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I just read an old review of a book about Francis Schaeffer and C.S. Lewis. It mentioned that C.S. Lewis believed that the Bible has some mythological content. I’ve never heard that about Lewis and I’d like to know what he felt was mythological. Can anyone refer me to the works by Lewis that deal with this?

Thanks.

You raise a really interesting topic, theorivas, which sent me to Google. I found an article by Duncan Sprague called "The Unfundamental C.S. Lewis" which at first glance appears helpful.

It is in Lewis’s view of myth that we find the bridge from revelation to inspiration. If, in myth, there are extreme points on opposite ends of the continuum of focused and unfocused revelation, then it would follow that the quality and/or focus of inspiration may also be viewed as having extreme points beginning with the least inspired (unfocused truth) to the most inspired (meaning the most complete truth directly from God). But, before we leave the issue of myth in revelation I sense the need to simplify, as best I can, Lewis’s definition of myth. I would say that he views myth as a story that could be and might be true, but does not need to be historically or scientifically true because it is meant to communicate something bigger than history or science. Therefore Old Testament stories like Jonah, Esther, Song of Solomon, Job, some of David’s Psalms, and even the creation account and fall of man are not necessarily historical events. In fact, in addressing the last point, Lewis writes, "For all I can see, it [the fall] might have concerned the literal eating of a fruit, but it is of no consequence."

I personally don’t go where Sprague does in his evaluation—he assumes that myth as Lewis defines it is ultimately opposed to "truly God-inspired words and thoughts" and uses select Bible verses to prove that scripture is exclusively the latter rather than the former. His use of these verses is based on popular theological (not biblical) assumptions about inerrancy, which he assumes must equal factuality—and "inerrancy" in this sense is never a quality that scripture assigns to itself, unless we believe that God is only capable ot "breathing" historical fact (2 Peter 3:16), which I think actually detracts from the power of the image and closes us off from the magnificent implications of being infused and guided and equipped by the very breath of God.

Anyway, aside from my rant, the article provides a good and relatively balanced overview of Lewis’ view of scripture in relation to myth. Sprague respects Lewis’ view, even though he ultimately views it as weak.

Great find! It looks like Lewis’ Reflections on the Psalms and Kilby’s book will be a good start. And now, I have an excuse to revisit Voyage of the "Dawn Treader". I have been in ‘working stiff’ mode for too long. This will be fun! Thank you very much, Kirsten!