Today is the 50th anniversary of the death of C. S. Lewis. I saw someone today question the current influence of Lewis. He acknowledged that Lewis had influenced a past generation but wondered how much Lewis continues to influence. That is a fair question.
I would suggest that Lewis continues to be a major question. One way is that Lewis has been influential on the generation of leaders and pastors who are currently in ministry. Lewis has left his stamp and even when such leaders are not explicitly quoting Lewis, they are still passing on the influence from Lewis.
However, the influence is not as separated as that. I teach at Emmanuel Bible College and I asked my students about Lewis. My students are mostly in their late teens and early twenties. They were quick to identify their favorite books and were very excited to talk about Lewis.
I believe there is something timeless about the works of Lewis that will continue to influence future generations. Lewis many years ago did what many are arguing new authors need to do to and that is connect with our culture. Lewis is not just about nostalgia for a better time but a vision for how thoughtful Christianity can engage culture.
Is C. S. Lewis still influential? Yes he is. I predict that his impact will only grow as the years go by.
