Lectures in History cover image

Lectures in History

C.S. Lewis & Natural Law

Oct 1, 2023
Calvin University Professor Micah Watson discusses C.S. Lewis's views on law, politics, and government. Topics include Lewis's defense of natural law, his perspectives on government solutions to poverty, and his endorsement of limited government theory. Also, explores Lewis's upbringing, personal experiences with war, and his belief in objective morality. Other topics include Lewis's thoughts on dignity, capital punishment, and his accurate predictions about modernity trends. The podcast also delves into Lewis's life, work, views on democracy, equality, and his approach to writing. It concludes with a discussion on theocracy, social media criticism, standing up to bullies, and resisting societal pressures.
01:22:12

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • C.S. Lewis had a personal and biographical interest in politics and law, which influenced his engagement with political issues.
  • Lewis believed in the importance of justice in the criminal justice system and the need for punishment based on moral desert.

Deep dives

C.S. Lewis' Personal and Political Interests

C.S. Lewis, known as Jack Lewis, had a personal and biographical interest in politics and law, contrary to the belief that he disdained and ignored politics. Growing up in Northern Ireland, he was surrounded by talk of law and politics, and his father, who was a lawyer, brought these discussions home. Lewis served in World War I and witnessed the devastating effects of political decisions firsthand. He also wrote a short essay endorsing limited government theory in response to an event that spurred him to do so. This personal and biographical background contributed to Lewis' engagement with political issues.

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