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In Lewis’s day, Britain (along with Europe more generally) was entering what many now refer to as a post-Christian period. This was a stage in a longstanding cultural shift which had been ongoing since the Enlightenment of the 18th century, and which especially began to accelerate in the late 19th century. Along with a growing rejection of traditional religious doctrines more broadly, many people had come to regard miracle stories as the fanciful creations of a less enlightened age. To believe in miracles was seen as childish and superstitious, a primitive form of religious faith. Lewis addresses this widespread sensibility throughout his book, arguing that this perception is not based on solid philosophical, scientific, or experiential evidence, but is rather an example of cultural bias. He refers to this cultural bias as “a deeply ingrained habit of truncated thought” and notes that the current state of affairs is “recent and, by historical standards, abnormal” (66). Lewis develops this theme primarily by examining the prevailing prejudices around miracles one by one, showing the paucity of their philosophical foundations. If they cannot be substantiated by the reasons commonly attributed to them, then they are merely a feature of a cultural
By C. S. Lewis
A Grief Observed
A Grief Observed
C. S. Lewis
Mere Christianity
Mere Christianity
C. S. Lewis
Out of the Silent Planet
Out of the Silent Planet
C. S. Lewis
Perelandra
Perelandra
C. S. Lewis
Prince Caspian
Prince Caspian
C. S. Lewis
Surprised by Joy
Surprised by Joy
C. S. Lewis
That Hideous Strength
That Hideous Strength
C. S. Lewis
The Abolition of Man
The Abolition of Man
C. S. Lewis
The Discarded Image
The Discarded Image
C. S. Lewis
The Four Loves
The Four Loves
C. S. Lewis
The Great Divorce
The Great Divorce
C. S. Lewis
The Horse And His Boy
The Horse And His Boy
C. S. Lewis
The Last Battle
The Last Battle
C. S. Lewis
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
C. S. Lewis
The Magician's Nephew
The Magician's Nephew
C. S. Lewis
The Pilgrim's Regress
The Pilgrim's Regress
C. S. Lewis
The Problem of Pain
The Problem of Pain
C. S. Lewis
The Screwtape Letters
The Screwtape Letters
C. S. Lewis
The Silver Chair
The Silver Chair
C. S. Lewis
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
C. S. Lewis