The Everyday Mysticism of C. S. Lewis: Spirituality for Daily Life

Summary

For many Christians, the mystics―saints and teachers throughout Christian history who have experienced direct encounters with God―are in a category of their own. We read about the supernatural experiences of biblical figures like Moses, Isaiah, and John, and historical figures like Julian of Norwich, Teresa of Ávila, and John of the Cross, but how can we have spiritual experiences like theirs when our own walks with God feel ordinary and mundane?

In The Everyday Mysticism of C. S. Lewis, professor of spiritual formation Gary Selby shows us what the mystics can teach us about everyday spirituality through the eyes of one of the most beloved Christian authors of the last century.

C. S. Lewis deeply respected the mystics and thought that their experience truly represented the glory of God breaking into human existence. Lewis believed that in our daily encounters with beauty, we can glimpse the same kind of transcendent union with God that the mystics were given, and that the rich treasures of their tradition could be mined to enrich our day-to-day lives in Christ.

What you'll find in this book: practical guidance on spiritual growth and practices like centering prayer and contemplative attention using Lewis's paradigm; how Lewis's work lies at the intersection of experience and theological reflection; and a scholarly yet accessible exploration of C. S. Lewis's body of work that illuminates a seldom-analyzed dimension of his thought and writing.