Cs Lewis Natural Law Analysis

11 September 2012

C.S. Lewis: Canon; Natural Law C.S. Lewis wrote a book called Mere Christianity that conveyed his views on natural law. Lewis focused his writings on first principles and policy matters as the pertained to questions of lasting value. “He infused an interrelated worldview of truth, moral ethics, natural law, literary excellence, reason, science, individual liberty, personal responsibility and virtue, and Christian theism. (Evils of statism)” According to him we learn more about God through the teachings of natural law than from the universe in general. Natural Law shows that the author of the universe believes in fair play, courage, selflessness, truth, honesty, and faith. Natural law urges you to do the just thing no matter the cost of the action. Lewis uses a poem to express his definition of god and natural law saying first how love is
warm as tears, second fierce as fire, third fresh as spring, and finally hard as nails, explaining that God is not soft or a push over but instead hard and straightforward. giving tough love. The Human race has a desire to do what is right, but a lot of times they don’t follow what their conscience says is the path to take.
In another of Lewis books the “Chronicles of Narnia” you see a direct coloration between what he writes and teaches in the personalities of the characters. If an unadulterated goodness does not preside over the universe he expresses that all of our efforts and hopes are doomed. But if it is rule by an unadulterated goodness than we will fall short even still. being that we are neither perfect nor worthy to be allied with it. Lewis believed that until people repented and actually turned away from sin they would be unable to comprehend Christianity in its entirety.
Lewis was very concerned that people did no longer believe in natural law. He wrote about this in another book called “The Abolition of man”. Using the word “The Tao” as another word for natural law or First Principle meaning “the Flow” or the way things change. In this literature he claims that until recently everyone believed that objects, or “things” were a way to gain approval or disapproval from others. Also noting that Aristotle believed the reason for education was to either make the student love or hate what they are taught. Psalms 119 says the word is “true”. The Hebrew word used for truth is “emeth” meaning rock bottom reality or a firmness as solid as nature.
Lewis’ conclusion was that if natural law is sentimental then all value is sentimental and not really worth anything to anyone other than the owner, and that only natural law had value.
There are also a number of contradictions in interpretations of Natural Law. But only someone who lives a spiritual lifestyle can truly interpret it properly. He believed a “code of moral conscience that is inescapable defines each person as human. (Evils of statism)” Lewis used insight from people such as the apostle Paul, Magnus, Aquinas, Cicero, Gortius, Blackstone, Acton, and Locke. Lewis believed that natural law was not just known to Christians but to all and that it was just something rightly instilled in us. Paul said “when gentiles do by nature things required by law they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing now even defending them. “ Lewis believed this teaching whole heartedly and opposed anything that was in opposition off
it. Work Cited:
• http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2011/08/c-s-lewis-on-mere-liberty-and-the-evils-of-statism/
• http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1433
• http://www.iep.utm.edu/natlaw/