One way of learning the difference between the sheep and the goats, according to Armand M. Nicholi Jr., is to look at the lives of Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis side by side. The Question of God is based on Nicholi's popular Harvard course comparing the two men and their worldviews. Lewis represents "the spiritual worldview, rooted primarily in ancient Israel, with its emphasis on moral truth and right conduct and its motto of Thus saith the Lord"; Freud represents "the materialist ... worldview, rooted in ancient Greece, with its emphasis on reason and acquisition of knowledge and its motto What says Nature?" Nicholi believes that everyone embraces some form of one of these worldviews, and The Question of God helps readers figure out which camp they're in. For the most part, this book remains neutral on the question of who's right and who's wrong. Nevertheless, The Question of God does give Lewis the last word. --Michael Joseph Gross


From Publishers Weekly
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.


From Library Journal
Over the years, a number of good biographies of Lewis, the perennially popular Christian apologist, have been published. George Sayer's Jack: A Life of C.S. Lewis is probably the least controversial of them, while A.N. Wilson's C.S. Lewis: A Biography is likely the most. This portrait by Downing (English, Elizabethtown Coll.; Planets in Peril) is unique in that it treats one aspect of Lewis's life: his conversion from atheism to Christianity. Focusing on his subject's inner journey, Downing considers the effect on Lewis of his mother's death; his estrangement from his father; the influence of a rationalist, atheistic, but well-loved mentor; his early interest in the occult and paranormal; and the trench warfare he experienced in World War I. Making use of both published and unpublished writings, Downing shows a deep understanding of Lewis and writes in a flowing style. For more than 25 years, Nicholi (psychiatry, Harvard Medical Sch.) has offered a course in which he compares the thought and life of the atheist Freud with that of Lewis as a way to consider questions about the existence of God, love, sex, and the meaning of life. Nicholi generally maintains a balanced view, letting Freud's and Lewis's words and actions speak for themselves. He examines why Freud remained an unbeliever (though not an unthinking one) and why Lewis accepted Christianity. While his sympathies obviously lie on the side of faith, Nicholi nevertheless offers a balanced view of Freud. Both books are well written and worthy additions to the rapidly growing literature on Lewis, although Nicholi's will probably appeal to a broader audience. Augustine J. Curley, Newark Abbey, NJ Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
At the end of this contrapuntal exposition of the religious ideas of Freud and C. S. Lewis, Nicholi asks what accounts for the continuing appeal of these two giants of twentieth-century thought. He concludes that it is because they represent opposing worldviews--Freud that of materialism, Lewis that of spiritualism--and, perhaps more crucially, conflicting parts of the psyche: Freud is the consummate defier of authority; Lewis, the consummate surrenderer to God. That Nicholi's conclusion is obvious very early on doesn't diminish the interest of this sublime primer in how his subjects' thought and lives compare. Both had troubled father-son relationships that eventuated in youthful atheism, and both compulsively returned to the question of God's existence and essence. But Lewis became a Christian again through conversion, while Freud remained an atheist. The text abounds with quotations that Nicholi stitches together very cogently. Who might Freudian-trained psychoanalyst Nicholi have us prefer? Well, he gives Lewis the last word, but by then it is obvious that Lewis, postconversion, was lovable. Freud never was. Ray Olson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Review
Ken Burns Armand Nicholi has hit the nail on the head with this irresistible, expertly told story of the twin anchors -- and the dilemma -- of modern thought. Here in the lives of two real and recognizable geniuses can be found our own longing and search. Nicholi has reconciled the two disparate men and beliefs superbly. I couldn't put it down.

Peter Kreeft author of Making Sense of Suffering Some books are fair, scholarly, and objective. Others are challenging, arresting, and subjectively moving. When a book is both, it is unforgettable. Such is The Question of God. We are caught, plunged into both Freud's and Lewis's lives, honestly, deeply, with both head and heart. It is as exciting as a novel, and we must supply the ending.

Dr. Timothy Johnson medical editor, ABC News I attended some of Armand Nicholi's remarkably popular classes at Harvard and found them to be one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Dr. Nicholi, after more than twenty-five years of teaching and research on Freud and Lewis, has now made this experience available to all. This superb book will change your life.


Review
Ralph Larson Chairman and CEO, Johnson & Johnson Armand Nicholi's new book, The Question of God, is both profound and fascinating. It provides remarkable insight into the very different life views of Sigmund Freud and C. S. Lewis. All those who are searching for true meaning in their lives should take the time to read this wonderful book. I had a hard time putting it down.


Review
Ralph Larson Chairman and CEO, Johnson & Johnson Armand Nicholi's new book, The Question of God, is both profound and fascinating. It provides remarkable insight into the very different life views of Sigmund Freud and C. S. Lewis. All those who are searching for true meaning in their lives should take the time to read this wonderful book. I had a hard time putting it down.


Book Description
"This elegantly written and compelling comparison of the worldviews of Sigmund Freud and C. S. Lewis provides a riveting opportunity to consider the most important questions mankind has ever asked: Is there a God? Does he care about me? This profound book is for anyone who is earnestly seeking answers about truth, the meaning of life, and God's existence." -- Francis Collins, Director, National Human Genome Research Institute Many of history's greatest thinkers have wrestled with the ultimate question of belief and nonbelief in God. Though it might seem unlikely that any new arguments could possibly be raised on either side, the twentieth century managed to produce two men who each made brilliant, new, and lasting arguments, one in favor of belief and one opposed. Few spokesmen have ever championed their respective positions better than Sigmund Freud and C. S. Lewis. Sadly, as far as we know, they never met or debated each other directly. In The Question of God their arguments are placed side by side, as if they were standing at podiums in a shared room. Both thought carefully about the flaws and alternatives to their positions; each considered the other's views. Both men considered the problem of pain and suffering, the nature of love and sex, and the ultimate meaning of life and death. Here, with their debate made explicit, we can take ringside seats at one of history's most profound encounters. For more than twenty-five years Armand Nicholi has studied the philosophical writings of both men, and has taught a popular course at Harvard that compares the two worldviews. In The Question of God he presents the fruits of years of labor among the published and unpublished writings of Lewis and Freud, including an extensive exploration of their private letters. He allows them to speak for themselves on every major question of belief and nonbelief, but also skillfully draws conclusions from their own lives. Why did Freud have such difficulty maintaining lifelong friendships? How did Lewis's friendships change after his transition from atheism to belief? Why was Freud unable to willfully ignore his own internal moral sense, even though he believed it to be purely a product of socialization and not in any way eternally "true"? The Question of God may be the best book about belief and nonbelief ever written, since it does not presuppose which answer is correct. Instead, it uses two of history's most articulate spokesmen to present arguments on both sides. In the end, readers must join Nicholi's hundreds of former students in deciding for themselves which path to follow.


Download Description
"Many of history's greatest thinkers have wrestled with the ultimate question of belief and nonbelief in God. Though it might seem unlikely that any new arguments could possibly be raised on either side, the twentieth century managed to produce two men who each made brilliant, new, and lasting arguments, one in favor of belief and one opposed. Few spokesmen have ever championed their respective positions better than Sigmund Freud and C. S. Lewis. Sadly, as far as we know, they never met or debated each other directly. In The Question of God their arguments are placed side by side, as if they were standing at podiums in a shared room. Both thought carefully about the flaws and alternatives to their positions; each considered the other's views.


About the Author
Dr. Armand M. Nicholi, Jr. is an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts General Hospital. He has an active practice as a psychiatrist and serves as a consultant to government groups, corporations, and professional athletes. He is married, with two children, and lives in Concord, Massachusetts.

FROM OUR EDITORS

Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis never had the pleasure of meeting. But if the two famous men had gotten together, they probably would have intensely debated the existence of God. Here, Armand Nicholi simulates such a discussion, pitting Freud's secularism against the spirituality of Lewis.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Throughout the ages, many of the world's greatest thinkers have wrestled with the concept of -- and belief in -- God. It may seem unlikely that any new arguments or insights could be raised, but the twentieth century managed to produce two brilliant men with two diametrically opposed views about the question of God: Sigmund Freud and C. S. Lewis. They never had an actual meeting, but in The Question of God, their arguments are placed side by side for the very first time. For more than twenty-five years, Armand Nicholi has taught a course at Harvard that compares the philosophical arguments of both men. In The Question of God, Dr. Nicholi presents the writings and letters of Lewis and Freud, allowing them to "speak" for themselves on the subject of belief and disbelief. Both men considered the problem of pain and suffering, the nature of love and sex, and the ultimate meaning of life and death -- and each of them thought carefully about the alternatives to their positions. The inspiration for the PBS series of the same name, The Question of God does not presuppose which man -- Freud the devout atheist or Lewis the atheist-turned-believer -- is correct in his views. Rather, readers are urged to join Nicholi and his students and decide for themselves which path to follow.

SYNOPSIS

Many of history's greatest thinkers have wrestled with the ultimate question of belief and nonbelief in God. Though it seemed unlikely that any new arguments could possibly be raised on either side, the twentieth century produced two men who each made brilliant arguments, one in favor of belief and one opposed -- Sigmund Freud and C. S.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

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. (Apr. 2) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal

Over the years, a number of good biographies of Lewis, the perennially popular Christian apologist, have been published. George Sayer's Jack: A Life of C.S. Lewis is probably the least controversial of them, while A.N. Wilson's C.S. Lewis: A Biography is likely the most. This portrait by Downing (English, Elizabethtown Coll.; Planets in Peril) is unique in that it treats one aspect of Lewis's life: his conversion from atheism to Christianity. Focusing on his subject's inner journey, Downing considers the effect on Lewis of his mother's death; his estrangement from his father; the influence of a rationalist, atheistic, but well-loved mentor; his early interest in the occult and paranormal; and the trench warfare he experienced in World War I. Making use of both published and unpublished writings, Downing shows a deep understanding of Lewis and writes in a flowing style. For more than 25 years, Nicholi (psychiatry, Harvard Medical Sch.) has offered a course in which he compares the thought and life of the atheist Freud with that of Lewis as a way to consider questions about the existence of God, love, sex, and the meaning of life. Nicholi generally maintains a balanced view, letting Freud's and Lewis's words and actions speak for themselves. He examines why Freud remained an unbeliever (though not an unthinking one) and why Lewis accepted Christianity. While his sympathies obviously lie on the side of faith, Nicholi nevertheless offers a balanced view of Freud. Both books are well written and worthy additions to the rapidly growing literature on Lewis, although Nicholi's will probably appeal to a broader audience. Augustine J. Curley, Newark Abbey, NJ Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews