“I think that all things, in their way, reflect heavenly truth, the imagination not least.”
Image credits：Aronsyne,”Lewis, age 48″,CC BY-SA 4.0,C.S.-Lewis – C. S. Lewis – Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- November 29, 1898 – November 22, 1963
- Born in Ireland
- Writer, scholar
- Had a major influence on fantasy literature and religious thought through his many works, including the Chronicles of Narnia series and The Poetics of Christianity
Quote
“I think that all things, in their way, reflect heavenly truth, the imagination not least.”
Explanation
In this quote, C. S. Lewis expresses his belief that the material world and all aspects of human experience—including the imagination—are capable of reflecting deeper, spiritual truths. According to Lewis, the imagination is not merely a tool for creating fictional worlds, but a means of perceiving and interpreting divine or transcendent realities. He sees the imagination as a bridge between the physical world and the heavenly, capable of revealing truths that go beyond what can be directly observed or articulated. In this view, creativity and artistic expression become ways of tapping into higher truths that reveal the nature of the divine.
Historically, Lewis was influenced by Christian doctrine and the concept of God as the ultimate Creator, with all creation serving as a reflection of divine truths. For Lewis, the imagination—through literature, art, and even myth—was a way to glimpse the eternal and unchanging truths of the spiritual realm. His own works, such as The Chronicles of Narnia, were created with the belief that the imaginative realm could convey moral lessons and spiritual realities in ways that logical discourse or abstract theology could not. This view parallels his understanding of myth and story, which he saw as expressions of universal truths that transcend time and culture.
In modern times, this perspective on the imagination as a vehicle for divine reflection offers a powerful counterpoint to the purely materialistic view of the world. In an age where creativity is often seen as a personal or secular pursuit, Lewis’s words encourage us to recognize that imagination, when used authentically, has the potential to reflect higher moral and spiritual truths. Whether in the arts, literature, or even in personal reflection, the imagination allows us to explore and understand the truths of existence—truths that often elude direct scientific or philosophical inquiry. This view invites us to approach creativity with a sense of reverence, seeing in it a way to connect with deeper meanings and, perhaps, glimpses of the divine.
