C.S. Lewis’s Argument for the Existence of God From Morality
In his work Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis states a moral argument for the existence of God that can be put into a logical equation.
1. There is a universal moral law
2. If there is a universal moral law, then there must be a universal moral lawgiver
Therefore
3. There must be a God.
Lewis begins first by defending his premise that there is a universal moral law. He states that without it, all moral disagreements would make no sense. We often appeal to a set of moral standards. We often claim that something is “unfair” and “evil”. When we appeal to these standards one doesn’t need to explain why these things are evil, you assume that there’s a standard not to kill, rape, steal, etc. When people do not understand that these sorts of things are wrong, we think that there is something wrong with them or they are just crazy. If there were not any moral standards, moral judgments would be meaningless. In this case, Hitler’s actions toward the Jews were just an expression of difference of an opinion and not necessarily wrong.
Next he explains that if there if a moral law, there must be someone who created the laws. Without this person, the laws are almost completely unexplainable as to why they exist. Moral laws are not contained in the tangible, physical features of the universe. In fact, Lewis even admits that there is no physical evidence for this moral law or a creator. But, the fact that almost everyone seems to have a corresponding preset idea of right and wrong remains and it seems it someone must have created it.
This being to have created a universal moral law must be supremely powerful, perfectly good in order to be the objective standard for moral law, and interested in our lives because we are subject to the law. These are the traits of the personable Christian God.
Some try to reject this belief by saying the moral law is “herd instinct”, or where one follows the strongest impulse often caused by the influence of others. Lewis defends this by saying that our strongest impulse is not always the right thing to do. We don’t always want to make our lives worse, but living rightly often involves self-sacrifice. Moral law can neither be just from society because then society has no way of being morally improved, which conflicts with the works of those figures like Martin Luther King Jr. Finally moral law cannot be self-imposed because then a person could change them according to their own convenience. Hitler would then be morally just by this system, which is ridiculous. Lewis has refuted these arguments ahead of time states that the only logical explanation is the existence of God.
C.S. Lewis never cited any specific historical sources in his proof that God exists. He does however use concrete examples from history such as Hitler, Mother Theresa, and Martin Luther King Jr.
I feel that this does accurately prove there is a God (although I already am a theist so there must be some bias). Lewis approaches this problem in a reasonable manner almost as if it were a logic problem. He proves the accuracy of his premises and how they are not false. He then links the quite carefully together and shows that his conclusion is not only believable but also reasonable. He refutes arguments people would have against it and has me convinced that there is a God.
Sources:
DePoe, John.
“Arguments from Morality for the Existence of God.” Accessed:
Fernandes,
Phil. “The Moral Argument.” Accessed:
Lindsley,
Art. “C.S. Lewis: His Life and Works.” Accessed: