The Lewis And His Influence On The Church Today - 1280 Words

C.S. Lewis is one of the most profound and well-known theologians of the twentieth century. His writings and ideas have played an incredible influence on the Church today. Lewis served as a professor at Oxford university as well as an army officer during the First World War (BBC). Throughout his life, Lewis understood the importance of friendship through significant relationships within his own life. His mother died when he was ten, which caused him to grow closer to his older brother Warren. In college, Lewis connected particularly to a friend named Arthur Greeves over their mutual love for Nordic mythology. As far as the relationships that Lewis held, he is best known for his relations with the literary discussion group known as â€Å"The†¦show more content†¦Lewis describes friendship as being the forgotten love, because it is so different from the other loves. This is because Philia is the least natural love meaning humans do not have a biological or instinctual need fo r it. Most people lead perfectly fine lives without it. It is also considered forgotten because so few experience it fully in our modern world. Friendships can often be uncomfortable because of the level of vulnerability and self-disclosure involved in them. They require as Lewis puts it, â€Å"naked personalities† (Lewis 71). It may initially be disliked or untrusted by some who view friendship as a threat. This is because friendship can lead to strengthened opinions and new ideas. Another reason as to why few experience it is because some confuse it with homosexuality. Lewis addresses this point by saying those that confuse friendship for homosexuality have â€Å"never had a friend† (61). Friendship and the actions within it do not suggest homosexuality. It is the same actions with very different implications that would suggest homosexuality. There are a lot of reasons as to why people do not engage in philia love, but Lewis understands that true philia is incredibly beautiful. There are many different types of friendship, Lewis argues, such as companionship and friendship among romantic lovers. A true friend is found when individuals â€Å"discover that they have in common some insight or interest or taste which others do not share†¦ [which