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A review by batbones
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
5.0
One can read a hundred sermons/lessons and not come upon an inspired point of clarity which naturally directs toward resolve, which Lewis' works so naturally provide. He understands the mind of man more deeply than most, stripping away the intricate layers and cunning ways in which we deceive ourselves. Yet the spirit which goes about this vivisection is ostensibly kind, understanding and forgiving, just far too wise to overlook or tolerate the rewriting of the black into the grey.
This is a series of 'letters' of advice by an older demon Screwtape to his nephew Wormwood, as the latter gets a handle around his new job as Tempter of one individual, a man who has recently converted to Christianity. The plot is engaging and sometimes very funny (there's a part where the nephew reports his uncle to Hell's censors for their version of wrongthink). More than fictional cushioning, though Lewis uses this 'colouring in' to extrapolate interestingly and plausibly (i.e. within the confines of Christian i.e. biblical belief) upon vital Christian concepts that undoubtedly most new and mature Christians wonder about - such the mechanics of temptation, how do the forces of good and evil interact, the function & operation of Christian acts and behaviour such prayer, the bestowment of blessings, and how can acts of God and free will coexist. The letters and the contextual background it implies work similarly to the metaphysical 'frame' in the Book of Job, putting singular human endeavour into the larger and more fundamental backdrop of war in the spiritual dimension. Rather than making man small, it serves only to enlarge and give weight to what could be deemed, outwardly, paltry and seemingly pointless, the smallest twists of attitudes, afterthoughts and gestures matter - because the war between principles and powers is rightly inextricably linked, minute to minute, to how an individual speaks, walks, behaves in his daily acts. In this way, Lewis yokes the concerns of the spiritual (i.e. how do I become a faithful believer?) to the everyday. From how one may handle feeling annoyed at uninvited guests, living with relatives, or entertain romantic interests; how one prays, behaves in front of people one desires to impress, the seemingly trivial is of fundamental importance - arguably, well, as it should be. Lewis cites no biblical verses in his writing, but he comes much closer in essence to the heart of the bible, its meaning, its power, and why it continues to matter.
This is a series of 'letters' of advice by an older demon Screwtape to his nephew Wormwood, as the latter gets a handle around his new job as Tempter of one individual, a man who has recently converted to Christianity. The plot is engaging and sometimes very funny (there's a part where the nephew reports his uncle to Hell's censors for their version of wrongthink). More than fictional cushioning, though Lewis uses this 'colouring in' to extrapolate interestingly and plausibly (i.e. within the confines of Christian i.e. biblical belief) upon vital Christian concepts that undoubtedly most new and mature Christians wonder about - such the mechanics of temptation, how do the forces of good and evil interact, the function & operation of Christian acts and behaviour such prayer, the bestowment of blessings, and how can acts of God and free will coexist. The letters and the contextual background it implies work similarly to the metaphysical 'frame' in the Book of Job, putting singular human endeavour into the larger and more fundamental backdrop of war in the spiritual dimension. Rather than making man small, it serves only to enlarge and give weight to what could be deemed, outwardly, paltry and seemingly pointless, the smallest twists of attitudes, afterthoughts and gestures matter - because the war between principles and powers is rightly inextricably linked, minute to minute, to how an individual speaks, walks, behaves in his daily acts. In this way, Lewis yokes the concerns of the spiritual (i.e. how do I become a faithful believer?) to the everyday. From how one may handle feeling annoyed at uninvited guests, living with relatives, or entertain romantic interests; how one prays, behaves in front of people one desires to impress, the seemingly trivial is of fundamental importance - arguably, well, as it should be. Lewis cites no biblical verses in his writing, but he comes much closer in essence to the heart of the bible, its meaning, its power, and why it continues to matter.