Book Review - "The Question of God: C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life" by Armand M. Nicholi Jr.

by Old Man

Whenever a book is reviewed over 50 times on Amazon.com you know it has caused some controversy - enter Harvard Professor Armand M. Nicholi Jr.'s book that stemmed from an undergrad course he taught entitled "The Question of God: C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud debate God, Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life." This book sets up an imaginary debate between the two heralds of the two dominate mutually exclusive worldviews (God or No-God) - Freud and Lewis. Freud, though most famous for his psychological work, also wrote extensively in philosophical branch of literature - specifically his books "Moses and Monotheism" and "The Future of an Illusion." Lewis, probably most famous for his children's books on "Narnia," also wrote and spoke extensively in favor of his theistic and then Christian views in books like "Mere Christianity" and "Screwtape Letters."

The debate sets well, as much of Freud's (who is a generation earlier than Lewis) philosophy was in vogue at Oxford and Cambridge when Lewis was a tutor and professor - so much of his Christian apologetic work is a response to Freud's thoughts. Freud's influence was ever present in Lewis's work, and even on a few occasions he references his arguments directly.

Where this book sets itself apart is the inclusion of biographical material to color the thinking of both of the individuals. While other books focus primarily on the thinking of the two - discussing the plausibility of God being real - which, if you have read a few on either side - tend to lean pretty heavy on empirical evidense that is mounted firmly on enlightenment thinking which rests on the belief that things can be proved - when both sides both admit "proof" is not really possible in trying to prove God's existence or inexistence.

I tend to be a fan of old sayings like "the proof is in the pudding" and "actions speak louder than words" - simply because in our dualistic enlightenment age we tend to seperate thoughts from actions way to readily. This divorce is purely a mechanism of our imaginations. You don't need to be a mental giant to figure out that 80% of communication is physical. So I find it fascinating that the vast majority of our literature involving metaphysics has no "physical" to it.

So this book is great in this: We don't just get to know the thoughts of Freud and Lewis, we in a sense get to know Freud and Lewis, and their thoughts get a context that I think gives this book so much power. Nicholi Jr. says that he is unbiased in his writing - and many have taken potshots at this proposition because by the end of the book, the argument leans heavily in favor of Lewis. And I can see how people could make that argument.

But at the same time - I wonder if there was a way that he could have written an honest book about these two and have Freud come out as the nicer, more joyful, more secure, more self-assured, and more free? I don't think it would be possible...where Freud and Lewis were both great thinkers, Lewis was a great live-er. The reality is that given a night to spend with these two giants - I'd much rather have a drink with Lewis and his friends than Freud.

If you are interested in a good read that will challenge your assumptions about God and about Lewis and Freud - this book would be worth picking up.