More Christianity: Finding the Fullness of the Faith

Note to fans of C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity: There's more. In this book, Longenecker ventures a good part of the way into the minefield of the 'More'. The book emerged from his own story, of finding his way to Rome, on a path that started out fundamentalist/evangelical Mennonite-influenced and led to Canterbury and Anglicanism and, eventually, to Catholicism. Unlike a lot of conversion stories, though, this one refrains utterly from even the least disparagement of Protestantism. Not once coming across as superior or sneering at the values of Protestant Christianity (in this respect he seems to have perfected the benevolent manner of C.S. Lewis, the eternal kindly uncle of evangelical Christianity), Longenecker writes with both perspicacity and genuine affection for the days of family altar, revival meetings, and youth camps in Pennsylvania. The hymns and stories remembered from his youth and favorite Scriptures, all become, in this rendition, an overture to something else deeper and more dynamic, like a great opera that is ready with the stage set and just waiting for the curtain to rise. Somehow in the search for and propagation of 'mere' Christianity, a lot of Christians seem to have forgotten to ask what else there is to the Christian experience: to Longenecker this is an almost unimaginable pity, like walking away from a banquet after just sampling the hors d'oeuvres. 'More Christianity' orients the seeker of the More to historical Christianity in its full expression, in particular, as found in the Roman Catholic Church, and fully addresses the stereotypes and misgivings that Protestants have about Rome, without resorting to strident theological polemics. Protestant readers who devoted to the truth, and are curious and really open to understanding the teachings of historical Christianity and who are ready to forsake some dogmatic misconceptions, will be surprised at how amicable and uncomplicated the way back to Rome could be after all. Definitely the best book of its kind.

It takes courage (some would say audacity) to write a book that plays on the title of C. S. Lewis's most famous work, Mere Christianity. But Longenecker has succeeded in writing a work of Catholic apologetics that pays homage to Mere Christianity and explains Catholic doctrine with verve and joy. Longenecker is no stranger to both Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism. He attended Bob Jones University, and while studying there became acquainted with the writings of C. S. Lewis. Longenecker eventually moved to England, attended Oxford, and became an Anglican priest. Years later, after much study and consideration, he entered the Catholic Church and has been writing about Catholicism and apologetics ever since. The goal of More Christianity, Longenecker states, is "to help non-Catholic Christians who are interested in historic Christianity to understand the modern Catholic Church more easily." Clearly he has written his book with the curious, well-read Evangelical in mind - the sort of informed Protestant who relishes reading C. S. Lewis and has questions about the Catholic Church. "Now at the dawn of the twenty-first century," Longenecker argues, "that simple Gospel that Lewis branded `mere Christianity' and that Evangelicals call the `old, old story' is more fully and universally presented in the Catholic Church than anywhere else." Longenecker understands that Mere Christianity was not meant to be promote a minimalist Christianity, as some critics suggest. "Lewis's Mere Christianity is good as far as it goes, and as a first step in Christian apologetics it probably has no equal. To be fair, Lewis denied that his use of `mere' in the title indicated the lowest common denominator." The major flaw of the famous book is its lacking ecclessiology. The problem, Longenecker argues, "is that Lewis and other well-meaning non-Catholics believe the fundamentals can exist as objective truth outside the dynamic life of the Church. . . . The basic truths of the Christian faith cannot be separated from the wholeness of the Church. Catholics believe those basic truths can be most fully known within the bosom of the Church."After establishing these and other core premises, Longenecker works his way through the major issues separating Catholics from Evangelicals: eccelesiology, authority, the papacy, salvation, the sacraments, the Eucharist, the saints, and Mary. While not breaking any new apologetic ground, but he does a fine job of comparing Catholic doctrine with common Evangelical notions and misunderstandings. His chapter on the Real Presence is one of the best. He correctly observes, "I believe most Evangelicals deny the supernatural dimension of the Eucharist through an inherited misunderstanding of the Catholic position combined with a concession to the spirit of the age that is skeptical of anything supernatural. The way forward is to remind Evangelicals that they do actually believe in the supernatural; they do believe God is at work in the world in wonde