C.S. Lewis on Mere Liberty and the Evils of Statism

The following address was given by David J. Theroux, founder and president of The Independent Institute and the C.S. Lewis Society of California, at the first annual conference of Christians for Liberty, that was held at St. Edwards University in San Antonio, TX, August 2, 2014. Theroux covers a lot of ground and shows how Christianity was essential to the Western understanding of individual rights and political freedom; he also shows how C.S. Lewis drew upon the writings and thought of St. Paul, St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, Acton and others in defending authentic liberty and natural law (or “the Tao”, as Lewis called it in The Abolition of Man).


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About Carl E. Olson 1229 Articles
Carl E. Olson is editor of Catholic World Report and Ignatius Insight. He is the author of Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?, Will Catholics Be "Left Behind"?, co-editor/contributor to Called To Be the Children of God, co-author of The Da Vinci Hoax (Ignatius), and author of the "Catholicism" and "Priest Prophet King" Study Guides for Bishop Robert Barron/Word on Fire. His recent books on Lent and Advent—Praying the Our Father in Lent (2021) and Prepare the Way of the Lord (2021)—are published by Catholic Truth Society. He is also a contributor to "Our Sunday Visitor" newspaper, "The Catholic Answer" magazine, "The Imaginative Conservative", "The Catholic Herald", "National Catholic Register", "Chronicles", and other publications. Follow him on Twitter @carleolson.