Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Lewis responds to a liberal critic (part 2)

C.S. Lewis’ “Rejoinder to Pittenger” was published in a November 1958 issue of Christian Century in response to the October article, “A Critique of C.S. Lewis” by Dr. Norman Pittenger.

jim_caviezel_as_jesus_by_khinson-do3nwv[Dr Pittenger] speaks about ‘the validity of our Lord’s unique place in Christian faith as that One in whom God was so active and so present that he may be called “God-Man”‘. I am not quite sure what this means. May I translate it, ‘our Lord’s actually unique place in the structure of utter reality, the unique mode, as well as degree, of God’s presence and action in Him, make the formula “God-Man” the objectively true description of Him’? If so, I think we are very nearly agreed. Or must I translate it, ‘the unique place which Christians (subjectively, in their own thoughts) gave to our Lord as One in whom God was present and active to a unique degree made it reasonable for them to call Him God- Man’? If so, I must demur. In other words, if Dr Pittenger’s ‘may be called’ means anything less or other than ‘is’, I could not accept his formula. For I think that Jesus Christ is (in fact) the only Son of God that is, the only original Son of God, through whom others are enabled to ‘become sons of God’.’ If Dr Pittenger wishes to attack that doctrine, I wonder he should choose me as its representative. It has had champions far worthier of his steel.

C.S. Lewis, “Rejoinder to Dr Pittinger,” God in the Dock (Eerdmans: 1970) 177-178.

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