ABSTRACT
The most famous criticism of C. S. Lewis came from the English philosopher Elizabeth Anscombe. For her, "all human behavior, including thought, could be accounted for by scientific causal laws". In contrast, Lewis argues that humans experience insights that go beyond the natural world. Lewis was also criticized for failing to examine the theological issues he addressed in enough depth, and for failing to take into account contemporary and historical theological positions. Pittinger criticizes the unbalanced emphasis on the divine in Lewis's presentation of Christ. He argues that this downplays Christ's human characteristics in favor of the supernatural. Lewis's response to his critics was to stress that the purpose of Mere Christianity was to provide an apologetic for belief in the Christian God. Mere Christianity was not meant to be a theological or philosophical treatise, nor was it a presentation of Lewis's personal religion. Instead, it is an apologetic for the basic principles and doctrines of the Christian faith.
