Alive to Wonder: Celebrating the Influence of C. S. Lewis

by John Piper

Publisher:

Desiring God

, 2013

Alive to Wonder: Celebrating the Influence of C. S. Lewis is a collection of extended excerpts from John Piper’s corpus where Lewis’s fingerprints are most vividly seen, including a significant introduction from Piper specially written for this project.

Piper calls it “the immeasurable moment” — that instance in reading when we come across a sentence or phrase that unleashes a new glimpse of truth. The lights go on. We read it and reread it. We’re gripped to see more. While it’s an experience that can happen when reading any good author, many would testify that it abounds when reading C.S. Lewis. Undoubtedly, this has been the case for Piper.

Even a cursory reading of Piper’s most foundational books shows Lewis’s influence. From the deep truths of Christian Hedonism to the good interpretive deed of valuing an author’s intention, Lewis-thought is there. And in this fiftieth year since Lewis’s death, Piper expresses his profound thankfulness in the form of this new ebook.

Contents

Top Highlights

“God is not worshiped where He is not treasured and enjoyed. Praise is not an alternative to joy, but the expression of joy. Not to enjoy God is to dishonor Him. To say to Him that something else satisfies you more is the opposite of worship. It is sacrilege.” (source)

“Since God is real outside ourselves and has sent us a book, his intention in what the book says is of infinite importance. How to read the Bible is a good example of how to read everything—humbly, as though we have something to see— something to learn—from another mind.” (source)

“There is so much greatness to be known and felt by looking at God and his world, they believed, why would we focus on ourselves?” (source)

“He liked his ideas to fit the truth as snugly as old slippers fit the feet.’¹⁵ Pride does not care about this fit. Pride wants other things to fit with it. Not the reverse. Humility submits to God’s willed reality and makes the effort to conform its ideas to Truth.” (source)

“God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.” (source)

Product Details

• Title : Alive to Wonder: Celebrating the Influence of C. S. Lewis
• Author: Piper, John
• Publisher: Desiring God
• Publication Date: 2013
• ISBN: 2013052900001

About John Piper

John Piper (b. 1946) is a widely respected theologian and bestselling author who serves as founder and lead teacher at Desiring God and is chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. For 33 years, Piper served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church. He has authored more than 50 books, and more than 30 years of his preaching and writing are available free of charge at desiringGod.org. Piper resides in the Minneapolis area with his wife of 51 years, and has five children and 14 grandchildren.

Piper attended Wheaton College where he majored in literature and minored in philosophy. He completed his Bachelor of Divinity at Fuller Theological Seminary, where he studied under Dr. Daniel Fuller. Piper received his Doctorate in Theology from the University of Munich and taught biblical studies for six years at Bethel College.

In 1994, Piper founded Desiring God Ministries, which provides Piper’s sermons, articles, and information on titles he has authored. One of his bestsellers, Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist, prompted the name of the ministry.

Several of Piper’s books have been Evangelical Christian Publishers Association Christian book award winners including What Jesus Demands from the World, Pierced by the Word, and God’s Passion for His Glory. The Crossway John Piper Collection (39 vols.) includes 39 titles from Piper, including Love Your Enemies and A Hunger for God. His preaching ministry of more than 30 years is available in the John Piper Sermon Archive (1980–2014).

Hear how Piper uses Logos for his Bible Study.