There is but one good,” C. S. Lewis writes in The Great…
““There is but one good,” C. S. Lewis writes in The Great Divorce; “that is God. Everything else is good when it looks to Him and bad when it turns from Him.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Only God is intrinsically good; all other things are good only insofar as they reflect divine goodness, and bad when they diverge.
In simple terms: God is the ultimate good.
Key Takeaway
Goodness is defined by relation to God.
Themes
Theology
Morality
Divine nature
Mood
reflective
serious
Type
theological insight
philosophical observation
When to use this quote
- Ethical debate on secular vs. religious morality
- Personal reflection on moral decisions
Key Concepts
Ontological grounding of ethics
Practical Applications
- Use as a theological basis for moral counseling
Questions to Reflect On
- Can goodness exist independently of a deity?
- How does this view affect moral responsibility?
A Different Perspective
May exclude non‑theistic conceptions of goodness.