Although it has already been revealed that the Reformed Repute is willing to stand contrary to the usual rose-coloured glasses that many people have regarding C.S. Lewis, we come again to the famed author to examine another of his great works, The Screwtape Letters. This makes the third book that we have examined by Lewis (see our previous reviews of Mere Christianity and The Great Divorce), and I must say that this book is a good place to split the middle.
While The Great Divorce was a work closer to Lewis' Narnia novels in its obvious fictional style, and Mere Christianity was a work of apologetic nature in defending and defining basic Christian doctrines, Screwtape Letters is an odd book to describe because it is obviously categorized as fiction, but once a person has read the book they are likely to step away thinking that the book is as true a depiction of reality as any memoire that we have ever read.
The book is a series of letters written from an experienced demon (Screwtape) to his nephew and apprentice demon (Wormwood). As Wormwood is gaining experience as a novice "tempter", he is continually reprimanded for his missteps and ignorance by his seasoned uncle. This, however, is the end of the connection between these characters and what we may be familiar with in our human experience.
I note with grave displeasure that your patient has become a Christian.
The book begins after a few short chapters (each chapter in the book is 2-3 pages in an effort to replicate a letter) with Screwtape addressing Wormwood in displeasure that his "patient" (the person whom Wormwood is entrusted with tempting) has become a Christian. There are several things to be said about this initial point, not the least of which is that Lewis writes Screwtape's perspective as one that is not altogether defeated at this point in regards to the patient's soul. So writes Screwtape, "hundreds of these adult converts have been reclaimed after a brief sojourn in the Enemy's camp and are now with us." I hardly believe that this statement leaves room for the more pleasant view that Screwtape is meaning "with us" in terms of being miserable while alive. It seems that Lewis is advocating for the view that although someone has been converted, they may yet (by work of demons and the Devil) be dis-converted and still yet go to Hell. Obviously this is in clear opposition to the doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints, which is an oddly clear side for Lewis to choose, and an odd choice of side at that.
There is a lot to gain from the insights of reading the personal correspondences of these "demons", nonetheless. It truly is like reading private letters from behind the enemy's lines. All of the references to Christ are "the Enemy". All references to Satan are "Our Father Below". In place of hierarchy the word is "lowerarchy", and those in greater command are considered "further down the chain" rather than "farther up the chain" of command, as command increases as one grows in proximity to Satan (who is pridefully at "the very bottom" says Screwtape).
Outside of the somewhat interesting counter-perspective that Lewis has produced, we also find many interesting and useful insights into how demons would view our lives. For example, rather than wanting to stop a person from praying, they seek to make the intention of our prayers something that is unattainable or manipulatable. Rather than praying for forgiveness, they seek to make humans pray that they could feel forgiven - something that nobody has any control over and which cannot be actually granted. When praying for courage, they desire that humans strive actually to feel brave - which may not come. Further, when prayers are offered up, they would plant thoughts in the mind that later produce certain conclusions. If the prayer that was given is answered, then it was probably because of natural causes or the outworking of activities unconnected to the prayers. If the prayers are not connected, however, then the prayers did not do any good either. In this way, prayer is rendered to those who believe in it as something meant to produce feelings that cannot be tested or relied upon; and to those skeptics, it is kept as something that can be easily discredited or discarded. Either way, the goal is not to stop the praying, but to defeat the effectiveness of it in the lives of those who pray, which is a much greater victory for evil.
You now see that the Irresistible and Indisputable are the two weapons which the very nature of His scheme forbids Him to use. Merely to override a human will would be for Him useless. He cannot ravish. He can only woo.
Eek. This portion of Lewis' book seems to be more of an expression of his own soteriology than anything that a demon would say. Firmly, it can be believed that demons believe in the absolute sovereignty of God. For God has not left it up to the demons whether they would or would not go to Hell. They never received the offer of salvation, nor did God ever send a savior to redeem them. Their damnation was determined strictly and solely by God. Thus, to ascribe to them the view that God "cannot" override human will is a truly human convention. I suppose Lewis believed that Nebuchadnezzar chose to go insane and eat grass for a few years before also choosing of his free-will to no longer be crazy and then embrace God. Nevermind all that "none can stay His hand or say to Him, what have you done?" Nevermind all of that "He turns the hearts of the Kings like water."
Reading this was very difficult, as it placed all of the responsibility of salvation or damnation firmly on the humans, while much of the rest of the book was based on separating the human from a connection with God. Why would that matter? What use is prayer, or fasting, or thanksgiving, or Christian friendship, if everything ultimately relies on self? What difference does the outside make if all that matters is within?
You can make him do nothing at all for long periods. You can keep him up late at night, not roistering, but staring at a dead fire in a cold room. All the healthy and outgoing activities which we want him to avoid can be inhibited and nothing given in return.
One note of importance that is gained in this book is the power of habitual action and continual persistence. The demons state perpetually that to do anything often enough will lead to the degradation of that practice in terms of spiritual significance or value. Something must be kept sacred and done specially to maintain the value of it above all else. Romance in the relationship, holiness in worship, thankfulness in prayer, joy in activity, etc. All of this can be easily lost in the day-to-day routine. Demons will use this to defeat what Christ has for us in all of these activities, and at the end of our lives have robbed us of many blessings, with "nothing given in return."
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