Publication Date

Spring 5-2026

School

College of Arts and Sciences; School of Behavioral Sciences; School of Divinity

Major

Interdisciplinary Studies

Keywords

C.S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy, Joy, Christianity, religion, awe, philosophy, emotion, psychology, apologetics, evolutionary psychology, naturalism, teleology, AWE-S, theology, existence of God, literature, autobiography, evolution

Disciplines

Christianity | English Language and Literature | Evolution | Metaphysics | Philosophy | Psychology | Religion

Abstract

C.S. Lewis’s Surprised by Joy details Lewis’s autobiographical apologetic for the existence of God through his experiences of “Joy,” a technical term invented by Lewis. Upon close study, his experiences of Joy contain many similarities to psychological awe. This investigation compares Lewis’s Joy with psychological awe using the Awe Experience Scale (AWE-S) to determine consistency. Lewis’s Joy was found to be consistent with all six criteria of the AWE-S in addition to other recognized psychological characteristics of awe. In addition to qualitative consistency, this review also argues for the teleological consistency of the two concepts, contending for a Christian teleological apologetic use of both Joy and awe as signposts for the existence of a God worthy of worship.

Download

Share

COinS