Into The Region Of Awe

C. S. Lewis is generally thought of as a commonsense Christian, one who offers theology that is understandable and morality that is practical. And yet, when writing about Narnia to a class of fifth graders who asked if it were possible to visit Aslan's country, Lewis replied that the only way he knew of was through death but then added this curious qualifier: "Perhaps some very good people get just a tiny glimpse before then." This simple sentence suggests a side of Lewis that most commentators have overlooked.

If one takes another look at Lewis, one can find a sense of the mystical all through his writings, from his memoir Surprised by Joy to Perelandra, from his nonfiction essays to his Narnia stories. In this book David C. Downing explores the breadth of Lewis's writing, introducing us to Christian mysticism as Lewis knew it and to the contemplative writers who most influenced him.

Though he showed a lifelong interest in mysticism, Lewis was not an uncritical admirer. As Downing highlights, Lewis had areas of concern and points of departure with some mystical thought. Lewis's comments about misguided forms mysticism are especially pertinent in our own era of faddish or eclectic religious thought. Exploring Lewis's sense of the mystical can help us safeguard ourselves from false mysticisms even as it opens the way to a deep and full experience of God's very presence with us. In the end we too may find ourselves drawn—as Lewis put it—"into the region of awe."

David C. Downing explores mysticism as a part of C. S. Lewis's faith and writing. He addresses both the influence on Lewis by mystical writers of his own day and the threads of mysticism evident in Lewis's works.

Library Journal

Downing (English, Elizabethtown Coll.) has written many articles on C.S. Lewis and now offers an excellent short book on the writer/thinker's complex attitudes toward mysticism and mystical experience. Downing is keenly responsible in his approach to Lewis's biography and background and candid about Lewis's reservations about mysticism in his own theology; the author's affection for his subject ably informs this sensitive reading of Lewis's life and writings. Highly recommended. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

David C. Downing is the R. W. Schlosser Professor of English at Elizabethtown College in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He has written numerous articles on C. S. Lewis, and his Planets in Peril: A Critical Study of C. S. Lewis's Ransom Trilogy (University of Massachusetts Press) was named one of the five best books yet published on Lewis by the "C. S. Lewis and the Inklings Homepage." His The Most Reluctant Convert: C. S. Lewis's Journey to Faith was named one of Booklist's Best Religion Books for 2002 and was a 2003 ECPA Gold Medallion finalist. Downing was also awarded the Clyde S. Kilby Research Grant for 2000 by the Marion E. Wade Center in support of his research. His book, Into the Region of Awe (IVP) was listed by Christianity Today as one of the top ten best new books on C.S. Lewis.