C.S. Lewis converted to Christianity in 1931 after years describing himself as an atheist.
Lewis’s religious change developed over several years rather than occurring as a single isolated event. His reading, philosophical reflection, and conversations with fellow writers—including J.R.R. Tolkien and Hugo Dyson—contributed to his movement toward Christian belief.
Lewis later described becoming a theist before embracing Christianity. In his autobiography Surprised by Joy, he famously characterized his conversion as happening reluctantly, writing that he was “the most dejected and reluctant convert in England.”
The year 1931 is associated with his conversion to Christianity, while some accounts distinguish earlier stages of his return to belief. This distinction explains why biographies sometimes describe his religious development as a process rather than one instant change.