Philosophy · Book club
Mere Christianity book club questions
Here are 12 book club questions for Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis, ordered to open easily and end somewhere worth arguing about. Copy them, print them, or bring them up one at a time.
Mere Christianity began as a series of BBC radio broadcasts Lewis gave during World War II, and the book retains that quality of direct, informal address.
C. S. Lewis · 1952 · 5h 0m
Full summary and key takeaways →The 12 questions
- 1.
Lewis starts with the Moral Law as evidence of God. Does that argument work for you? What would it take to explain the near-universality of moral intuitions without a divine lawgiver?
- 2.
He argues that Christ must be Lord, liar, or lunatic. What are the strongest objections to that trilemma, and how well does Lewis anticipate them?
- 3.
Lewis presents himself as an outsider who reasoned his way in. How much does that framing affect how the argument lands for you?
- 4.
His treatment of pride as the root sin is one of the book's most admired passages. Where do you see pride operating in your own life in the way Lewis describes it?
- 5.
Lewis distinguishes 'nice people' from 'new people' — suggesting that morality's aim is transformation, not niceness. What's the practical difference?
- 6.
The book was written during World War II. Which of Lewis's concerns feel historically situated, and which feel timeless?
- 7.
Lewis writes as a defender of 'mere Christianity' — the common core. Does that approach let him avoid the hardest questions, or is it a genuine strength?
- 8.
He argues that human desire for something this world cannot provide points toward another world. Does that argument convince you, or does it feel like a non-sequitur?
- 9.
Lewis treats sexual morality at some length. Does his treatment of it hold up by contemporary standards, and does it affect your assessment of the rest of the argument?
- 10.
If you were to write the strongest critique of Mere Christianity from a secular position, what would it say?
- 11.
Lewis compares God to a dentist whose pain is necessary for health. What other metaphors does he use effectively, and where do they break down?
- 12.
Would someone with no prior exposure to Christian ideas find Lewis's argument compelling today? How much does the book assume its reader already half-believes?
How to run the discussion
- Pick six to eight, not all of them. An hour of real discussion covers fewer questions than anyone expects, and racing the list is what makes a book club feel like homework.
- Open with what people noticed, not what they concluded. Asking for a verdict first hardens opinions before anyone has heard each other.
- Let the disagreement run. The questions below that split a room are the ones worth the time; the ones everyone answers the same way can be skipped.
- Ask the quiet person a specific question. A direct, narrow question is far easier to answer than an open invitation to contribute.
Themes worth steering toward
If the conversation stalls, these are the threads that usually restart it.
Common questions
What are good book club questions for Mere Christianity?
Here are 12 book club questions for Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis, ordered to open easily and end somewhere worth arguing about. The strongest openers ask what each reader noticed rather than what they concluded, and the discussion usually turns on christianity, moral argument, faith.
How long should a book club discussion of Mere Christianity last?
Most groups run 60 to 90 minutes of actual discussion. That is roughly six to eight questions, not all of them, so pick the ones that suit your group rather than working down the list in order.
What are the main themes in Mere Christianity?
Christianity, Moral argument, Faith, Human nature, Ethics. Those are the threads most likely to divide a room, which makes them the useful places to steer a discussion that has gone quiet.
Picking the next one? See books like Mere Christianity or questions for other book club picks.
