WAS C. S. LEWIS AN INCLUSIVIST?

Abstract

C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) was one of the main Christian thinkers of the last century. A prolific author, he wrote on many topics, including literary criticism, educational theory, fantasy literature, and theological exposition. This article aims to verify how Lewis understood the place of religions in the experience of salvation. In Christianity, soteriology, understood as a reflection on the experience of salvation, has been identified over the centuries with the exclusivist position, which denies all other religious traditions any possibility of salvific value. From the second half of the 20th century onwards, other understandings have emerged. One of them, inclusivism, understands that, in Christ, non-Christians can have the experience of salvation. The hypothesis intended to be demonstrated in the article is that Lewis defended the inclusivist perspective.

KEYWORDS: Inclusivism. Soteriology. Christology. Interreligious dialogue. C. S. Lewis.