C. S. LEWIS: A DOCTRINE OF TRANSPOSITION.

This paper examines Lewis's doctrine of transposition, referred to by him as a contribution to the philosophy of the Incarnation. We show how it is rooted in Lewis's Platonism, in his reading of the works of Henry More and Bishop Berkeley, and how it discloses his understanding of scripture, revelation and reason. In taking the analysis beyond the limited number of theologians who have attempted to unravel what Lewis's proto-doctrine was in this field, we describe Lewis's view of revelation as supra-theological. Our conclusion is that the doctrine of transposition is key to all of Lewis's work (literary, apologetic and philosophical) – or, more exactly, a ‘flawed’ doctrine of transposition, itself transposed platonically. Lewis's doctrine is designed to explain how revelation works, how it is communicated – and, paradoxically, why revelation can never be fully imparted. We trace this back to the communicatio idiomatum, Trinitarian ontology, and human epistemic limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]