Several months ago I mentioned we'd be discussing C. S. Lewis's Screwtape Letters here during Lent. Now is a good time—acts of warfare are ongoing in Libya—and in Screwtape Lewis confronts readers with an underlying question: what importance is to be given to the inner spiritual life, the discipline and hope of saving one's own soul, versus the call to Gospel justice in practicing the beatitudes and righting the wrongs of the world?
Written by Lewis shortly after bombs began falling on Britain after 1939, Screwtape can be viewed through two different lenses, each offering ideas about how to face outside forces of destruction. A first view is a description of the book itself. It is a series of letters between two devils, a younger devil assigned to tempt a particular man who is living in England during the War, and an older devil who is “supervising” the younger one, in a manner to an experienced physician supervising an intern. The names of these two malevolent spirits indicate Lewis’s disdain. The young devil is Wormwood—bringing images to mind of nasty creatures that bore into and destroy the once-alive material of which houses, furniture and even works of art are constructed. The senior devil’s name, Screwtape, brings to mind a twisted tape measure, one that is useless and even worse, one that will ruin the best architect’s plans.
In his correspondence Wormwood indicatess glee at the great war going on, as it is an opportunity for rapes, property destruction and senseless killings of all kinds. This brings rapid rebuke from Screwtape, who informs Wormwood that very many souls are brought to Heaven during times of War because of fulfilled duty, heroism and sacrifice. Screwtape suggests inciting quarrels between people, encouraging pride and judgementalism, and encourages getting people to take strong political views concerning the war—positions that will incite disagreement and even hatred toward other Christians. (Will the battles in Libya become a force to make Christians angry at or even hate each other? It will be interesting to see how this will play out.)
The second lens of interpretation discovers themes of Lewis’s spirituality. He conveys these to his readers in six guidelines. First, the struggle for eternal salvation is the greatest moral task, and cautions that great Earthly problems, even the worst wars, can divert a person from their primary task. In framing our journey on Earth in this manner, he can be counted among those who opt toward the more “supernatural” aspects of the Christian faith. Second, encourage divisions within Christianity itself, using theological and political statements as wedges to polarize the faithful against each other. He refers several times in Screwtape to the conflict and enmity between pacifists and those adhering to just-war theories, pointing out that each side becomes so certain of their righteousness that this issue becomes more important than what we ask for each time we say the Lord's Prayer.
Lewis’s third, fourth, and fifth themes form a trilogy, one concerned with psychological matters. The devil should keep a person’s mind focused on inner life and feelings (to promote self-absorption and selfishness), ignore today and worry about the future, and discourage a person from seeking simple God-given pleasures. Lewis was no fan of Freud, although he grudgingly suggested psychoanalysis could help extremely troubled people, and suffered no foolishness concerning lengthy discussions about religious and spiritual feelings. His focus was the opposite of William James: not to delve into what people “experienced and felt” but rather to stir them to Christian activity. There is an Ignatian streak in Lewis’s thought where he encourages us to live each day to the fullest, to be concerned about only each day’s bread, and to remember those lilies of the field that sway so beautiful and remain so protected. Simple pleasures—taking a walk, tea-time or coffee break, reading or re-reading a book, having a pint in a pub—were staples in Lewis’s life and he encouraged others to find activities like this. And like Ignatius, for him gratitude was a cardinal virtue.
The sixth major theme of Screwtape Letters may be the most timely, as bombs fall in Libya this Lent. Screwtape envisioned a major part of the Devil’s workload as encouraging Christians to judge and condemn the enemies of others. This, of course, is not a teaching of Christ. Since much of Christian advocacy and social justice work involves confronting injustices—either systemic ones or those actively caused by others—how can standing up to, confronting, and yes—even judging—the enemies of others be a bad thing? For Lewis, the reason is that this builds up a person’s sense of pride and being smarter than others or "being right"—attitudes leading to incivility and anger. Some have suggested that because of these attitudes, Lewis was too passive. Dietrich Bonhoffer, Thomas Merton, and others—including Jesuits too many to name—took a much different approach when confronted with systemic evil.
Screwtape Letters has always made me question the balance in my own life between working to change the world versus changing myself and leading a Christian life in the "small" matters that come up each day. I find that too many times that the former starts to obscure the latter, and that when this starts to happen C.S. Lewis provides a helpful spiritual antidote.
I hope to hear your thoughts, and most of all, hope that the Lenten season is bringing you spiritual nourishment.
William Van Ornum
A very sad state of affairs that you have written about. It must be very volatile if the police need to be present during the saying of the Rosary. When violence occurs somewhere, sadly the memories of it can tarnish whatever good feelings an environment might normally invoke in visitors. For this prayer can be a cleansing antidote.Thanks for the information and the links. best, bill
It took me several readings (over decades) to even start to grasp the many meanings of the book. (This is true for me with Lewis's other books as well.) The gradual road he talks about is truly a scary one-a path that one seems to fall upon inadvertently. best, bill
Anyone who enjoyed this might be interested in these pieces by Heather King. The first is billiant, I think, as it explores the boundaries between an inner witness and life and politics:
http://shirtofflame.blogspot.com/2011/02/why-i-avoid-both-catholic-left-and.html
(there is also a very lively comment thread on that one)
Her newest one delves more into politics and voting:
http://shirtofflame.blogspot.com/2011/03/why-i-used-not-to-vote-and-am-now-going.html#comments
If you haven't read her before I highly recommend it. There are some highlighted articles on the right side which are all great.
I made q quick visit to shirtofflame; I'm going to go back later and read it carefully and make some comments. Thanks! bill
I love when pieces of literature are timeless and can be applied to situations years after they were written.
America seems to find itself in tricky situations quite consistently. Like Christians, how can we as a country balance social justice with proper action? Honestly, I just do not know.
I always find myself so torn when asked about my opinions on America's involvement in Iraq. While the Iraqi people (and now the Libyan people) were suffering so greatly, why did we choose those countries to support and not others? For example, why haven't we attacked Sudan as a result of the murders of the hundreds of thousands of innocent people? I know we cannot solve all of the world's issues, but it seems to me like often times the US isn't acting solely with the interest of social justice in mind, which is what I've gathered Lewis warned us about.
Yes, by all means get the book...maybe Borders has it for a good price in their "going out of business sale"...One does indeed wonder why some places on the globe have resulted in "intervention" while others have been left alone. I think if you do some searches in the AMERICA archives you might find many good articles that bring to our awareness places in the world where there is a need for some kind of mature and civilized help from the nations who have been given more resources, stability, etc. Glad that you are thinking about this, and hope that you and others in your generation will make this an ongoing focus.
Tim Reidy's regular postings from Miranda Global offer many insights:
http://americamagazine.org/blog/entry.cfm?blog_id=2&entry_id=4037
best, bill
You've made me want to get the book Spirit of Light or Darkness. I use the case study method alot in teaching. It's also good to see a publisher devoted to Jesuit spirituality. It can be disconcerting to start delving into "bad spirits". One can either view Lewis's portrayal of "devils" as real beings (He was a "supernaturalist" and did believe in the reality of New Testament miracles as well as in different "levels" of angelic and diabolical beings who are real but can't ordinarily be perceived through human perception) or metaphorically. But sometimes when a subject like "demons" pushes any uncomfortable emotional, spiritual, or intellectual button it may just be better to avoid the topic as the goal of "inspirational" reading is, well..to be inspired and not to be caught into doubt or weariness.
There's also lots of irony in Screwtape letters and the two devils depicted there came across to me as bumbling and ineffectual. And not a soul is lost to them in the end. So it ends well. bill
I have a definition of the sin of Anger that may help when we are discerning what is rightfully social justice and morality of military interventions. Wrath is an emotion which is not in itself wrong but which when it is not controlled by reason or hardens into resentment and hate, becomes one of the 7 capital sins. Anger is a desire for revenge. To desire vengeance in order to do evil to someone who should be punished is illicit, but it is praiseworthhy to impose restitution to correct vices and maintain justice. The antidote to wrath is to alwahys find a way to make peace with ourselves first, with others, with persons suffering under unfair conditions. Seek after peace and pursue it. ''If you have a dispute with someone, make peace with him before the sun goes down''. (thanks to a Benedictine brother!)
The gradual road that CS writes about doesn't really apply when one is in the 70's and has a life-threatening illness. Peace of self, with others and primarily with God is a task of the present. For the first time in my life, while on retreat at the Benedictine Abbey, I wept while in Confession. I so terribly want to attain that peace. I'm relying on Christ's promise to the Meek as I am among the meekest of the meek. I can fight ferociously for my children, clients and other vulnerable people but when it comes to myself I don't seem to have the foggiest idea of how to fight for myself. This doesn't come from virtue but is a result of untreated childhood molest, which set me up for a horrible emotionally abusive experience in therapy with an unscrupulous psychologist. At that time, treatment of abuse was in its infancy. Now, the abused person is helped to confront the abuser. Then, the woman psychologist saw and reamed out the abuser on her own. After I left his ''therapy'' I had no further contact with him, ever. That was over 25 yrs ago. The result of such abuse is excrutiatinly painful loss of trust and this hampers relationship with God and others throughout life. With the grace of God I was able to be an excellent social worker with women and children who had been abused. That is a good example of God's providence and grace. And I had a wonderful father who loved me unconditionally and lifelong supportive sister and friends. God does provide. I love to call God, ''ABBA''.
Thanks for the distinction between wrath and anger; it is one that I had not thought about and it is one that has great practical application. Your last two sentences are an inspiration to anyone reading. best, bill
I was always impressed that Lewis was well-read on Freud as well as on psychoanalysis.
Yet the same can't be said of Freud regarding religion. Lewis also ciriticized Freud for not knowing much about early myths and literature (of which Lewis knew a great deal).
It would be fair to say that Lewis could summzrize Freud's writings very well; I don't think Freud would have been able to do so regarding Lewis (or on many topics having to deal with religion.)
This is one of the many reasons I think highly of Lewis. He also understood "true" science, and did not see psychoanalysis as falling within this domain.
best, bill
Do you recommend any other novels that one should read that explores such themes?
Thanks for mentioning Nicholi's book. He brings expert medical and scientific background as an M.D. at Harvard. I found the end of the book-dealing with the different ways in which Lewis and Freud each faced death-very telling about each of their respective personalities. Yes, a good book to discuss here sometimes. Thanks. bill
I have always been intrigued by the similarites and differences between Lewis and Merton. Although they each wrote during the same two decades, I don't think I've ever found a place where one of them cited the other. Of course in their core beliefs and devotions they are very similar, but at times Merton may have become "extroverted" in declaring some of his views ("Confessions of a Guilty Bystander" is one place where this occurs.) Merton in his small retreats preached social justice and action whereas Lewis in his weekly meetings with the Inklings dissected literature and writings and shared a glass of ale. Sadly there seems to have been an emotional incompleteness to each of them and great disappointment in love. Since high school I have always read them side by side and I wonder what might have occurred had they ever met! bill
http://www.lcsun-news.com/ci_17633106?IADID=Search-www.lcsun-news.com-www.lcsun-news.com
(comments are at: http://www.topix.net/forum/source/las-cruces-sun-news/TOEUQ53E583TUDFPH)
In particular, I would point out those entries where gang members comment that God forgives them for murdering each other and all the other criminal things they do, including what they did at the church during the rosary the night before the funeral.
Meanwhile, I am enjoying the very nice weather while my kids are on Spring Break. We bought petunias yesterday for the planters on the deck. My youngest daughter wants me to take her to the tennis courts and to the new indoor pool facility today (the outdoor pools are still closed). On Saturday, we had a hard time deciding whether to get Japanese, Indian, New Mexican, or Greek food - we picked Greek.
On the other hand, it turns out that every gang altercation, most involving guns, have occurred at locations that I had from my first visit found very uncomfortable and avoided as much as possible because they felt evil. Whenever I did have occasion to pass through these quite average looking areas, I would pray. I feel that I have learned why I was doing that.
You've hit on one of the key themes in Lewis-that Christians should not judge each other but should spend more time each day reviewing their own behaviors and presenting these to God.
On the question of "waging war"....Lewis was not a pacifist and in his wiritngs noted tht evn war could be a situation that allows people to display courage and self-sacrifice. His field of study and Cambridge and Oxford was English Literature where he studied and taught about some of the epic poems and writings-which often feature war as a theme. He was an intersting man, worth learning more about. I've always enjoyed his books. bvo
You've brought out an important point...some (much of??) the anger in the Church may come about due to frustration that the Church does not supply our needs for family (or for "community", in then theological language of today). Maybe it did so in the past, in halcyon and bygone days? Will it ever again? Something to think about, write about. Tx for the link to Janice. I'm still using paper. bill
Thanks for another pointer toward this passage, which in itself might lead to many essays.
Just as some scientists have deduced the existence of God through the beauty and order of the universe, perhaps we might deduce the Devil's existence through all the divisions in the Church? [:-)/:-(]
Lewis is making a powerful statement in suggesting more pupils and less critics are needed.
And the phrase "a taster or connoisseur of churches?" This kind of darkly ironic phrase gets me laughing.
amdg, bill
I will make sure I check back on this one to see if you make more comments. In paragraph #2 you are starting to sound like a psychoanalyst-I believe the term they have invented for what you describe so clearly is "projective identification." :-) bill
When we see all this conflict in the world we sometimes question God. How can there be a God or all this talk of peace on earth when war surrounds us? The answer is that we have free will. The Golden Rule "do unto others as you would have done to you" should really be practiced by all people. Unfortunately, the world doesn't follow this rule and in our society everyone is out for themselves. Lent is the time where we will have the opportunity to make this great vision come true.
The six guidelines within Lewis' own spirituality are important ones indeed, but I cannot myself say I agree with him. "The struggle for eternal salvation is the greatest moral task, and cautions that great Earthly problems, even the worst wars, can divert a person from their primary task", is definitely something I agree strongly with. I feel that the greatest moral task is to do good and steer away from doing what is "wrong" or "bad". It is very true that many people are caught up in everyday tasks that they find themselves slacking on being the best person they could be. Another question asked in the article, "will the battles in Libya become a force to make Christians angry at or even hate each other?" I don't believe that Christians will necessarily hate each other because of the issues that are occurring in Libya, but I do feel that each individual is definitely entitled to their own opinion on the situation. It is definitely sad that there are battles going on all over the world today, but the only thing we could do as good Christians and believers in our faith is hope that everything works out for the better in the end, and that justice prevails quickly.
There is some truth to this statement, yet at the same time I feel it is wrong. I believe in order for a person to grow and make the “right” choices in life he or she needs to understand their wants, needs and desires. A person needs to be comfortable with themself before they can go about making judgments or accusations about others (and even then the judgments can be wrong). This may result in the person acting selfishly. If a person is self-doubting, it may be difficult to know what “right” and “wrong” is. They may not be able to clearly understand actions in a righteous manner. I believe our internal struggles affect our actions, and if they are not settled, doubt arises; which occurs in The Screwtape Letters to the patient. Therefore, being able to understand our desires and needs is essential in living a happy and satisfying life
Lewis has provided six guidelines to follow in developing spirituality. First, the struggle for eternal salvation is the greatest moral task. In our society this would be to place the understanding or the laws of nature in the best way for society. Second encourage division within Christianity itself , using theological and political statement as wedges to polarize the faithful against each other. To have the knowledge that in our society even the wrongs can be forgiven. Third, fourth , and fifth themes form a trilogy, one concerned with psychological matters. That everyday is a new beginning and ignore what the wrongs you have done today and focus on the future and not to commit a wrong path from the beginning. Sixth is to encourage Christians to judge and condemn the enemies of others. This is having the courage to no your wrongs from your rights.
In Lewis' point of view, this leads us into sin and hell. In his view, it is more important to tend to your own soul, thereby creating peace and harmony all around you. Just think, if we all did that, there would be no wars anyway. I think there is a delicate balance between putting your main focus on saving your own soul (Lewis) and righting the wrongs of the world. Of course, they are both important. I still do not have much of an opinion on going into the war in Iraq because I do not completely understand it; however, I did wonder how we could let Saadam kill more of his own people. Then there was a lot of controversy towards Bush for doing it and said we never should have gone because there were no weapons of mass destruction. I think Screwtape reminds us to not become too obsessed with things of the world which we cant do anything about anyway and forget what we can do something about - making ourselves better.
The book discusses the issues that arise from war. The devils in the story promote war to the people because it will lead to many deaths and people to go against each other. War is constantly occurring throughout the world today and it is so sad. It is horrible to see people fighting one another over issues that could be resolved through conversations. If people were more willing to compromise, war would not occur. I think that war promotes the evilness of people to come out just like the devils want. War also allows heroes to be shown, but for bad reasons.
Lewis also explains how war causes people to diverge from their main purpose on earth. Wars promote evil and hatred that is not what living is about. Lewis hopes that spirituality will lead people to stop fighting because it is unnecessary. The devil in the story also tells people to condemn the people that are against Christianity. Today around the world, others scold people if they believe in a different religion. I think that this is unfair because people are allowed to believe what they want as long as they are not hurting others. People should not judge others for what they believe in. I think that it is completely wrong for people to start wars because others believe differently then them.
This article was very interesting and it made me think about the inner workings of war. I hope that people forget the devil that is leading them to perform evil acts. This article and book can allow people to see the evil they experience in their everyday lives and hopefully it will make them want to change it.
In the second article, Orphans All (Mark Twain), the focus on separation and children and the effects that it can have on one’s life also brings up how experiences affect our inner-self. Children born into a situation where they experience separation and loss can at times lead to mental health conditions. Growing up without the nurturing of one’s parents seems like an impossible situation, and yet many children do it every day. I do believe that there is a connection between separation/loss with mental conditions. The way the brain evolves is very dependent on the experiences one has in early childhood.
The other way to interpret the book was through the author’s spirituality. One part of his spirituality brings up the fact that often times, Christians are pinned against each other. People that claim of the same religion and to be so faithful and spiritual find themselves arguing and fighting with one another. The true spirit of Christianity does not encourage conflict among its followers. The smaller issues that people tend to argue over should not be dwelled upon, rather the big picture should be looked at. Christians should remain united under their savior, and stick together through times of difficulty instead of becoming divided.
I always refer to Las Vegas as the Sodom and Gomorrah of today. People indulging in selfish behavior and sins. The world has changed and always will. Unfortunately with creations like cell phones with text messaging and the computer (ironic) people have become detached from real social interaction, and therefore don't know or don't care to treat people like people.
The Devil, as portrayed through Screwtape and Wormwood, constantly tries to trap us. He tries to distract us from our mission of following God’s word. The first step, I believe, to prohibiting the Devil from controlling us is realizing that he can. During most of our day to day lives we get so focused on ourselves, and our wants, needs and desires. Our id dominates. However, realizing that this is possible allows us to make a conscious effort in thinking about how our wants, needs, and desires can greatly influence, sometimes negatively, the wants, needs and desires of others. Only when we stop thinking about ourselves, can we think about others and what is best for all of us as a whole, and in the end better the world.
For one thing, the devils in the story were in full support of humans performing negative actions against each other. This brings up a new point however; is it the actions or the underlying morals that makes someone a truly evil person? In other words, is someone who acts although they know something is wrong really the same as someone who gets personal satisfaction from being cruel? In the even larger picture, this can become a debate over whether goodness can be taught, or if each of us is destined for good or evil. I personally believe that while everyone makes mistakes, no one is born hardhearted. If only we could find a way to teach morals to all, that would prevent situations such as those between Christians in Libya.