Quoting people smarter than me

I'm nearly finished with C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity. This work is considered by some a primer for non-believers on essential elements of Christianity, a sort of 'Christianity 101' if you will.

In the chapter entitled Making and Begetting, Lewis describes how Christ is not only the embodiement of, but the means to integrating the 'natural' and the 'spiritual' elements of life. Lewis explains that this integration of the two is essential to what Christianity is about, and also that it represents part of the original design for man.

Alas, after the fall the two are separate and this integration can only now occur when the 'natural' man seeks relationship with Christ. Lewis describes the severe trauma this causes when 'spiritual' life comes to 'natural' man as "big a change as a statue which changed from being a carved stone to being a real man."

This is the concluding paragraph of the chapter:

And that is precisely what Christianity is about. This world is a great sculptor's shop. We are the statues and there is a rumour going round the shop that some of us are some day going to come to life.

That picture--for me at least--inspires, encourages and uplifts!


On a side note, I hardily recommend these other of Lewis' works:

Chronicles of Narnia
The Screwtape Letters
The Space Trilogy
The Great Divorce