C.S. Lewis: A Friend of the Generations

C.S. Lewis: A Friend of the Generations

By Colleen Dean, Contributing Writer

“Human history is the long, terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.”

C.S. Lewis wrote these momentous words in his book Mere Christianity almost seventy-five years ago. But how relevant they remain today!

Everywhere we look, there are countless distractions grasping at our attention, constantly drawing our focus away from a higher purpose and keeping us preoccupied with the demanding nature of daily life.

What time is my meeting?

When am I picking up the kids?

Did I finish making dinner?

Can I get to the store before it closes?

Our constant struggle each day is to find quick answers for immediate issues and adapt to the chaotic motion of our lives.

We are bombarded with an endless stream of time-sensitive business, and when we finally take a moment’s respite, our leisure is often filled with more noise. Our phones buzz, we start scrolling, and movies, TV, and the endless news cycle constantly demand our attention until we are utterly depleted.

When does it end?

A man ahead of his time, C.S. Lewis recognized this pattern even in a world devoid of smartphones and AI. A devout Christian, Lewis understood how easily distractions can disrupt interior life. As a result, he prioritized intentional leisure as an essential component to living a life of faith. Religion wasn’t an afterthought on a Sunday evening—it was what shaped his every breath and word.

For Lewis, one of his favorite leisure activities was writing. Between reflective commentaries, social dialogues, and captivating works of fiction, Lewis spent much of his life pouring out his soul on the page to readers of all ages.

Perhaps his most famous literary work is his beloved children’s series, The Chronicles of Narnia.

In this series, he provides what appears at first glance to be symbolic escapism for his characters: children stepping out of the world of war and chaos and into the fantastical land of Narnia. However, whether by stepping through a wardrobe, falling through a painting, or diving into a pool—just a few of the ways the protagonists enter Narnia—we soon discover that this land has its own trials and tribulations.

“They were soon to learn that you do not always get what you want when you try to escape.”
—Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Narnia, though idyllic to begin with, offers a life far from comfort for the children visiting from our world. Whether fighting the evil White Witch, journeying beneath the earth to rescue an enchanted prince, or standing on the battlefield against an invading army, the children quickly learn that adventures within Narnia are far from a departure from war-torn England. Instead, this added responsibility provides them with an opportunity to grow, mature, and discover what true courage means.

Lewis profoundly understood that this desire for escapism is rooted in an underlying search for meaning. In shaping these stories around young protagonists, he demonstrated the human ability to respond to hardship with not just bravery, but joy. This is why he captivated both children and adults with these stories. Narnia is not just entertainment—it teaches us something.

And Lewis’ lasting influence extends far beyond the land of Narnia.

As a Christian, Lewis wrote numerous books and commentaries exploring the faith with his straightforward intellectual honesty. Mere Christianity is a widely-read work, yes, but another iconic title is The Screwtape Letters.

Written from the perspective of a senior devil instructing his new subordinate trainee, this book reveals how subtle and ordinary temptation often is. Through Screwtape’s advice, the reader comes to recognize how distraction and complacency slowly erode the interior life. Lewis demonstrates how the devil enters our heart not with guns blazing, but in the silence and emptiness.

“The best thing, of course, is to keep him from praying altogether . . . Failing that, produce in him a vague devotional mood in which real concentration of will and intelligence have no part.”
—The Screwtape Letters

Belief in God is a massive deterrent to the devil’s errands, and one not to be taken lightly. Faith, Lewis suggests, is a formidable opponent to the devil because it anchors our soul in something stronger than ourselves. After all, we cannot hope to defeat evil alone. And although Lewis never formally converted to Catholicism, he had a deep reverence for Christianity, and understood the significant impact it could have when lived out in community.

Lewis’ faith was not just personal, it was relational. This is perhaps most evident in his friendship with Sheldon Vanauken, as recounted in Vanauken’s memoir, A Severe Mercy.

Vanauken and his wife, Davy, developed a close relationship with Lewis and his wife, Joy. Tragically, both marriages were marked by great suffering as both Davy and Joy grew ill and eventually passed away. Grief brought Vanauken and Lewis together in a unique and transformative way that deepened Vanauken’s faith like never before.

One of the more striking aspects of Lewis’s character was his unwavering friendship during this period of loss. Rather than offering mere condolences, Lewis walked with Vanauken through his journey of grief, and carefully guided him towards Christ. It was through this ever-present relationship that Vanauken and his wife ultimately converted to Christianity, a testament to the power of community in our quest for evangelization.

“Lewis had been his mainstay in this half-year of sounding the depths of his grief. It was he who had said that Davy’s death was a severe mercy—a mercy that was as severe as death, a death that was as merciful as love.”
—A Severe Mercy

In this heartbreak, rather than despairing, Lewis inspired a reliance on faith and trust in the Lord. No matter what crosses we bear in this life, Lewis reminds us that it is better to carry them with faith than to shoulder these burdens alone.

This quiet, unseen influence may be Lewis’s greatest legacy, one that continues to unfold even after his death.

Countless readers have encountered Lewis’s works at pivotal moments in their lives, without his ever

knowing the scope of his influence. Though he passed away over sixty years ago, his words continue to inspire and awaken hearts to this day.

In a world still bent on finding happiness in the superficial, C.S. Lewis remains a steadfast guide for us in our journeys of faith and joy. He is truly a friend for the generations.

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This post is part of a NEW Lenten & Easter series on C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien. Keep an eye on A Resounding Yes! on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Fio during Easter for episodes surrounding these two staggering literary figures and their enduring legacy.

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Colleen Dean is passionate about evangelizing secular culture through the written word. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a master’s degree in Catholic Studies from Franciscan University of Steubenville. Her work has been published in The Washington Examiner, The College Fix, and Lone Conservative.

Colleen lives in Ohio with her husband and son. In her free time, she enjoys exploring nature and spending time with her family.