What's new
By:
Filters
Christian Forums

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

The Screwtape Letters

Nick

Nick

Member
Have just finished reading C.S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters. I think it is a great book, and really an eye opener. In Lewis's introduction, he says that there are two grave mistakes men make:
1) those that deny the existance of satan and his demons/tempters
2) those that become obsessed by these demons
Both are unhealthy, but somewhere in between is where God wants us to stand.

The Screwtape Letters are a series of 31 short letters from the senior demon Screwtape to a junior tempter, his nephew Wormwood. It follows Wormwood's patient, and how he is trying to secure the soul for Satan, or "Our Father Below".

I thought it was a great book, that addressed the topic of demons and how they interact with us very well, and I woud definately recommend it.

Any other thoughts?
 
I personally loved it, though it was a bit depressing at times. There was a lot of raw examples of human nature in the book, which are all, sadly, too true. Aside from the dry wit, at times I could help but say, “Wow, he hit it right on the mark.†There are many bad habits and sins us humans get into, and how tempting it is to get into them in the first place. Because there are many sinful deeds we commit, and these wind up to grow into greater sins later on. All it takes is a little thought to “tweak†or “bend the rules†as Screwtape constantly advises his nephew to tempt his patient to do. It puts into perspective of how one sin or temptation can possibly change everything later on. Though Wormwood seems to be failing miserably, the reader does realize not all of these “tempters†do the same. But within the harsh reality, there really is a lot to be learned from the book and how we portray ourselves, think, etc. Basically with the recurring underlining point of being able to deny one’s temptations/tempters and to bring oneself to God as we should be doing.
But very excellent read. I absolutely love C.S. Lewis.
 
Cheyenne K said:
I personally loved it, though it was a bit depressing at times. There was a lot of raw examples of human nature in the book, which are all, sadly, too true. Aside from the dry wit, at times I could help but say, “Wow, he hit it right on the mark.†There are many bad habits and sins us humans get into, and how tempting it is to get into them in the first place. Because there are many sinful deeds we commit, and these wind up to grow into greater sins later on. All it takes is a little thought to “tweak†or “bend the rules†as Screwtape constantly advises his nephew to tempt his patient to do. It puts into perspective of how one sin or temptation can possibly change everything later on. Though Wormwood seems to be failing miserably, the reader does realize not all of these “tempters†do the same. But within the harsh reality, there really is a lot to be learned from the book and how we portray ourselves, think, etc. Basically with the recurring underlining point of being able to deny one’s temptations/tempters and to bring oneself to God as we should be doing.
But very excellent read. I absolutely love C.S. Lewis.
Click to expand...
Yes, you hit the nail right on the head there, and so did C.S. Lewis. He really does communicate his ideas well. I'm thinking of getting Mere Chrisitanity and his authobiography. It really gave me a blow round the head.
 
Yeah, I've been wanting to get "Mere Christianity" for a while as well, though I have been busy with school and after school activities so I have not gotten the chance yet. You should also consider reading "The Four Loves" by C.S. Lewis if you have not already done so. My grandpa loaned me the book a few months ago and I have recently finished reading it. It describes the types of loves that we experience, their extremes, and the loves the Lord has shown. I had to reread some of it, as it is a very deep book, but it’s beautifully written and, as always, Lewis really hits the nail on the head.
 
Cheyenne K said:
Yeah, I've been wanting to get "Mere Christianity" for a while as well, though I have been busy with school and after school activities so I have not gotten the chance yet. You should also consider reading "The Four Loves" by C.S. Lewis if you have not already done so. My grandpa loaned me the book a few months ago and I have recently finished reading it. It describes the types of loves that we experience, their extremes, and the loves the Lord has shown. I had to reread some of it, as it is a very deep book, but it’s beautifully written and, as always, Lewis really hits the nail on the head.
Click to expand...
Sounds a bit liike "The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of Goda" by D.A. Carson, which I finished reading last year. Whoa...that's a heavy read. But good.

I'm really getting inspired by C.S. Lewis at the moment. :)
 
jasoncran said:
Nick said:
Hmmm....no-one else for the Screwtape Letters? Surely someone else has read it?
Click to expand...
i have only heard it quoted, where does one buy these books at?
Click to expand...
Shoudl be at your local Christian bookstore. I'm sure even the smaller outlets would have C.S. Lewis stuff. :)
 
jasoncran said:
Nick said:
Hmmm....no-one else for the Screwtape Letters? Surely someone else has read it?
Click to expand...
i have only heard it quoted, where does one buy these books at?
Click to expand...

Anywhere that sells books. Barnes N' nobles, general book outlets, Christian bookstores. C.S. Lewis is a very well known author so luckily his books are pretty easy to find.
 
I love C. S. Lewis. Mere Christianity was one of the first books I read when I was really lunged into faith as a 20-something. Decades later, it is still a great book to re-re-re-re-read.

I remember trying Screwtape Letters shortly after, and found it a bit difficult to stay highly interested in. It's not a work of fiction that flows from chapter to chapter, and it's not really non-fiction, because it's all so real in regards to spiritual warfare. As a result of this thread, I resolved to give it another go. I'm 1/2 way through it. I'm determined to finish it to see how it concludes, but I must admit, I'm feeling the same as I did the first time.

Don't get me wrong. Lewis is a genius in breaking down basic Christian things. I quote him often. This is just such a unique book, it's hard to pin it down.
 
mjjcb said:
I love C. S. Lewis. Mere Christianity was one of the first books I read when I was really lunged into faith as a 20-something. Decades later, it is still a great book to re-re-re-re-read.

I remember trying Screwtape Letters shortly after, and found it a bit difficult to stay highly interested in. It's not a work of fiction that flows from chapter to chapter, and it's not really non-fiction, because it's all so real in regards to spiritual warfare. As a result of this thread, I resolved to give it another go. I'm 1/2 way through it. I'm determined to finish it to see how it concludes, but I must admit, I'm feeling the same as I did the first time.

Don't get me wrong. Lewis is a genius in breaking down basic Christian things. I quote him often. This is just such a unique book, it's hard to pin it down.
Click to expand...
I agree, it is quite a unique book. I've borrowed it from one of my youth leaders, and I loved it. Then mum tried to read it but couldn't really get into it, kind of like you, I suppose.
It must be just one of those books.
 
I'll keep reading it and finish it this time. But I hope there's some kind of conclusion and not a string of letters with no beginning or end. I'll bounce back and give my long awaited verdict when I'm thru. :lol

As difficult as it can be to keep reading, there are definitely very real implications to a spiritual life.
 
mjjcb said:
As difficult as it can be to keep reading, there are definitely very real implications to a spiritual life.
Click to expand...
:thumb Absolutely. For me, it was a big wake-up call.

In the 60th anniversary edition, there is a bit at the end called "Screwtape proposes a toast" that Lewis added later. It [may] give you more of a conclusion, although I don't think this is the type of book to provide that.

Hope your reading goes well. And I will be awaiting your review with much anticipation. :D
 
This book is surely useful to read every now and then: There always appear parts that serve me as a mirror and bring me to introspection and realizing what I am doing wrong and how to get on the right path again... I love Lewis' books, the fictional ones as well as the essays about Christianity!
 
I loved the Screwtape Letters! If you liked that one, then you'll also really like The Great Divorce. I think that I might like that one even better.

I see lots of people also talking about Mere Christianity. That's another great work by Lewis, but it is VERY different than something like Screwtape Letters. It is more of an apologetics book, and gets into some pretty deep thinking. It is brilliant, but just different.
 
Yes, I liked both of these books a lot too. ^_^ Specially the Great Divorce also gives us a lot to think and reflect about.
But I must say about Lewis' apologetics, I sometimes don't find them very convincing. I can't think of an exact example now, it's been already some years since I read the books. But it seems to me that he made too many presumptions of which reasons atheists might not like about Christianity, or which reasons prevent them from believing, and then he goes on analyzing and debunking these reasons. But the presumptions often seem invented and not so real; and I believe that a lot of atheists' thought processes are completely different from what he assumes. But if he just debunks the ideas that he assumes from atheists, it's not enough yet because many atheists can have completely different thoughts and reasons and his way of writing and thinking will seem foreign and unconvincing to them.
 
Luci said:
Yes, I liked both of these books a lot too. ^_^ Specially the Great Divorce also gives us a lot to think and reflect about.
But I must say about Lewis' apologetics, I sometimes don't find them very convincing. I can't think of an exact example now, it's been already some years since I read the books. But it seems to me that he made too many presumptions of which reasons atheists might not like about Christianity, or which reasons prevent them from believing, and then he goes on analyzing and debunking these reasons. But the presumptions often seem invented and not so real; and I believe that a lot of atheists' thought processes are completely different from what he assumes. But if he just debunks the ideas that he assumes from atheists, it's not enough yet because many atheists can have completely different thoughts and reasons and his way of writing and thinking will seem foreign and unconvincing to them.
Click to expand...
keep in mind that Lewis was athiest himself once.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top