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The Business of Heaven: Daily Readings from C. S. Lewis
“Morals are the ‘ropes’ and ‘axes’ necessary for climbing those great heights from which a greater journey begins. That journey leads to the ‘happy land of the Trinity.’ It is there that joys, almost unimaginable in this world, begin. Begin—not end.” —from the preface
In The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis’s famous devil derides the Christian year as “The Same Old Thing.” To combat this, Walter Hooper has drawn from Lewis’s vast bibliography, accumulating short meditations that correspond to each day of the Christian calendar. Hooper has chosen passages that emphasize Lewis’ illuminatingly matter-of-fact approach to religion, with each entry focused on themes such as “Nearness to God,” “Heaven and Sexuality,” or “Two Kinds of Good and Bad.” In addition to providing food for thought, these bite-sized excerpts facilitate a yearlong journey towards achieving the joy that Lewis wrote is “the serious business of heaven.”
"The point about reading C. S. Lewis is that he makes you sure, whatever you believe, that religion accepted or rejected means something extremely serious, demanding the entire energy of the mind." —Harper’s
"A potent anthology." —Los Angeles Times
In The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis’s famous devil derides the Christian year as “The Same Old Thing.” To combat this, Walter Hooper has drawn from Lewis’s vast bibliography, accumulating short meditations that correspond to each day of the Christian calendar. Hooper has chosen passages that emphasize Lewis’ illuminatingly matter-of-fact approach to religion, with each entry focused on themes such as “Nearness to God,” “Heaven and Sexuality,” or “Two Kinds of Good and Bad.” In addition to providing food for thought, these bite-sized excerpts facilitate a yearlong journey towards achieving the joy that Lewis wrote is “the serious business of heaven.”
"The point about reading C. S. Lewis is that he makes you sure, whatever you believe, that religion accepted or rejected means something extremely serious, demanding the entire energy of the mind." —Harper’s
"A potent anthology." —Los Angeles Times
360 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
About the author
C.S. Lewis
1,220 books42.6k followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Clive Staples Lewis was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably one of the most influential writers of his day. He was a Fellow and Tutor in English Literature at Oxford University until 1954. He was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University, a position he held until his retirement. He wrote more than thirty books, allowing him to reach a vast audience, and his works continue to attract thousands of new readers every year. His most distinguished and popular accomplishments include Mere Christianity, Out of the Silent Planet, The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters, and the universally acknowledged classics The Chronicles of Narnia. To date, the Narnia books have sold over 100 million copies and been transformed into three major motion pictures.
Lewis was married to poet Joy Davidman.
W.H. Lewis was his elder brother]
Clive Staples Lewis was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably one of the most influential writers of his day. He was a Fellow and Tutor in English Literature at Oxford University until 1954. He was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University, a position he held until his retirement. He wrote more than thirty books, allowing him to reach a vast audience, and his works continue to attract thousands of new readers every year. His most distinguished and popular accomplishments include Mere Christianity, Out of the Silent Planet, The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters, and the universally acknowledged classics The Chronicles of Narnia. To date, the Narnia books have sold over 100 million copies and been transformed into three major motion pictures.
Lewis was married to poet Joy Davidman.
W.H. Lewis was his elder brother]
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
January 28, 2014
While I am almost always challenged by Lewis and while I regard him as one of my premier influences in literature, philosophy and theology, I would much rather read the whole of his thought as opposed to having some bite-sized artificial daily clipping. What he says here is profound; how it is organized in random samples is not. Perhaps it serves to introduce the new reader to Lewis. For those already acquainted with him, it is more frustrating than helpful and leaves one wishing for the whole sermon or book.
December 31, 2021
****1/2
3rd reading. Excellent.
4th reading. Still excellent.
6th reading. Still my favorite devotional. (Upgraded to 9.5/10.)
7th reading. Remains the best devotional I've seen, Christian or not.
8th reading. This is an old and wise companion to spend a few minutes of my day with.
3rd reading. Excellent.
4th reading. Still excellent.
6th reading. Still my favorite devotional. (Upgraded to 9.5/10.)
7th reading. Remains the best devotional I've seen, Christian or not.
8th reading. This is an old and wise companion to spend a few minutes of my day with.
January 12, 2020
This is one of those 365-day books which I started in Jan 2019. Delightful with generally more than just a short paragraph each day.
January 16, 2012
I try to read this book every day, but sometimes miss a day or two. No matter where I pick it up, though, this book provides thought-provoking and inspirational guidance for the practicing (or lapsed) Christian. But this is not an easy dimestore "Make Miracles Happen Today!" kind of book. It deals with the deeper troubles that any person of faith (or would-be person of faith) confronts. It is a well-thought-out selection from Lewis' writings, and is probably a good launching point for someone not familiar with his ouevre. As Anthony Burgess said of Lewis' "Mere Christianity," his writings are the perfect antidote for anyone who wants to believe but finds their "intellect getting in the way."
December 30, 2021
Finished a day early because who knows if I'll get around to reading tomorrow's entry.
I think Lewis is brilliant. I think this collection is less so. Each day we get a small sampling of Lewis' writings from various works; his Letters, Narnia, Problem of Pain, Mere Christianity, and so on. They take from a good variety of his writings, which was nice, but the problem was that we would get, say, 7 snippets in a row from Miracles on one thing, 2 snippets from The Great Divorce on something else entirely, and then back to a small bit from Miracles. Beyond that, it was either entirely random, like they were picking each daily passage by throwing darts at a spinning wheel, or the tiny passages given each day really didn't give you anything to "chew" on, unless you read the whole week in one go. I appreciate the daily reading aspect of this collection, but I think I'd much rather read the best of the individual books in the future.
I think Lewis is brilliant. I think this collection is less so. Each day we get a small sampling of Lewis' writings from various works; his Letters, Narnia, Problem of Pain, Mere Christianity, and so on. They take from a good variety of his writings, which was nice, but the problem was that we would get, say, 7 snippets in a row from Miracles on one thing, 2 snippets from The Great Divorce on something else entirely, and then back to a small bit from Miracles. Beyond that, it was either entirely random, like they were picking each daily passage by throwing darts at a spinning wheel, or the tiny passages given each day really didn't give you anything to "chew" on, unless you read the whole week in one go. I appreciate the daily reading aspect of this collection, but I think I'd much rather read the best of the individual books in the future.
October 23, 2022
This book captures the best of the best. It contain excepts from all of Lewis' works masterfully crafted to support a message of Faith, Hope and love.
January 1, 2024
Selections from C.S Lewis that my wife and I worked through over the course of the year for evening devotions. Very few authors have enough in their canon to sustain a book like this--Lewis definitely does. I probably won't read this particular collection again, but glad I did it once. I don't anticipate ever not reading a C.S. Lewis book!
December 21, 2021
I should have read the subtitles (daily readings) before buying it. Reading C. S. Lewis for 365 days can never be a bad business, but there is nothing new in this book, it is but a collection of excerpts from his other works.
January 1, 2018
Having read, and thoroughly enjoyed
The Screwtape Letters
The Chronicles of Narnia
and Mere Christianity
I began this yearly devotional with extremely high expectations. So when my expectations were dashed, they were dashed to the extreme... thus the two star rating, which I know is way out of whack with most reviewers.
This collection has some real gems. To treasure forever. But they were few and far between. The majority were of mediocre devotional content. Some were downright antiquated, either because time has made them irrelevant since he based his reflections on [then] current events rather than scripture, or because they had no relevance to an American audience since they were based on British concerns which didn't culturally translate even though we share a common language and heritage.
The final fault (and cause for a low rating) is that there is no apparent rhyme or reason to the organization of the material. So - this is a year long devotional with dated entries. Why a scatter shot approach to topical presentation?
I'll just say, I am so relieved that December 31st rolled around, and I can start a fresh year with a new devotional.
The Screwtape Letters
The Chronicles of Narnia
and Mere Christianity
I began this yearly devotional with extremely high expectations. So when my expectations were dashed, they were dashed to the extreme... thus the two star rating, which I know is way out of whack with most reviewers.
This collection has some real gems. To treasure forever. But they were few and far between. The majority were of mediocre devotional content. Some were downright antiquated, either because time has made them irrelevant since he based his reflections on [then] current events rather than scripture, or because they had no relevance to an American audience since they were based on British concerns which didn't culturally translate even though we share a common language and heritage.
The final fault (and cause for a low rating) is that there is no apparent rhyme or reason to the organization of the material. So - this is a year long devotional with dated entries. Why a scatter shot approach to topical presentation?
I'll just say, I am so relieved that December 31st rolled around, and I can start a fresh year with a new devotional.
December 24, 2016
I’ll be the first to admit that while some of the writings of C S Lewis make such an extreme impact on me, I feel as if I have invisible lightbulbs over my head like a cartoon character would. At other times, my eyes will glaze over and thoughts start to wander because I can’t understand what he is trying to say. It all goes over my head.
I stuck with this book for the entire year. Through thick and thin. There are sections that I’ve underlined, with giant stars at the top of the page, and then days will go by with no marks at all. Still, I’m giving this book 5 stars because of all the insights that so profoundly affected my life.
I stuck with this book for the entire year. Through thick and thin. There are sections that I’ve underlined, with giant stars at the top of the page, and then days will go by with no marks at all. Still, I’m giving this book 5 stars because of all the insights that so profoundly affected my life.
November 7, 2017
Excellent book that summarizes man and his quest for understanding, acceptance and love.
C S Lewis is a deep thinking, introspective, and logical writer. He doesn't preach to the reader, but rather guides the reader through the matter of Christianity in a way that helps the reader to better understand God's work in man and man's need for God. Further, he reasons that there is considerable evidence of not only His existence, but also of His intricate workings in man's life. A perfect book for anyone who is not sure what to believe about God, or His desire for a personal relationship with each person in Earth.
C S Lewis is a deep thinking, introspective, and logical writer. He doesn't preach to the reader, but rather guides the reader through the matter of Christianity in a way that helps the reader to better understand God's work in man and man's need for God. Further, he reasons that there is considerable evidence of not only His existence, but also of His intricate workings in man's life. A perfect book for anyone who is not sure what to believe about God, or His desire for a personal relationship with each person in Earth.
October 27, 2014
A wonderful collection of Lewis passages to start off my day while I brush my teeth. Some are apologetics, some are theological discourses, some are devotional, some are critiques of society.
March 1, 2020
Lewis is en zal altijd mijn meest favoriete schrijver blijven <3
September 26, 2021
Lewis is always good. I prefer the actual books. There is more to think about. I kept flipping to the back to see what book the readings came from. Now I will read one of those!
September 11, 2017
In the opening of this book, Hooper employs a quote from The Allegory of Love - “Humanity does not pass through phases as a train passes through stations: being alive, it has the privilege of always moving yet never leaving anything behind. Whatever we have been, in some sort we are still.” This introduces a collection of Lewis’s writing meant to be consumed in small doses daily, as a quote of the day from a desktop calendar would be. To be sure, Lewis has plenty of wisdom to share. Some of my favorites are:
“We love and reason because God Loves and reasons and holds our hand while we do it.” (56)
“Nature is only the image, the symbol; but it is the symbol Scripture invites me to use. We are summoned to pass in through Nature, beyond her, into that splendour which she fitfully reflects.” (21)
“I suspect there is something in our very mode of thought which makes it inevitable that we should always be baffled by actual existence, whatever character actual existence may have.” (44)
“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” (63)
Quote by Samuel Johnson – “People need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed.” (66)
“Women sometimes have the problem of trying to judge by artificial light how a dress will look by daylight. That is very like the problem of all of us: to dress our souls not for the electric lights of the present world but for the daylight of the next. The good dress is the one that will face that light. For that light will last longer.” (132)
“There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done’, and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. To those who knock it is opened.” (142)
“There is always hope if we keep an unsolved problem fairly in view; there’s none if we pretend it’s not there.” (190)
“No doubt Pain as God’s megaphone is a terrible instrument; it may lead to final and unrepented rebellion. But it gives the only opportunity the bad man can have for amendment. It removes the veil; it plans the flag of truth within the fortress of a rebel soul.” (243)
Beautiful lines, all of the them, and worthy of reflection. While Lewis rates as one of my favorite authors, however, this collection of his writings left me hoping for the end of the book. Lewis, above all else for me, is a wonderful example of a supremely talented and educated man’s reasoned approach to faith. While there is wisdom in the words of this collection, what is missing is the logic the built them. This logic is overwhelming and, for me, convincing in his other books. This book is like a highlights tour, missing the relevance behind many of the places. It is certainly worth reading, but as a reminder of the glory of Lewis’s other work, not before or in replacement of reading that work.
See my other reviews here!
“We love and reason because God Loves and reasons and holds our hand while we do it.” (56)
“Nature is only the image, the symbol; but it is the symbol Scripture invites me to use. We are summoned to pass in through Nature, beyond her, into that splendour which she fitfully reflects.” (21)
“I suspect there is something in our very mode of thought which makes it inevitable that we should always be baffled by actual existence, whatever character actual existence may have.” (44)
“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” (63)
Quote by Samuel Johnson – “People need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed.” (66)
“Women sometimes have the problem of trying to judge by artificial light how a dress will look by daylight. That is very like the problem of all of us: to dress our souls not for the electric lights of the present world but for the daylight of the next. The good dress is the one that will face that light. For that light will last longer.” (132)
“There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done’, and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. To those who knock it is opened.” (142)
“There is always hope if we keep an unsolved problem fairly in view; there’s none if we pretend it’s not there.” (190)
“No doubt Pain as God’s megaphone is a terrible instrument; it may lead to final and unrepented rebellion. But it gives the only opportunity the bad man can have for amendment. It removes the veil; it plans the flag of truth within the fortress of a rebel soul.” (243)
Beautiful lines, all of the them, and worthy of reflection. While Lewis rates as one of my favorite authors, however, this collection of his writings left me hoping for the end of the book. Lewis, above all else for me, is a wonderful example of a supremely talented and educated man’s reasoned approach to faith. While there is wisdom in the words of this collection, what is missing is the logic the built them. This logic is overwhelming and, for me, convincing in his other books. This book is like a highlights tour, missing the relevance behind many of the places. It is certainly worth reading, but as a reminder of the glory of Lewis’s other work, not before or in replacement of reading that work.
See my other reviews here!
December 25, 2022
"Lewis forces us to look at the whole of what we are. This is because he was one of the most realistic Christians we are ever likely to meet. He never makes a mountain out of a mole hill. But he never pretends that a real mole hill isn't there." - Walter Hooper
The Business of Heaven is a collection of daily readings that every person who reads C.S. Lewis seriously should have on their shelves. To be able to start the day not only with the Bible daily, but Lewis's thoughts each day for the past year has been inspiring. This book takes his various works and gives us a little bit to ponder each day.
However, just as important as the writer, is in this case, the editor who brought this collection to us. For without Walter Hooper and his devotion to Lewis and the preservation of Lewis's works, we wouldn't have half of what Lewis wrote with us today. I always recommend any book by C.S. Lewis no matter what the topic, but the Business of Heaven makes a great source for daily reflection and an accompanying source for any serious Bible study and reflection.
The Business of Heaven is a collection of daily readings that every person who reads C.S. Lewis seriously should have on their shelves. To be able to start the day not only with the Bible daily, but Lewis's thoughts each day for the past year has been inspiring. This book takes his various works and gives us a little bit to ponder each day.
However, just as important as the writer, is in this case, the editor who brought this collection to us. For without Walter Hooper and his devotion to Lewis and the preservation of Lewis's works, we wouldn't have half of what Lewis wrote with us today. I always recommend any book by C.S. Lewis no matter what the topic, but the Business of Heaven makes a great source for daily reflection and an accompanying source for any serious Bible study and reflection.
December 31, 2017
This was a gift from my son Rob and one of my 10 daily reading books for 2017. To be fair, I have read everything by CS Lewis and have a deep respect for his intellect and wisdom . So, of course I liked the book and it was one of my favorites for 2017. While he clearly has a Christian perspective, he writes from a point of view based on logic and common sense, rather than the authority of the Church ior the Bible, which appeals to me.
The book is very well edited, seasonal, and has a wonderful flow to it. I highlighted and cut and pasted at least 30 great quotes into my daily journal over the course of the year. There is even a section at the end for major Christian holidays (which I just found today, unfortunately) but the selected readings fit very well with both the Church and the calendar year.
One wonders what else this brilliant man might have written had he not died at the age of 65...
The book is very well edited, seasonal, and has a wonderful flow to it. I highlighted and cut and pasted at least 30 great quotes into my daily journal over the course of the year. There is even a section at the end for major Christian holidays (which I just found today, unfortunately) but the selected readings fit very well with both the Church and the calendar year.
One wonders what else this brilliant man might have written had he not died at the age of 65...
August 26, 2020
I've recently realized one of the greatest gifts given me in my youth was the time and ability to think deeply on any one topic, without constant mental or physical interruptions. Some of that time I spent reading C.S. Lewis. This book, a daily reader with excerpts from his works, allowed a quick dive back into that mindset for me -- quicker and shallower, but a dip into those thoughts that are greater than ourselves nonetheless. I read the book (meant to be paced over a full year) in about four months, simply because I wanted to and that's about as much time as I have for daily reading right now at this stage in my life. As expected (in part because I've read some of these insights previously), it was refreshing, thought-provoking, and -- most necessary for me at this time -- it quieted my soul.
December 29, 2023
Amazing and thought provoking is everything I’ve ever thought if CS and this one will definitely make you think that.
Downside: the way they break up the passages and excerpts definitely made it hard for me to follow without having to either read the previous couple if days or read ahead. It’s like listening to someone stop mid sentence and then continue their sentence the next day.
Still would highly recommend this as a devotional for someone that wants to stray away from “encouraging and hopeful for your day!” Type of devotionals. Not that there is anything wrong in those, i believe those have a place and time. But i believe CS is very good on putting the focus back on God and less on the self.
Downside: the way they break up the passages and excerpts definitely made it hard for me to follow without having to either read the previous couple if days or read ahead. It’s like listening to someone stop mid sentence and then continue their sentence the next day.
Still would highly recommend this as a devotional for someone that wants to stray away from “encouraging and hopeful for your day!” Type of devotionals. Not that there is anything wrong in those, i believe those have a place and time. But i believe CS is very good on putting the focus back on God and less on the self.
March 31, 2019
Even though I am a diehard CS Lewis fan, this book left something to be desired. I find I much prefer reading his full works rather than an excerpt collection like this. CS Lewis is at times so complex and abstruse, that taken out of context, an excerpt can seem to be saying something that it decidedly was not. Multiple times I felt Lewis was being made to seem as though he was saying something or condoning views that I know he was not, from reading the full essay or work it was taken from. However a casual reader or someone who doesn't know Lewis as well could struggle with or misinterpret things.
January 3, 2022
I normally really like CS Lewis's writing, and I hoped this book could be used as a daily reflection point for me. I have to admit that many days I read them out of obligation rather than anything else. Many days, I didn't even really follow what the daily reflection was about. It seemed to me that I may have enjoyed the original books from which these daily reflections came rather than little excerpts that were confusing to me likely because I didn't have the greater context of the works from which they came.
January 3, 2024
I’m not really into “devotionals” simply on the grounds that I have received more spiritual nourishment from reading God’s Word and meditating on it. However, this book is a delightful alternative. A wonderful “365-Day” read and a great way to become acquainted in manageable doses with Lewis’ writings. These samples have always gotten me thinking about “the business of Heaven” - even on spiritual concepts or beliefs held by Lewis which I disagree with. I think this will become part of my yearly reading.
May 16, 2019
I used this as a daily devotional, although I read more than one day's reading at a time. The readings are taken from many of C. S. Lewis' writings. My favorites were always from "Mere Christianity", which I highly recommend to everyone. Although C. S. Lewis is one of my favorite writers, I prefer reading his writings in their entirety to reading bits and pieces of them.
December 31, 2019
This is an excellent sampler of C. S. Lewis's thoughts. Each daily reading in culled from Lewis's published works and offers a profound nugget to ponder throughout the day. This book is good for those who have read Lewis's works and would like a little refresher, but it is also a good introduction to Lewis for those who have read few or none of his writings.
October 9, 2022
IMPRESSIVE
There can be no doubt that CS Lewis was the most influential Christian scholars of the 20th century... This inspirational book of daily devotions is taken from portions of his many writings. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and plan to add it again to the list of books to read again next year.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
There can be no doubt that CS Lewis was the most influential Christian scholars of the 20th century... This inspirational book of daily devotions is taken from portions of his many writings. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and plan to add it again to the list of books to read again next year.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
May 24, 2018
This is a really excellent devotional. Carefully selected excerpts of C.S. Lewis's work are organized around the liturgical year. A little C.S. Lewis every day is a great way to stay focused on the realities of Christian life.
November 1, 2019
I would recommend this as an intro to Lewis or a fun daily reminder (as it’s written) of what he’s said. Some sections get a little loose outside their context in the original book. But overall fun read.
November 20, 2019
I am taking this slowly as I have not read many of his books and am taking notes as I go for future reference. I will be enjoying the mind opening experience for some time. Agree or not, he is an education all by himself. And I am fascinate.d
December 24, 2021
Overall, I really enjoyed this as a daily devotional. Some of the readings felt too out of context from their original source so I struggled to grasp meaning at times. But as for encouragement and Truth in a daily reader, I would highly recommend this!
March 29, 2022
A book of quotes/passages from his books for every day of the year. Some massive truth bombs in here but it's dry and there are some frustrating parts. He would have been a wonder if hr'd been LDS. Everything that perplexed him would have fallen into place.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews