Mere Christianity was C.S. Lewis’s book based on his popular BBC talks about Christian belief.
Lewis broadcast a series of talks on BBC Radio during the Second World War, beginning in 1941. The talks were later revised and published in book form, with the title Mere Christianity appearing in 1952. The book presents an argument for a shared core of Christian belief before discussing specifically Christian doctrines and moral ideas.
The volume is organized into four parts: “Right and Wrong as a Clue to the Meaning of the Universe,” “What Christians Believe,” “Christian Behavior,” and “Beyond Personality.” Lewis uses accessible analogies and a conversational style rather than writing as a technical theologian.
The Case for Christianity is the title of an earlier book drawn from the first broadcast series, while Mere Christianity is the expanded and reorganized work most readers know. The phrase “mere Christianity” refers to central beliefs held across major Christian traditions.