 14.3
Title 14.4
Title 14.5

Chapter 14 summary text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam gravida aliquam justo, ut viverra nibh ultricies eu. Mauris vitae posuere sem, eget iaculis ligula. Mauris vehicula nisi sollicitudin lacus mollis, eu pulvinar mi dapibus. Pellentesque elementum risus non dolor interdum, sit amet maximus erat pellentesque. Praesent congue tempus interdum. Nam gravida consectetur pretium. Morbi et turpis vitae sem congue tincidunt ut pharetra diam.

Donec imperdiet porttitor feugiat. Aenean malesuada, neque eu ornare scelerisque, ligula ex iaculis dolor, quis pharetra justo lacus quis nibh. Donec vitae justo sed felis aliquet tincidunt. Curabitur vitae leo at tortor dapibus euismod ac eu elit. Pellentesque odio urna, elementum eu posuere quis, egestas vel dolor. In egestas lacus enim, vel viverra lorem eleifend eu. Phasellus non maximus urna, in tristique ex. In non arcu euismod, mollis turpis tempus, faucibus elit. In ultricies suscipit nulla, ut dictum ex tincidunt vel.

Key Quotes

"Quote 14.1. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 14.1)

"Quote 14.2. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 14.2)
Chp 15 Book Part

Chapter 15

Title 15.1
Title 15.2
Title 15.3
Title 15.4
Title 15.5

Chapter 15 summary text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam gravida aliquam justo, ut viverra nibh ultricies eu. Mauris vitae posuere sem, eget iaculis ligula. Mauris vehicula nisi sollicitudin lacus mollis, eu pulvinar mi dapibus. Pellentesque elementum risus non dolor interdum, sit amet maximus erat pellentesque. Praesent congue tempus interdum. Nam gravida consectetur pretium. Morbi et turpis vitae sem congue tincidunt ut pharetra diam.

Donec imperdiet porttitor feugiat. Aenean malesuada, neque eu ornare scelerisque, ligula ex iaculis dolor, quis pharetra justo lacus quis nibh. Donec vitae justo sed felis aliquet tincidunt. Curabitur vitae leo at tortor dapibus euismod ac eu elit. Pellentesque odio urna, elementum eu posuere quis, egestas vel dolor. In egestas lacus enim, vel viverra lorem eleifend eu. Phasellus non maximus urna, in tristique ex. In non arcu euismod, mollis turpis tempus, faucibus elit. In ultricies suscipit nulla, ut dictum ex tincidunt vel.

Key Quotes

"Quote 15.1. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 15.1)

"Quote 15.2. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
"Quote 15.2. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."
Chp 16 Book Part

Chapter 16

Title 16.1
Title 16.2
Title 16.3
Title 16.4
Title 16.5

Chapter 16 summary text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam gravida aliquam justo, ut viverra nibh ultricies eu. Mauris vitae posuere sem, eget iaculis ligula. Mauris vehicula nisi sollicitudin lacus mollis, eu pulvinar mi dapibus. Pellentesque elementum risus non dolor interdum, sit amet maximus erat pellentesque. Praesent congue tempus interdum. Nam gravida consectetur pretium. Morbi et turpis vitae sem congue tincidunt ut pharetra diam.

Donec imperdiet porttitor feugiat. Aenean malesuada, neque eu ornare scelerisque, ligula ex iaculis dolor, quis pharetra justo lacus quis nibh. Donec vitae justo sed felis aliquet tincidunt. Curabitur vitae leo at tortor dapibus euismod ac eu elit. Pellentesque odio urna, elementum eu posuere quis, egestas vel dolor. In egestas lacus enim, vel viverra lorem eleifend eu. Phasellus non maximus urna, in tristique ex. In non arcu euismod, mollis turpis tempus, faucibus elit. In ultricies suscipit nulla, ut dictum ex tincidunt vel.

Key Quotes

"Quote 16.1. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 16.1)

"Quote 16.2. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 16.2)
Chp 17 Book Part

Chapter 17

Title 17.1
Title 17.2
Title 17.3
Title 17.4
Title 17.5

Chapter 17 summary text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam gravida aliquam justo, ut viverra nibh ultricies eu. Mauris vitae posuere sem, eget iaculis ligula. Mauris vehicula nisi sollicitudin lacus mollis, eu pulvinar mi dapibus. Pellentesque elementum risus non dolor interdum, sit amet maximus erat pellentesque. Praesent congue tempus interdum. Nam gravida consectetur pretium. Morbi et turpis vitae sem congue tincidunt ut pharetra diam.

Donec imperdiet porttitor feugiat. Aenean malesuada, neque eu ornare scelerisque, ligula ex iaculis dolor, quis pharetra justo lacus quis nibh. Donec vitae justo sed felis aliquet tincidunt. Curabitur vitae leo at tortor dapibus euismod ac eu elit. Pellentesque odio urna, elementum eu posuere quis, egestas vel dolor. In egestas lacus enim, vel viverra lorem eleifend eu. Phasellus non maximus urna, in tristique ex. In non arcu euismod, mollis turpis tempus, faucibus elit. In ultricies suscipit nulla, ut dictum ex tincidunt vel.

Key Quotes

"Quote 17.1. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 17.1)

"Quote 17.2. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 17.2)
Chp 18 Book Part

Chapter 18

Title 18.1
Title 18.2
Title 18.3
Title 18.4
Title 18.5

Chapter 18 summary text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam gravida aliquam justo, ut viverra nibh ultricies eu. Mauris vitae posuere sem, eget iaculis ligula. Mauris vehicula nisi sollicitudin lacus mollis, eu pulvinar mi dapibus. Pellentesque elementum risus non dolor interdum, sit amet maximus erat pellentesque. Praesent congue tempus interdum. Nam gravida consectetur pretium. Morbi et turpis vitae sem congue tincidunt ut pharetra diam.

Donec imperdiet porttitor feugiat. Aenean malesuada, neque eu ornare scelerisque, ligula ex iaculis dolor, quis pharetra justo lacus quis nibh. Donec vitae justo sed felis aliquet tincidunt. Curabitur vitae leo at tortor dapibus euismod ac eu elit. Pellentesque odio urna, elementum eu posuere quis, egestas vel dolor. In egestas lacus enim, vel viverra lorem eleifend eu. Phasellus non maximus urna, in tristique ex. In non arcu euismod, mollis turpis tempus, faucibus elit. In ultricies suscipit nulla, ut dictum ex tincidunt vel.

Key Quotes

"Quote 18.1. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 18.1)

"Quote 18.2. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 18.2)
Chp 19 Book Part

Chapter 19

Title 19.1
Title 19.2
Title 19.3
Title 19.4
Title 19.5

Chapter 19 summary text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam gravida aliquam justo, ut viverra nibh ultricies eu. Mauris vitae posuere sem, eget iaculis ligula. Mauris vehicula nisi sollicitudin lacus mollis, eu pulvinar mi dapibus. Pellentesque elementum risus non dolor interdum, sit amet maximus erat pellentesque. Praesent congue tempus interdum. Nam gravida consectetur pretium. Morbi et turpis vitae sem congue tincidunt ut pharetra diam.

Donec imperdiet porttitor feugiat. Aenean malesuada, neque eu ornare scelerisque, ligula ex iaculis dolor, quis pharetra justo lacus quis nibh. Donec vitae justo sed felis aliquet tincidunt. Curabitur vitae leo at tortor dapibus euismod ac eu elit. Pellentesque odio urna, elementum eu posuere quis, egestas vel dolor. In egestas lacus enim, vel viverra lorem eleifend eu. Phasellus non maximus urna, in tristique ex. In non arcu euismod, mollis turpis tempus, faucibus elit. In ultricies suscipit nulla, ut dictum ex tincidunt vel.

Key Quotes

"Quote 19.1. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 19.1)

"Quote 19.2. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 19.2)
Chp 20 Book Part

Chapter 20

Title 20.1
Title 20.2
Title 20.3
Title 20.4
Title 20.5

Chapter 20 summary text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam gravida aliquam justo, ut viverra nibh ultricies eu. Mauris vitae posuere sem, eget iaculis ligula. Mauris vehicula nisi sollicitudin lacus mollis, eu pulvinar mi dapibus. Pellentesque elementum risus non dolor interdum, sit amet maximus erat pellentesque. Praesent congue tempus interdum. Nam gravida consectetur pretium. Morbi et turpis vitae sem congue tincidunt ut pharetra diam.

Donec imperdiet porttitor feugiat. Aenean malesuada, neque eu ornare scelerisque, ligula ex iaculis dolor, quis pharetra justo lacus quis nibh. Donec vitae justo sed felis aliquet tincidunt. Curabitur vitae leo at tortor dapibus euismod ac eu elit. Pellentesque odio urna, elementum eu posuere quis, egestas vel dolor. In egestas lacus enim, vel viverra lorem eleifend eu. Phasellus non maximus urna, in tristique ex. In non arcu euismod, mollis turpis tempus, faucibus elit. In ultricies suscipit nulla, ut dictum ex tincidunt vel.

Key Quotes

"Quote 20.1. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 20.1)

"Quote 20.2. This is an example sentence to ensure formatting."

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy Tweet
// (Page 20.2)

  

Conclusion

Lewis’ journey to the Christian faith was a long and varied one, filled with fascinating anecdotes, impactful interpersonal relationships, and formative religious experiences. More important than those though, were his brief but vital encounters with Joy, a profoundly affecting and ultimately spiritual experience.

Joy gave Lewis insight into another world, one beyond the pleasures, cares, and concerns of everyday existence. The strength of this experience was foundational, eventually pushing him toward the Christian faith and the realization that atheism was both intellectually and experientially false.

A Faith Journey Is a Winding Road

For Lewis and many of us, the journey to a genuine Christian faith is arduous, lengthy, and never lacking in trials and tribulations.

Tweet

Atheism Is Untenable

Part of Lewis’ conversion was not only realizing the truth of Christianity, but recognizing the incoherence of atheism.

Tweet

Joy Is Not a State of Mind

The elusive feeling of Joy that Lewis sought for so many years is not a state of mind or simply a feeling, but rather a shedding of the self into an awareness of a holy Otherness.

  Tweet

Book Review & Analysis

AccelerateBooks Score: 2.0 / 5

What Makes It Unique?

What is the book’s unique contribution to the field, genre, or topic? And how is it different than other books on the same topic? It is a rare thing to find a book that speaks to you so thoroughly and on so many levels. This was a complete surprise, something I rather stumbled upon because of a reference to it in another book. And what a surprise! Reading each chapter, each paragraph, each sentence, felt much like catching up with an old and dear friend, someone who understands your thoughts and perspectives like few others ever could.

This book reads also much like a bibliography of important books which affected the author most as a youth during his unwitting journey to faith and enlightenment. He tells of an upbringing in northern Ireland and touches upon such sad episodes as losing his mother early in life, and the subsequent unraveling of his relationship with a more mercurial father. Lewis describes the two like ships passing parallel to one another but in opposite directions, with his father never quite able to grasp or identify with his thoughts and motivations.

Strengths

What are the strengths of this book? Examples: Good illustrations, well-written, well-structured, well-cited, etc. The highlight of this book for me was Lewis’ profound depictions of feelings, moments, opinions, and truths throughout the book. Not only was the language eloquent, but the insight and experiences seemed timeless as I continued to find many of his observations relatable and still relevant.

Excellent! Verbal artistry at its finest. The mind of Lewis is where emotion and rationality kiss each other. Lewis’s journey from atheism to Christianity is nothing short of remarkable. I appreciated his honest retelling of some of the embarrassing events in his life without being crude.

Weaknesses

What are some weaknesses? Examples: Biases, redundancies, ambiguity/complexity. This was interesting, but considering the very lengthy and detailed set-up, the denouement was hasty and disappointing. It barely brought together any of the varied strands he’d investigated; especially, his final treatment of “Joy” is relegated to one brief paragraph on the final page, and he fails to explain how Christianity satisfies/fulfills this feeling.

He believes it does, as he says in Mere Christianity: “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.”

But he could better have explained what N. T. Wright calls “signposts” and “places where heaven and earth meet.” Or, as Van Til says so well: “Christianity stands…in antithetical relation to the religions of the world, but it also offers itself as the fulfillment of that of which the nations have unwittingly had some faint desire.”

Final Review

This is where we offer our rating out of 5 and share whether or not we would recommend this book. We answer questions such as “who and how will readers benefit from reading this book?” Recommended for: Ages 15 to Adult (mentions of sinful behavior by the other boys at school, and mentions of certain temptations)

We offer any precautions or caveats to picking up this book if necessary: The problem with much of his canon is that Lewis changed his mind about many things later in life, especially his approach to apologetics. And then a final wave of change from a real life Joy, came late in life.

There are many references, and complaints, in the reviews here of Lewis constantly citing literary references in his memoir. I think it’s a reasonable assumption that he had his friends and colleagues in mind that would be familiar with all of this.

And end with some other books / topics / resources to explore if applicable:

Meanwhile, I found this article on Lewis very fair and balanced and insightful and definitely worth a read. It won’t appeal to those who see him as some kind of plaster saint (something I think would have horrified Lewis), but it happens to be true, which is always preferred.

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20…

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