Page 1 of 1

Alister McGrath to Write C. S. Lewis Biography

PostPosted: July 24th, 2010, 7:44 am
by chrimarnz
Alister McGrath to Write C. S. Lewis Biography for Tyndale House Publishers
Definitive Work will Release in 2013, the Fiftieth Anniversary of Lewis's Death
Carol Stream, Illinois--Alister McGrath, internationally-known apologist, educator and bestselling author, is writing a definitive biography of C. S. Lewis, coming from Tyndale House Publishers in 2013, the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Lewis.

"We are honored to be working with Dr. McGrath; not only is he one of the world's most respected Christian theologians of this century; he is also a champion of C. S. Lewis's importance for Christian apologetics and understands the academic culture within which Lewis developed his ideas," said Ron Beers, senior vice president, group publisher. "He is ideally placed to write this biography."

Alister McGrath, a former atheist who grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland, studied at Oxford University, where he became a Christian. McGrath subsequently served as Professor of Historical Theology at Oxford University until 2008, before taking up the newly-established chair of Theology, Religion, and Culture at King's College, London.

Dr. McGrath has a special interest in Christian apologetics. He has debated leading atheists, including Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, and Christopher Hitchens.

He is the author of numerous notable books, including A Life of John Calvin; Historical Theology: An Introduction to the History of Christian Thought; Knowing Christ; The Twilight of Atheism: The Rise and Fall of Disbelief in the Modern World; and many more.

Tyndale House plans to launch the biography in 2013 correlating with the fiftieth anniversary observance of the death of C. S. Lewis (which occurred on November 22, 1963.)

Source http://bookcatcher.blogspot.com/

It is a big call to state that McGrath's will be the definitive biography of C.S.L.. It will need to be impressive to surpass George Sayer's work. Nevertheless, I look forward to reading it one day...in 2013 :rolleyes:

Re: Alister McGrath to Write C. S. Lewis Biography

PostPosted: August 1st, 2010, 2:50 am
by Fairfax
I'm just curious. What made Mc Grath change his mind about the Lord? I've read books by atheists who were once Christians, and one by Peter Hitchens (brother of atheist Christopher) who is vice versa. He is a defender of C. S. Lewis against Phillip Pullman , BTW. His reasons were mostly moral, and pretty compelling. Unfortunately I've found the arguments of former Christian atheists rather compelling as well, but for different reasons. Their arguments ( the most compelling ones, that is) are from a strictly rational (one of their favorite words) viewpoint. I know they often point out the the Christ story bears similarity to other religious figures like Mithra and Kristna. I've heard it argued that they, too, were supposedly virgin births and rose form the dead. Can someone verify this?

Lewis, for one, was well aware of the mythic elements of the Christ story. He simply beleived that it was the one myth which was historically true.

There must be some sort of force for good in the world which is coming into people's lives and afffecting millions. Otherwise, how can you account for the millions who have "accepted Christ, " and weren't raised Christian? This is why I beleive there has to be a Jesus who is a living presence today, even if the legend of Christ were to prove false. Where did we get the idea for the myth of the death and resurection of a God-man to begin with? It's part of the collective human conscience. And if there is a force for good, there had to be a froce for evil. In other words, Satan exists as well. There is so much evil in the world, that it seems odd to me NOT to beleive in Satan.

I don't think the miracles and resurection Christ can be proven false, though. There's in fact a reason they can't be, and that is to accept them on faith. Without faith, we wouldn't have the incentive to live a Christian life for the right reason.