Through the Lens with C.S. Lewis

December 2012The Great Divorce

Journal“[The fairy tale] stirs and troubles him (to his life-long enrichment) with the dim sense of something beyond his reach and, far from dulling or emptying the actual world, gives it a new dimension of depth. He does not despise real woods because he has read of enchanted woods: The reading makes all real woods a little enchanted.” —C. S. Lewis, Of Other Worlds 

Background

Thought about the concept for 14 years before writing

Inspired by Jeremy Taylor, a 17th century Anglican who wrote a sermon called “Christ’s Advent to Judgment.”

The sermon talked about the idea that souls in hell might get a momentary relief if they so choose through the abundance of Christ’s mercies.

Warnie Lewis wrote in his diary: ‘Jack has a new idea for a religious work, based on the opinion of some of the Fathers, that while punishment for the damned is eternal, it is intermittent: he proposes to do sort of an infernal day excursion to Paradise. I shall be very interested to see how he handles it’ (Brothers and Friends: The Diaries of Major Warren Hamilton Lewis)

Decisions, decisions

“…life is not like a river but like a tree. It does not move towards unity but away from it…(313)

“I do not think that all who choose wrong roads perish; but their rescue consists in being put back on the right road.” (313)

Oh the injustice

What are your observations about the gray town and its inhabitants?

Where is this place?Is there anything familiar about the “Tousle-Headed Poet?

The Blame GameHellish, isn’t it?

InsecurityReal or imaginary?

False HopeSounds rather silly

Inexplicable Moments

“It is the impossibility of communicating that feeling, or even of inducing you to remember it as I proceed, which make me despair of conveying the real quality of what I saw and heard.” (321)

I don’t understand

“But it is all over now. You will be pleased about it presently. Till then there is no need to both about it.” (323)

“You weren’t a decent man…none of us were…” (324)

Materialism, Humanism, and other isms.

“God, for me, is something purely spiritual. The spirit of sweetness and light and tolerance—and, er, service, Dick, service.” (329)

“We know nothing of religion here: we think only of Christ.” (328)

Wanderer,Waterfall,Whiners

George MacDonald1824-1905“…how I love that man!” —Oswald Chambers

“I have never concealed the fact that I regarded him as my master; indeed I fancy I have never written a book in which I did not quote from him.” —C.S. Lewis

“The fairy story may be made a vehicle of Mystery. That at least is what George MacDonald attempted, achieving stories of power and beauty when he succeeded.” —J.R.R. Tolkien

Hell? Heaven? Purgatory?

`If they leave that grey town behind it will not have been Hell. To any that leaves it, it is purgatory. And perhaps ye had better not call this country Heaven. Not Deep Heaven, ye understand… (338)

And that is why, at the end of all things, when the sun rises here and the twilight turns to blackness down there, the Blessed will say, “We have never lived anywhere except in Heaven,” and the Lost, ‘We were always in Hell.” And both will speak truly. (338)

Ye cannot fully understand the relations of choice and Time till you are beyond both. (339)

Roman Catholic Protestant

Purgatory is for the saved.

There is no purgatory.

The differences between Roman Catholic, Orthodoxy, and the multitude of Protestant denominations are not nearly as important as knowing Jesus and introducing Him to others—in that order.

There have been some who were so occupied in spreading Christianity they never gave a thought to Christ. (339)

Grumbler or Grumble? (340)

Which of the overheard conversations affected you most?

The Artist(342)The Relentless Wife (344)The Mourning Mother (347)The Ghost with the Lizard (350)The Dwarf and the Tragedian (354)The Lady (354)