Note: some important thinkers who I admire, and whose writings can be found even at this website, find the idea of C.S. Lewis’ “Mere Christianity” objectionable for various reasons. I have made room for their thinking on the matter. And I understand the objections. I can only say I believe Lewis was doing a valuable general apologetics service for us all. No more, no less. If my house is on fire I don’t ask the brave helpers in the bucket brigade if they are Catholic, Protestant, Jew, Muslim or atheist. I’d like to think I’d hug them all. I would also like to think we can all be like the Catholic JRR Tolkien whose friendship with Lewis was deep and lasting and whose Faith in part owed an important debt to his regular sparring with him. —SH.
“In this talk, C.S. Lewis explores the distinct nature of the Moral Law (or Law of Human Nature) and argues that it is a real, objective presence in the universe, rather than just a social convention or a matter of personal preference.
The Moral Law vs. Laws of Nature
Natural Laws: Laws like gravity describe how objects do behave (e.g., stones fall when dropped) (02:18-03:12).
Moral Law: This law dictates how humans ought to behave, acknowledging that we often fail to follow it (03:14-04:00).
Distinction: Unlike physical laws, the Moral Law persists as an expectation even when it is broken, proving it is not merely a description of human habits (03:32-04:30).
Dispelling Objections
Convenience: Lewis argues that moral behavior is not just about what is “inconvenient” to us; we blame someone who intends to hurt us even if they fail, and we often praise “decent” actions that do not benefit us personally (04:33-05:57).
Social Utility: Some claim we follow the law because it helps society function; however, Lewis contends that “helping society” is just a way of saying we ought to be unselfish, which defines the goal rather than explaining why we are obligated to be that way (06:29-08:43).
Key Conclusion
The Moral Law is not a human invention, a mere fancy, or a byproduct of convenience (09:12-09:58).
Lewis posits that the existence of this law suggests there is a “reality” beyond physical facts, something that exerts a real, non-physical pressure on human life (10:07-10:43).
