The Question of God

March 1, 2002
While Freud and C.S. Lewis never actually met, the atheistic theories of the psychoanalyst and well-known unbeliever are pitted against those of the Christian don in The Question of God: C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life. Author Armand M. Nicholi Jr. is a Harvard Medical School psychiatry professor who has taught a class on the theological writings of Freud and Lewis for more than 25 years. In this accessible study, he outlines the lives of the two thinkers, both preoccupied with the question of god's existence, and compares how the two approach questions of conscience, happiness, pain and death.

May 15, 2003
Nicholi, a psychiatrist and a professor at Harvard Medical School, has taught a very popular course on Freud for over 25 years, but it wasn't until he began to contrast Freud's materialist worldview with that of the consummate believer, Lewis, that the atmosphere in the classroom became charged with what in many cases became life-altering discussions. The topics of these discussions are covered in this compelling and thoughtful exploration into the lives and philosophies of two of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century. Nicholi's premise is simple: there are only two kinds of people-believers and nonbelievers-with Freud and Lewis representative of each. Freud, the atheist, was paradoxically obsessed with the question of God, often quoting the Bible in his writings and personal correspondence; Lewis, who early on rejected his Christian heritage, had a conversion experience in his 30s that significantly changed his life and worldview. Freud's materialist philosophy is juxtaposed against the spiritual perspective of Lewis within the context of life's major preoccupations-love, sex, friendship, the existence of God, and the meaning of life. This book provides a fascinating insight into what in other hands could be dense and complicated material. Robert Whitfield's reading is both warm and authoritative; his engaging style is reminiscent of a favorite professor's class lecture. Highly recommended for all collections.-Barbara Ferrer Kenney, Roger Williams Univ., Bristol, RI

Copyright 2003 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.