The Screwtape Letters

Profound Christian Insight and Advice–Even from the Pen of a Fictional Demon!
I’ve read this before (around 5 years ago), but this time I enjoyed it way more than last time, and I think I was able to follow Lewis’ thoughts much better. In sum, this book was full of insight after insight about how we as humans work, how we are variously and subtly tempted in the Christian life, and even who God (referred to as ‘the Enemy’ throughout) is and how we works for the good of his people. Many might think this is mainly fiction, or satire, or just a strange book that is about how demons might work, but the book is much more profound than that. It most certainly isn’t just fiction; it includes some satire, but isn’t mainly such; and Lewis does use the letters from one demon to another as his template; but in reality, this is just as clear and profound as Lewis’ other classic works on Christianity-such as Mere Christianity. In fact, I would say that if read slowly, this book is just as profound. Just instead of it being longer chapters with longer arguments, each of the 31 chapters in this book has its own main argument (or multiple) that really shed much insight on the Christian faith.Of the 31 chapters, I marked 15 of them as really great and worth revisiting over and over. I will keep this book always in close range on my bookshelf simply because it is so full of practical advice and illustrations about the Christian life.I will not quote or list most of the insights here-just for the sake of time-but here are the main topics that he talked about. I will word them as coming from evil’s perspective, and will put the chapter number in parenthesis.- Keep the Christian “in the stream” and not really thinking about bigger things (1)- Use the War, but watch out for how the Enemy can use it (5)- Use anxiety about the Future; make him lack self-awareness (6)- Make him extreme on either side (it doesn’t really matter much) on Politics (7)- Use Pleasures (even though that’s Enemy territory), and make him a nominal believer (9)- Make him spend his time, all throughout life, doing and getting Nothing (12)- Manipulate his ‘Humility’ (14)- Keep him from seeing the Present and eternity; focus him on the Future (15)- How to use sex and marriage (18)- Make him think he has ownership on time; how to twist the word ‘my’ (21)- How to use this quest for the Historical Jesus (23)- Make him crave novelty; twist his desire (25)- Change the Christian idea of ‘Love’ for the negative idea of ‘Unselfishness’ (26)- Use the world slowly over time to attach him to the world (28)- Use a little Fatigue; and twist the idea of what is ‘real’ (30)These are the main insights about the Christian life I listed. Although, there are many more.SPOILER ALERT BELOW:Finally, I simply want to mention the last chapter. The last chapter was different as it was not about how to tempt the Christian man because he suddenly died. Rather, it was about one demon (frustratingly) explaining what happened to him at those moments after death. In short, this chapter was beautiful. It really was. Almost made me cry tears of joy. Lewis so clearly and cleverly–even through the disgusted pen of a fictional demon!–and so wonderfully captures the Christian’s final deliverance from all evil, how the Christian will see all the angels that helped him along the way, and especially the moment when the Christian will finally see God himself, Jesus Christ, and be finally home. Again, the last chapter is beautiful. And it is a perfect ending to the book.In sum, although it uniquely is a book containing 31 letters from one demon to the other, it is super applicable, insightful, clever, and even beautiful as it shows who God is and the future he has for his people.Without a doubt, I would wholeheartedly recommend the book. Read it as slowly as it takes; take it in; and see the shining glory of God, especially as it is contrasted with the backdrop of the darkness.

A Uniquely Constructed Series of Fictional Correspondence – Religious, Philosophical, Metaphorical
“The Screwtape Letters” is a fictional series of correspondence between an agent of the devil and a younger, less experienced agent. The older agent is assisting in the moral corruption of a young English male during World War II. He gives intructions to the younger agent in writing about what steps to take to bring about the young man’s moral destruction. Obviously C. S. Lewis, a great man of Christian thought is providing fuel for contemplation for the reader. I liked the work a lot in that context; fuel for contemplation.C. S. Lewis is a great man of moral teachings and a fine author from the middle of the twentieth century. He is an author of both more traditional fiction and also religious writings. Thus far my favorite example of the latter is “Mere Christianity”. I also liked what I have read of “The Chronicles of Narnia” but I have not completed those novels.The letters in this work are relatively short and I read one at a time, sometimes just one a day for a few minutes. I tried to think about the message and lessons contained therein. It proved a pleasant, fruitful experience, but I did not read this as I would a standard novel.I did the same thing with “Mere Christianity” and actually felt I got more out of that study. When I read “Mere Christianity” there was a situation in my life concerning bullying and harassment and I kept waiting for it to end. C. S. Lewis provided a lot of insight into why bullying and harassment will often not stop on its own. I suppose that was directly relevant to World War II when he wrote it, but it proved very meaningful to me. I may have personally received more from “Mere Christianity”, but “The Screwtape Letters” are also very good.In summary, I really liked this work and am glad that I had the opportunity to read and study it. It is NOT a traditional novel. It is religious and philosophical in nature and I am quite sure will not fit the wishes of every reader. Thank You…

muito bom

Je recommande ce produit à tous, toute ‘religion’ confondue. Présentation humoristique de ce qui nous mène en enfer et comment on peut se faire manipuler si on n’y prend garde.

One of the best books on spiritual warfare.