Temptation & Vocation A Study Guide for CS Lewis’s Screwtape Letters

Temptation & Vocation A Study Guide for CS Lewis’s Screwtape Letters
With Special Emphasis on Calling and Vocation Issues for Daily Living A Lilly Grant Project Calvin College Paulo and Adriana Ribeiro Intervarsity Christian Fellowship Tallahassee Fall 2006

Be self-controlled and alert
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. I Peter 5:8-9 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth … The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. II Co. 4:2-4

Temptation Vocation & Introduction
These letters were supposedly written by an experienced devil, Screwtape, to his young nephew, Wormwood. When these letters first appeared in the Manchester Guardian during the World War II, a reader wrote as to cancel his subscription because “much of the advice given in these letters seemed to him not only erroneous but positively diabolical.” The objective is not to wonder about the diabolical life but to throw light from a new perspective on the life of man. The letters cover many different situations, which Christians are faced with on a daily basis. The objective is to encourage us to reflect on these “daily life” issues, trying to understand how they can affect our spiritual life and vocational struggles.

Screwtape is a senior devil in the “lowerarchy of Our Father Below” The letters are directed to his nephew (Wormwood) on earth, working on a young Christian (“the patient”). The goal is to “secure his soul forever” To turn the patient against God (“the Enemy”) To the devils, we humans are “primarily food.”

The Screwtape Letters is fiction with the Christian perspective presented in an upside down way . World War II serves as the backdrop for the Letters, but the war does not affect the timelessness of the instructions. It does not address evil on a grand scale, but evil on a small scale. It deals with relationships with friends and family, the church, prayer, etc. The letters entertains while it instructs. It is a book to be studied with humility and prayer. "It does not matter how small the sins are, provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing. Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick. Indeed, the safest road to Hell is the gradual one--the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts."

Are you here just (as a spectator) for this bible study? If yes, you came to the wrong place? If no, are you prepared to face the consequences (of this, or any other bible study)?

Word of Caution There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils: One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight. When reading the letters we should not forget that the devil is a liar. Not everything that Screwtape says should be assumed to be true even from his own angle.

Temptation Vocation & The Book, etc.
Dedicated to JRR Tolkien (instrumental in Lewis’s conversion) Who did not like the dedication - - - Lewis became instrumental in Tolkien’s publications - - - Tolkien did no like the Narnia Chronicles - - -

Temptation – Protection (Shielding) Dynamics
Vocation & Sovereignty of God Man’s Will Fear of the Lord Mercy Justice Competence Responsibility Temptations Shield (Eph 6:13-18) Virtues Calling – Vocation Temptation – Protection (Shielding) Dynamics

Temptation Vocation & A Vocation / Temptation Flow Chart Temptations
Service Talents Vocation Calling (Holy Spirit) Re-Direction "What Satan put into the heads of our remote ancestors was the idea that they could 'be like gods' - could set up on their own as if they had created themselves - be their own masters - invent some sort of happiness for themselves outside God, apart from God. And out of that hopeless attempt has come nearly all that we call human history - money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery - the long terrible story of [humanity] trying to find something other than God to make [them] happy."

Temptation Vocation & The Voice of the Vocation
“This is the very portrait of a vocation: a thing that calls or beckons, that calls inexorably, yet you must strain your ears to catch the voice, that insists on being sought, yet refuses to be found.” “To follow the vocation does not mean happiness: but once it has been heard, there is no happiness for those who do not follow.” Preface to Paradise Lost

Temptation Vocation & The Fundamental Process No Yes God’s Law
God’s Will Obey? No Unhappiness Hard Way Virtues Duty Yes Easy Way Rebellion Rejection Joy (not necessarily happiness)

The Fundamental Questions
Any Human Activity Has It Been Affected By Sin? Is It Beautiful? (Creational) No Fall Yes Yes Is It Good? (Moral) What Can I Do To Renew It? No Creation Physical Psychological Yes Is It Permanent? (Eternal) No Spiritual Redemption Yes

The Nature and Possibilities of Choices
‘Milton was right,’ said the Teacher. ‘The choice of every lost soul can be expressed in the words “Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven.” There is always something they insist on keeping even at the price of misery. There is always something they prefer to joy – that is to reality. You see it enough in a spoiled child that would sooner miss its play and its supper than say it was sorry and be friends. Every day we are becoming or helping others to become Hellish or Heavenly creatures For Every Choice One Makes (In Any Human Activity) Does Not Conform to BGP Which Way? Conforms to BGP Leads to Hell Leads to Heaven Uncertain Two Possible Directions BGP = Beautiful, Good and Permanent

Good or Evil Multiplies as a Fractal: One Simple Structure Can Create a Beautiful Picture or a Hellish Design

"People often think of Christian morality as a kind of bargain in which God says, 'If you keep a lot of rules, I'll reward you, and if you don't I'll do the other thing.' I do not think that is the best way of looking at it. I would much rather say that every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different from what it was before. And taking your life as a whole, with all your innumerable choices, all your life long you are slowly turning this central thing into a Heaven creature or into a hellish creature: either into a creature that is in harmony with God, and with other creatures, and with itself, or else into one that is in a state of war and hatred with God, and with its fellow creatures, and with itself. To be the one kind of creature is Heaven: that is, it is joy, and peace, and knowledge, and power. To be the other means madness, horror, idiocy, rage, impotence, and eternal loneliness. Each of us at each moment is progressing to the one state or the other."

Reasons for the Lack of Stock Responses
Decay of Logic Romantic Primitivism (preference for the natural rather than elaborated, the un-willed to the willed) Confusion between organization and pretense of response A belief that certain elementary rectitude of human response is given by nature herself. “That elementary rectitude of human response, at which we are so ready to fling the unkind epithets of ‘stock’, ‘crude’, bourgeois’, and ‘conventional’, so far from being ‘given’ is a delicate balance of trained habits, laboriously acquired and easily lost, on the maintenance of which depend both our virtues and our pleasures and even, perhaps, the survival of our species. ... While the moderns have been pressing forward to conquer new territories of consciousness, the old territory, in which man alone can live, has been left unguarded, and we are in danger of finding the enemy in our rear .”

The Fundamental Mechanism
Vision Action Passion Discipline / Habit

Outline General Introduction The Letters How to read them
How it all begun – Lessons from Paradise (The Losing of the Original Calling / Vocation) Defining Calling / Vocation Considerations on Calling and Vocation Letters (31 Letters) Title, Topics and Issues Vocabulary / Key Words Analysis Matrix Questions for Thinking, Discussions and Reflections Resistance Strategy Key Scriptures to Memorize (and repeat!!) Virtues and Stock Responses to Cultivate Concepts to Restore Characters From The Great Divorce, The Pilgrim’s Regress, etc. Conclusions Steps for Restoring The Vocation Path / Road Map Appendices References

Outline 1 - Reason / Truth, Material Needs and Science Books and Friends Intellect, Philosophies, Doctrines Material Needs Meaning of Life Science & Knowledge 2 - Appearance, Reality and the Church Habits Mental Bodily The Church Appearance and Reality Emotions Humility Prayer 3 - Relationships, Prayer and Faith and Action Relationship with Spouse and Family Common Ground and Actions Coffee and Heart Attack

Outline 4 - Prayer: Why? And Does It Work? Prayer Form Position
Attitude Direction 5 - War, Fear of Pain, Suffering, Death and Faith Pain, Suffering and Faith Reaction to War Death Faith 6 - My (Not Thy?) Will Be Done Life's Tribulations General Activities of the Mind General Attitude to War General Attitude 7 - Devil’s Existence, Church and War the Devil’s Existence Church Attitude to War (different ages) Church and War

Outline 8 - The Natural Law of Undulation Human Nature Human Freedom
The Continuous Struggle the Best Weapon 9 - Undulation, Moderation and Phases Undulation and Pleasure Knowledge of Right and Wrong Religion 10 - Flirting with the World, Friends and Acquaintances Attitudes Christian Literature Parallel Lives 11 - Human Laughter: Joy, Fun, the Joke Proper, and Flippancy Joy, Fun The Joke Proper (Sudden perception of incongruity) Flippancy (frivolous, disrespectful, saucy, impertinent) 12 - Lukewarm Behavior - The Safest Road to Hell Spiritual Condition Prayer Life Pleasures Activities

Outline 18 - Complete Abstinence or Unmitigated Monogamy Sexual Temptation Philosophy of Hell Sex 19 - The Essence of God: Love The Essence of the Devil Marriage and Being in Love 20 - The Devil's Agenda: Sexual Insanity, Promiscuity and Pervasion Chastity Sexuality and Marriage Sexual Taste 21 - Our False Sense of Ownership - All Belongs to Him Intellect Claims on Life Time Ownership Possession

Outline 22 - Beatific and Miserific Visions Love
Character Traces Pleasures Witness Music and Silence The Devil 23 - Liberal Theology Spirituality Theology and Politics Historical Jesus Prayer and Sacrament Resurrection & Redemption Christianity and Politics 24 - Spiritual Pride and Inner Circles Armor of God Color of our Faith Pride Inner Circles

Outline 25 - The Horror of the Same Old Thing - Replacing Mere Christianity by Fashion and Christian Coloring Fashions Feelings Experience of reality in time Emotional Changes Intellect The Future 26 - Love, Unselfishness: Charity and Conflict Relationships Unselfishness Generous Conflict of Illusion Mrs. Fidget (The Four Loves) 27 - Prayer, Love, and Truth Prayer Love and Petitionary Prayer Time, Prayer and Predestination the Historical Point of View

Outline 28 - Time, Aging, and Perseverance
Life and Death, Body and Soul, Time and Eternity and Youth Longing, Optimism, Perseverance Middle Age, Adversity and prosperity, Worldliness, Old Age, Pride, Experience, Death 29 - Virtues and Vices Danger and Virtues Love / Hatred Fear, Cowardice Courage Despair 30 - Fear, Fatigue, Emotions, and "Reality" Self Knowledge Emotions Fatigue Reality 31 - Death: Is that The End? Eternal Life: Everlasting Glory or Eternal Damnation Death New Life In God's Presence

A Suggestion on How to Read Them
I note what you say about guiding our patient's reading and taking care that he sees a good deal of his materialist friend. But are you not being a trifle naïf? It sounds as if you supposed that argument was the way to keep him out of the Enemy's clutches. That might have been so if he had lived a few centuries earlier. At that time the humans still knew pretty well when a thing was proved and when it was not; and if it was proved they really believed it. They still connected thinking with doing and were prepared to alter their way of life as the result of a chain of reasoning. But what with the weekly press and other such weapons we have largely altered that. Your man has been accustomed, ever since he was a boy, to have a dozen incompatible philosophies dancing about together inside his head. He doesn't think of doctrines as primarily "true" of "false", but as "academic" or "practical", "outworn" or "contemporary", "conventional" or "ruthless". Jargon, not argument, is your best ally in keeping him from the Church. Don't waste time trying to make him think that materialism is true! Make him think it is strong, or stark, or courageous—that it is the philosophy of the future. That's the sort of thing he cares about. Red – Devilish Comments and Advices Blue – Dubious Devilfish Comments and Advices Black – Connecting Sentences Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Observations/ References Books and Friends Materialistic Incompatible Philosophies Christian Character Building, Believing Search for Wisdom Truth, honesty are needed Ro 5:3-5 “rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering...character” Jas 1:6 “he must believe and not doubt” Pr 4:7 “get wisdom. Though it cost… get understanding” Jeremiah 5:1 “deals honestly …the truth” Php 4:8 “whatever is true”

A Hint on How it all began – Lessons from Paradise
The Losing of the Original Calling / Vocation The Steps towards the first misdirection on our vocation road map: Feeling of self importance Sense of insatisfaction Desire for more (power) Lusting with prohibited things Falling (active participation) into temptation Realization of the deadly consequences Rejection of sole responsibility Recognition of obedience and disobedience Provokes others to follow similar action of disobedience - spreads evil Hides the motivation behind the actions Exploits the secret motivation to gain control Rouses transgression for promoting its own benefit Action causes death, in other words: an act of murder is committed Becomes blind to the real meaning for the action (No man / woman, perhaps, ever at first described to himself the act he was about to do as murder, adultery, perversion. When he hears it so described by other men he is sincerely shocked and surprised” ) Hides from the presence of God References: Compiled from readings from Genesis, Paradise Lost, and Preface to Paradise Lost

Defining Calling / Vocation
Considerations on Calling and Vocation Vocation, profession, gifts, work, trade, talent, aptitude, calling, etc.: What are their meanings? What is a talent? What am I supposed to be and do? What should I be doing as an agent of renewal? What is their significance in our choice of studies and professional life? What is the most significance factor in our calling to be salt and light? What will I be when I grow up? What and how should I live out my professional life as to be a blessing and help forwarding of God’s Kingdom? We pray daily: “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done” (Matthew 6:10). But how does this apply to my living, working, and how do I incorporate play? Before we go on let us just remind ourselves the meaning of vocation: career: profession, job, occupation, work, trade, craft, art or calling: aptitude, inclination, talent, natural ability, ability. With these definitions in mind let us work through a few examples of people in the bible who where called to serve. How did they fare under God’s guidance? In the Old Testament we see for example of Abraham, some of the artisans of the first tabernacle, Barak and Debora, Isaiah and Jeremiah. In the New Testament, we see the examples of Maria, Philip and Paul. You add more examples from the bible and of your circumstances Reference: Callings, etc.

A Lesson from OT Biblical Botanical Parables
The Old Testament is full of stories, full of warnings, occurring as “examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did” (1 Corinthians 10:6). What a richness and wealth is available to us as we read under the guidance of the Holy Spirit! In the midst of a nasty development after Gideon’s death, some of his mistakes came with consequences to his sons. He had taken a slave girl from Sechem as a wife and had a son with her. This son after his death killed, in a plot, all other sons except one. This is part of the complaint of the only son still alive. Judges 9:8-15 One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, 'Be our king.' 9 "But the olive tree answered, 'Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and men are honored, to hold sway over the trees?' 10 "Next, the trees said to the fig tree, 'Come and be our king.' 11 "But the fig tree replied, 'Should I give up my fruit, so good and sweet, to hold sway over the trees?' 12 "Then the trees said to the vine, 'Come and be our king.' 13 "But the vine answered, 'Should I give up my wine, which cheers both gods and men, to hold sway over the trees?' 14 "Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, 'Come and be our king.' 15 "The thornbush said to the trees, 'If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, then let fire come out of the thorn bush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!'

A Lesson from OT Biblical Botanical Parables
The plants express honor in the work God had assigned to them. Their natural gifts accepted as worthy of full engagement. There is no desire to rule, just an intense desire to continue doing what they could do best. What should our vocation be? In Genesis God made “man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule” (Genesis 1:26) we where made rulers -each with our own, specific, God given gifts. Then, we hear our Lord Jesus, in Mark 10:42-44 when he sates "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all”. We here have an excellent guideline to our vocational choice. Not forgetting that: we need to serve in love (Galatians 5:13) wholeheartedly (Ephesians 6:7), It is actually a liberating experience not to be in need to be the best (even if I have no gift for the job) as to achieve that specific, most desired ruling job. Our rule should be one of servitude. And, if God gives us a position of leadership, we should be humble and serving, following our master, always aware of proverbs 16:18 which says: “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” King Solomon himself being one of the outstanding examples. As an addendum it needs to be said that 10Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 11If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. Adriana

Letter I Title: Reason, Truth, Material Needs and Science
Fundamental Principles For Seeking Direction In this letter CSL covers many subjects related to seeking direction for life. From books and friends, to intellectual attitudes; from material needs to the meaning of life and the popular understanding and use of science and knowledge, he briefly brings all these issues into light. Since the advice proceeds from a devilish perspective the approach is to put us into a state of confusion and emphasize what Lewis calls it “chronological Snobbery” (ref..). “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” I Peter 5:8-9 “Like a good chess player he (Satan) is always trying to maneuver you into a position where you can save your castle only by losing your bishop.” CSL

MY DEAR WORMWOOD, I note what you say about guiding our patient's reading and taking care that he sees a good deal of his materialist friend. But are you not being a trifle naïf? It sounds as if you supposed that argument was the way to keep him out of the Enemy's clutches. That might have been so if he had lived a few centuries earlier. At that time the humans still knew pretty well when a thing was proved and when it was not; and if it was proved they really believed it. They still connected thinking with doing and were prepared to alter their way of life as the result of a chain of reasoning. But what with the weekly press and other such weapons we have largely altered that. Your man has been accustomed, ever since he was a boy, to have a dozen incompatible philosophies dancing about together inside his head. He doesn't think of doctrines as primarily "true" of "false", but as "academic" or "practical", "outworn" or "contemporary", "conventional" or "ruthless". Jargon, not argument, is your best ally in keeping him from the Church. Don't waste time trying to make him think that materialism is true! Make him think it is strong, or stark, or courageous—that it is the philosophy of the future. That's the sort of thing he cares about. The trouble about argument is that it moves the whole struggle onto the Enemy's own ground. He can argue too; whereas in really practical propaganda of the kind I am suggesting He has been shown for centuries to be greatly the inferior of Our Father Below. By the very act of arguing, you awake the patient's reason; and once it is awake, who can foresee the result? Even if a particular train of thought can be twisted so as to end in our favour, you will find that you have been strengthening in your patient the fatal habit of attending to universal issues and withdrawing his attention from the stream of immediate sense experiences. Your business is to fix his attention on the stream. Teach him to call it "real life" and don't let him ask what he means by "real". Remember, he is not, like you, a pure spirit. Never having been a human (Oh that abominable advantage of the Enemy's!) you don't realize how enslaved they are to the pressure of the ordinary. I once had a patient, a sound atheist, who used to read in the British Museum. One day, as he sat reading, I saw a train of thought in his mind beginning to go the wrong way. The Enemy, of course, was at his elbow in a moment. Before I knew where I was I saw my twenty years' work beginning to totter. If I had lost my head and begun to attempt a defense by argument I should have been undone. But I was not such a fool. I struck instantly at the part of the man which I had best under my control and suggested that it was just about time he had some lunch. The Enemy presumably made the counter-suggestion

(you know how one can never quite overhear What He says to them
(you know how one can never quite overhear What He says to them?) that this was more important than lunch. At least I think that must have been His line for when I said "Quite. In fact much too important to tackle it the end of a morning", the patient brightened up considerably; and by the time I had added "Much better come back after lunch and go into it with a fresh mind", he was already half way to the door. Once he was in the street the battle was won. I showed him a newsboy shouting the midday paper, and a No. 73 bus going past, and before he reached the bottom of the steps I had got into him an unalterable conviction that, whatever odd ideas might come into a man's head when he was shut up alone with his books, a healthy dose of "real life" (by which he meant the bus and the newsboy) was enough to show him that all "that sort of thing" just couldn't be true. He knew he'd had a narrow escape and in later years was fond of talking about "that inarticulate sense for actuality which is our ultimate safeguard against the aberrations of mere logic". He is now safe in Our Father's house. You begin to see the point? Thanks to processes which we set at work in them centuries ago, they find it all but impossible to believe in the unfamiliar while the familiar is before their eyes. Keep pressing home on him the ordinariness of things. Above all, do not attempt to use science (I mean, the real sciences) as a defense against Christianity. They will positively encourage him to think about realities he can't touch and see. There have been sad cases among the modern physicists. If he must dabble in science, keep him on economics and sociology; don't let him get away from that invaluable "real life". But the best of all is to let him read no science but to give him a grand general idea that he knows it all and that everything he happens to have picked up in casual talk and reading is "the results of modem investigation". Do remember you are there to fuddle him. From the way some of you young fiends talk, anyone would suppose it was our job to teach! Your affectionate uncle SCREWTAPE

Vocabulary Key Words Letter I Materialism Reasoning Truth Philosophies
Doctrines True / False Academic / Practical /Outworn Contemporary / Conventional Jargon Church Argument Stream Spirit Ordinary Atheism Actuality Unfamiliar / Ordinariness Science Economics / Sociology Real life Modern Fuddle Vocabulary Key Words Letter I Imagination Science Reason

Observations/ References
Analysis Matrix – Letter I Reason, Truth, Material Needs and Science Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Observations/ References Books and Friends Relativistic, materialistic Christian Character Building, Believing Search for Wisdom Truth, honesty are needed Ro 5:3-5 “rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering...character” Jas 1:6 “he must believe and not doubt” Pr 4:7 “get wisdom. Though it cost… get understanding” Jeremiah 5:1 “deals honestly …the truth” Ph 4:8 “whatever is true” Intellect a. Avoid argument and reasoning. b. Use jargon instead. c. Make him THINK he is strong a. Avoid stupid arguments… b. Real Wisdom comes from God c. Get truth and understanding at all cost d. God Says BE strong, e. God’s wisdom is GRACE a. 2Tim 2:23 “Don't have anything …stupid arguments” b. 1 Kings 3:28 “wisdom from God” c. Prov 23:23 “Buy the truth and do not sell it…understanding” d. Php 3:13-14 “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward” Isa 35:4 “Be strong, do not fear” e. 2 Corinthians 1:12 “not according to worldly wisdom but according to God's grace” continues

Analysis Matrix – Letter I Reason, Truth, Material Needs and Science Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Observations/ References Philosophies Doctrines a. Encourage several Incompatible Philosophies inside his head b. Doctrines Academic or Practical Outworn or Contemporary Conventional or Ruthless d. Language Use Jargon (and propaganda) Colossians 2:4 “so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments” f. Materialism The Philosophy of the Future a. Built on the foundation of Christ ... b. Avoid unstable teaching c. The god of this age blinds d. True/False and Yes/No e. Use Scriptures Use argument / reasoning f. Store treasures in heaven a. Eph 2:20 “built on the foundation” b. Eph 4:14-15 “be infants… tossed back and forth” c. 2 Co 4:2-4 “the god of this age has blinded” d. Mt 5:37 “let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'” Ps 25:5 “Guide me in your truth and teach me” e. 2 Tim. 3:16 “Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching” Titus 2:12 “say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions” 2 Corinthians 10:5 “demolish arguments and every pretension” f. Galatians 1:4 “present evil age” Mt 6:19-21 “treasures in heaven”; Luke 12:15 “life does not consist in abundance of” continues

Analysis Matrix – Letter I Reason, Truth, Material Needs and Science Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Observations/ References Material Needs Takes Precedence Use the pressure of the ordinary to enslave your patient. Teach him to call it “real life” Lower Priority Not of bread alone Seek first the kingdom… Real Life – Eternal Life Mt 4:4 “not live on bread alone” Mt 6:33 “first…kingdom” Jn 17:3 “this is eternal life” Matthew 25:46 “eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life” Meaning of Life Keep pressing home on him the ordinariness of things God uses Ordinary for the extraordinary! Purpose and Meaning of Life God has an eternal plan Acts 4:13 “ordinary men, they were astonished” Ps.139:16 “ordained …written in your book” Proverbs 19:21 “plans in a man's heart… LORD's purpose that prevails” Science & Knowledge Use Chronological Snobbery General / updated information, modern investigations Avoid exact science. Try sociology, economics Fuddle Proven science Be humble Seek Wisdom and Discernment Ps 19:1 “heavens declare the glory of God” Mt 23:12 “whoever humbles himself will be exalted” Pr 4:7, Proverbs 14:6 “the mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning”

Characters From The Great Divorce
Letter I Characters From The Great Divorce An interview with an apostate cleric "My dear boy, I'm delighted to see you," it was saying to the Spirit, who was naked and almost blindingly white. "I was talking to your poor father the other day and wondering where you were." "You didn't bring him?" said the other. "Well, no. He lives a long way from the bus, and, to be quite frank, he's been getting a little eccentric lately. A little difficult. Losing his grip. He never was prepared to make any great efforts, you know. If you remember, he used to go to sleep when you and I got talking seriously! Ah, Dick, I shall never forget some of our talks. I expect you've changed your views a bit since then. You became rather narrow-minded towards the end of your life: but no doubt you've broadened out again." "How do you mean?" "Well, it's obvious by now, isn't it, that you weren't quite right. Why, my dear boy, you were coming to believe in a literal Heaven and Hell!" "But wasn't I right?"

Questions for Discussion - Letter I
1 – How enslaved are we to chronological snobbery? How can we use reasoning to grow spiritually? 3 – How enslaved are we to the pressures of the ordinary? 4 – How can argument and reason bring us close to God? (Gods ways are not our ways, but should we use our God given intellect?) 5 – Is science (real science) a help or a threat to our understanding of God? 6 – How do these issues affect my perspective on my spiritual life and personal vocation plans and goals? 7 – How do these issues affect my DAILY walk with God? For Further Reading and Reflection How does this chapter shows a light on how I relate to God and see my vocation? Reading: The Weight of Glory..

Think About This! – Arguing From Reason
Letter I Think About This! – Arguing From Reason (against naturalism and materialism) 1 - No proposition is valid if it can be fully explained as a result of non-rational causes. 2 - If non-rational causes are the only existing causes, then all propositions can be fully explained as the result of non-rational causes. 3 - But if non-rational causes are the only existing causes, then no proposition is valid. 4 - If no proposition is valid, then the proposition that non-rational causes are the only existing causes is not valid. 5 - Therefore, if non-rational causes are the only existing causes, then the proposition of non- rational forces is not valid. 6 - Any proposition that entails its own denial must be rejected. 7 - Therefore, the non-rationality of causes ought to be rejected and its denial ought to be accepted. Think of an independent argument for premise 1. Why exactly do you think it is true? What reasons could be given to support it? If you could do that, I think that maybe you would be getting at the real core disagreement between yourself and the naturalist/materialist.

Think About This! - What is Argument
Letter I Think About This! - What is Argument "You see he is trying to argue. Now tell me, someone, what is argument?" There was a confused murmur. "Come, come," said the jailor. "You must know your catechisms by now. You, there" (and he pointed to a prisoner little older than a boy whose name was Master Parrot), "what is argument?" "Argument," said Master Parrot, is the attempted rationalization of the arguer's desires." "Very good," replied the jailor, "but you should turn out your toes and put your hands behind your back. That is better. Now: what is the proper answer to an argument proving the existence of the Landlord?" "The proper answer is, 'You say that because you are a Steward.'" "Good boy. But hold your head up Now just one more. What is the answer to an argument turning on the belief that two and two make four?" "The answer is, 'You say that because you are a mathematician.'" "You are a very good boy," said the jailor. The Pilgrim’s Regress

Herman Dooyeweerd - Modal Aspects of Reality
Letter I Think About This! Herman Dooyeweerd - Modal Aspects of Reality Aspects Quantitative (to do with quantity, amount) Spatial (to do with continuous extension, space) Kinematic (to do with movement; flowing movement) Physical (to do with energy + mass) Biotic (to do with life functions) Sensitive (to do with sense, feeling, emotion) Analytical (to do with distinguishing ) Formative (to do with history, culture, technology: shaping and creativity) Lingual (to do with symbolic communication) Social (to do with social interaction) Economic (to do with frugal use of resources) Aesthetic (to do with harmony, surprise, fun) Juridical (to do with what is due; 'retribution', rights and responsibilities) Ethical (to do with self-giving love) Pistic (to do with vision, aspiration, commitment, creed, religion)

Inter-disciplinary Modes and Issues
Letter I Think About This! Inter-disciplinary Modes and Issues Impacted by and Impacts Transcendental / Religious Worldview Population Morality / Ethics Politics Globalization Economics, Aesthetic, Juridical, Ethical Justice Politics Employment Prosperity Food Sensitive, Analytical, Formative, Lingual, Social Culture Population Life Style Technologies Globalization Biotic Life Environment Globalization Politics Life Style Technologies Food Population Spatial, Kinematics Motion, and Physical Energy Population Food Life Style Technologies Globalization PF Ribeiro

Letter I Think About This! The Pathways to TRUTH
Revelation Wisdom Meaning Creation The Pathways to TRUTH truth Metaphysics Science Religion Literature Com. Sense Philosophy Can you think of a better ways to describe this search? Imagination Creation Reason

Science vs. Spiritual Methodology
Think About This! And Discuss? Science vs. Spiritual Methodology Observe Nature Infer Construct Scientific Model Collect Hard Data Physical Test Model Math - Analytical Good ? Scientific Method Theory / Law No Not Yet Yes Religious Method Observe Life Is There A First Cause? Construct Theological Model Collect Soft Data Ethical, Spiritual Test Model Meaning, Value Good ? No Not Yet Yes Faith

truth and the meaning of
A Rational Approach to Mere Christianity End of the Story A Force/Power is a sort of a tame and convenient God . An inconsistent Power Yes Do you believe in the existence of a Moral Law? What Kind: A Force (Power)? No End of the Story No Yes No Are you tricking me with a religious talk? A God ? Yes No Is there anything or anyone behind the Moral Law? No We are trying to find truth and the meaning of the universe. End of the Story Yes Are you interested? Yes No End of the Story

How can we find out more about the thing behind the moral law and
the meaning of the universe? The Moral Law ells you to do the straight thing and it does not seem to care how painful, or dangerous, or difficult it is to do. The Moral Law does not give us any grounds for thinking that God is “good” in the sense of being soft and nice.. The Moral Law is as hard as nails. If God is like the Moral Law, then HE IS NOT SOFT. Looking into the The Universe He Made Looking inside ourselves, where He wrote the moral laws He is quite merciless. The universe is a very dangerous place. He is a great artist No Do you want to proceed? at your own risk? But you cannot know a man by looking at the house he built. End of the Story End of the Story Yes End of the Story

Beginning of Chapter 1 of the Great Story ...
Is He an Impersonal Absolute Goodness ? No Is He a Personal absolute Goodness ? If the universe is not governed by an absolute goodness, then all our efforts are in the long run hopeless. Yes Yes Absolute Goodness is either the great safety or the great danger - according to the way you react to it. God is the only comfort and supreme terror No exceptions, or allowances permitted. Do you want to find out more about God End of the Story No End of the Story Yes Christianity tells how the demands of the Moral Law, which we cannot meet, have been met on our behalf, how God Himself becomes man to save man from the disapproval of God. Have you broken the Moral Law? Do you think you need Forgiveness? No Yes Beginning of Chapter 1 of the Great Story ... Which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before. End of the Story

Letter I Resistance Strategy Virtue and Stock Responses to Cultivate Blogging Your Experience Resistance Strategy Virtue and Stock Responses to Cultivate Passion for Truth

Title: Appearance, Reality and the Church
Letter II Title: Appearance, Reality and the Church Fundamental Principles For Exercising Discernment Screwtape advises Wormwood to focus the patient’s attention upon the actual people in the church sitting in the pews around him; not upon “the Church as we see her spread out through all time and space and rooted in eternity, terrible as an army with banners.” “When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me” (James 1:13) “If you think you are standing firm…No temptation has seized you except what is common to man…He will also provide a way out so you can stand firm under it.” I Co 10:12-13 “You however, are not controlled by a sinful nature” (Ro 8:5-17) “Like a good chess player he (Satan) is always trying to maneuver you into a position where you can save your castle only by losing your bishop.” CSL “We should never ask of anything ‘Is it real?’, for everything is real. The proper question is “A real what?” e.g., a real snake or a real delirium tremens?” CSL

Vocabulary Key Words Letter II Appearance Reality
Sham Gothic Liturgy Books Neighbors “The body of Christ" Togas and sandals Hazy mind Disappointment Anticlimax Nursery Greek Transition Aspiration Free lovers Servants, sons Freedom Religion Hypocrisy Convention Prayer Parrot talk Vocabulary Key Words Letter II Appearance Reality “We should never ask of anything ‘Is it real?’, for everything is real. The proper question is “A real what?” e.g., a real snake or a real delirium tremens?” CSL

Observations, References
Analysis Matrix – Letter II Appearance, Reality and the Church Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Observations, References Habits Mental Bodily Now the habits are still in our favor (sinful nature) See with eyes, not heart Be controlled by the Spirit fruits of the Spirit, in love Consider others better than yourself Work your salvation with fear and trembling Ro 8:9 “are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit”; Gal 5:10-26 serve one another in love; fruits of the Spirit; Ph 2:3 “not vain conceit… humility consider others better”; Ph 2:12-13 “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling” The Church Unfinished buildings Unpleasant people Boring liturgy books “Rooted in eternity, spread through space and time, terrible as an army with banners” Col 1:18 “He is the head of the body, the church” 1 Tim 3:15 “church of the living God” Revelation 19:19 (army) Appearance Reality Lean heavily on outward appearances Appearance signing out the future Keep the real question out of sight Keep everything hazy Do not let them come past the initial dryness Reality, the real body of Christ, Inward beauty Deal with realities Gods plan is our victory Col 1:24 “his body, which is the church”; 1 Peter 3:3 “ beauty should not come from outward adornment” Colossians 2:17 “shadow of the things … reality, however, is found in Christ” Ephesians 4:25 “falsehood and speak truthfully” OT=Veiled: Ex 34:29-30, II Co 3:7 & NT=Unveiled: II Co 3:17-18 I Co 15:57 “He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” continues

Analysis Matrix – Letter II Appearance, Reality and the Church Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Observations, References Emotions Fluctuating emotions work hard at disappointment and the anticlimax Real Life: disappointments help to get rid of emotions/suffering produces perseverance Sound reasoning: see our own faults God’s Word is a mirror Ro 5:3 “also rejoice in our sufferings” Ps 139:23-24 “know my heart” 2 Tim. 1:13 “keep as the pattern of sound teaching” Heb 12:1 “run with perseverance the race” James 1:22-25 “listens to the word…looks …mirror” Humility Avoid humility Making him Think he is humble God teaches real humility A haughty spirit before the fall Mt 23:12 “whoever humbles himself will be exalted”; Mt 18:4 (be humble) Pr.16:18 Prayer Today A culture of the now No hard work or effort Only feelings and what you see counts - Teaches self esteem Loose all to gain all A pearl of Great Price Consider all loss Php 3:8-11“consider everything a loss compared” Mt 13:46 “away and sold everything he had” Romans 8:36 “For your sake we face death all day long”

Questions for Discussion - Letter II
1. Define the Church Visible and Invisible (Building, People, Liturgy - Transcendental Body) and what is the impact on our attitude when we focus on the behavior of individuals? 2. How do we differentiate between reality and appearance? Why daily life issues are such fertile ground for temptations? 3. How can one avoid the “anticlimax” after a conversion experience? 4. How can we prepare to overcome the disappointments, and the “dry spells” in our Christian Life? 5. Discuss the contrasts of hypocrisy and humility. 6. How do we respond to God’s love? 7. Are Christians better than other people in any sense? 8. What is the common component of “free lovers and servants” and do you agree that God let us do it on our own? How can learn to control our emotions and why trained emotions can be a source of joy not a step towards hypocrisy? 10. Discuss the importance of habits (discipline): mentally and bodily (and its role in the sanctification process) For Further Reading and Reflection How does this chapter show a light on how I relate to God and see my vocation? Reading: The Weight of Glory..

Character From The Pilgrim’s Regress
Letter II Character From The Pilgrim’s Regress Mr. Sensible "Why, as to that you know, the great art of life is to moderate our passions. Objects of affection are like other belongings. We must love them enough to enrich our lives while we have them--not enough to impoverish our lives when they are gone. You see this puzzle here. While I am engaged on it seems to me of sovereign importance to fit the pieces together: when it is done I think of it no more; and if I should fail to do it, why I would not break my heart. Confound that Drudge. Hi! whoreson, are we to wait all night for our supper?" "Coming, sir," said Drudge from the kitchen. "I think the fellow goes to sleep over his pots and pans, "said Mr. Sensible, "but let us occupy the time by continuing our conversation. Good conversation I reckon among the finer sweets of life. But I Far from attacking the spiritual life, the cultured world patronizes it would not include diatribe or lecturing or persistent discussion under that head. Your doctrinaire is the bane of all talk."

Letter II Character From The Pilgrim’s Regress Mr. Sensible "You refer, no doubt, to some aesthetic experience. There again--I would not urge a young man to shut his eyes to that sort of thing. Who has not felt immortal longings at the lengthening of the shadow or the turning of the leaf? Who has no stretched out his hands for the ulterior shore ? But our imaginations, like our appetites, need discipline: not, heaven help us, in the interest of any transcendental ethic, but in the interests of your own solid good. That wild impulse must be tasted, no obeyed. The bees have stings, but we rob them of their honey. To cut off pleasures from the consequences and conditions which they have by nature, detaching, as it were, the precious phrase from its irrelevant context, is what distinguishes the man from the brute and the citizen from the savage. I cannot join with those moralists who inveigh against the Roman emetics in their banquets: still less with those who would forbid the even more beneficent contraceptive devices of our later times. That man who can eat as taste, no nature, prompts him and yet fear no aching belly, or who can indulge in Venus and fear no impertinent bastard, is a civilized man. In him I recognize Urbanity--the note of the centre."

Letter II Character From The Pilgrim’s Regress Mr. Sensible "Do you know of any way across the canyon?" said Vertue abruptly. "I do not," said the host, "for I have never made inquiries. The proper study of mankind is man , and I have always left useless speculations alone. Suppose that there were a way across, to what purpose should I use it? Why should I scramble down this side and up the other to find after my labours the same soil still beneath me and the same heaven above? It would be laughable to suppose that the country beyond the gorge can be any different from the country on this side of it. "There might be different people on the other side of the canyon," suggested John in the momentary pause that followed. "That is even less likely," said Mr. Sensible. "Human nature is always the same. The dress and the manners may vary, but I detect the unchanging heart beneath the shifting disguises. If there are men beyond the canyon, rest assured that we know them already. They are born and they die: and in the interval between they are the same lovable rascals that we know at home." "Still," said John, "you can't really be certain that there is no such place as my Island. Reason left it an open question." "Reason!" exclaimed Mr. Sensible. "Do you mean the mad woman who goes riding about the country dressed up in armour? I trust that when I spoke of the reasonable life you did not think that I meant anything under her auspices? There is a strange confusion in our language here, for the reasonableness which I commend has no more dangerous enemy than Reason. Perhaps I should drop the use of the name altogether, and say that my deity is not reasons but le von sens ." "What is the difference?" said Vertue. "Sense is easy, Reason is hard. Sense knows where to stop with gracious inconsistency, while Reason slavishly follows and abstract logic whither she knows not. The one seeks comfort and finds it, the other seeks truth and is still seeking. Le bon sens is the father of a flourishing family: Reason is barren and a virgin. If I had my way I should clap this Reason of your in the bridewell to pursue her meditations in the straw. The baggage has a pretty face, I allow: but she leads us from our true aim--joy, pleasure, ease, content, whate'er the name! She is a fanatic who has never learned form my master to pursue the golden mean, and, being mortal, to think mortal thoughts. Auream quisquis --" "It is very odd that you should say that," interrupted Vertue, "for I also was brought up on Aristotle. But I think my text must have differed from yours. In mine, the doctrine of the Mean does not bear the sense you have given it at all. He specially says that there is no excess of goodness. You cannot go too far in the right direction. The line that we should follow may start from a middle point in the base of a triangle: but the further off the apex is, the better. In that dimension--" Its ignorant and dilettante scepticism "Do manus !" broke out Mr. Sensible. "Spare us the rest, young man. We are not at a lecture, and I readily admit that your scholarship is more recent than mine. Philosophy should be our mistress, not our master: and the pursuit of a pedantic accuracy amidst the freedom of our social pleasures is as unwelcome as--" "And the bit about thinking mortal thoughts," continued Vertue, whose social experience, as I dreamed, was not extensive, "the bit about mortal thoughts was quoted by Aristotle to say that he disagreed with it. He held that the end of mortal life was to put on immortality as much as might be. And he also said the most useless of studies was the noblest." "I see you are letter-perfect, young man," said Mr. Sensible, with a rather chilly smile, "and I am sure these pieces of information, if repeated to your teachers, would win the applause they deserve. Here, if you will forgive me, they are a little out of place. A gentleman's knowledge of the ancient authors is not that of a pedant: and I think you have misunderstood the place which philosophy ought to hold in the reasonable life. We do not memorize systems. What system can stand? What system does not leave us with the old refrain--que sais--je ? It is in her power to remind us of the strangeness of things--in the brown charm of her secluded meditations--above all, in her decorative function--that philosophy becomes instrumental to the good life. We go to the Porch and the Academy to be spectators, not partisans. Drudge!!" "Dinner is served, sir," said Drudge, appearing at the door. Then I dreamed that they went into the dining-room and so to table.

Letter II Character From The Pilgrim’s Regress Mr. Sensible "Reason!" exclaimed Mr. Sensible. "Do you mean the mad woman who goes riding about the country dressed up in armour? I trust that when I spoke of the reasonable life you did not think that I meant anything under her auspices? There is a strange confusion in our language here, for the reasonableness which I commend has no more dangerous enemy than Reason. Perhaps I should drop the use of the name altogether, and say that my deity is not reasons but le von sens ." "What is the difference?" said Vertue. "Sense is easy, Reason is hard. Sense knows where to stop with gracious inconsistency, while Reason slavishly follows and abstract logic whither she knows not. The one seeks comfort and finds it, the other seeks truth and is still seeking. Le bon sens is the father of a flourishing family: Reason is barren and a virgin. If I had my way I should clap this Reason of your in the bridewell to pursue her meditations in the straw. The baggage has a pretty face, I allow: but she leads us from our true aim--joy, pleasure, ease, content, whate'er the name! She is a fanatic who has never learned form my master to pursue the golden mean, and, being mortal, to think mortal thoughts. Auream quisquis --"

Letter II Character From The Pilgrim’s Regress Mr. Sensible "It is very odd that you should say that," interrupted Vertue, "for I also was brought up on Aristotle. But I think my text must have differed from yours. In mine, the doctrine of the Mean does not bear the sense you have given it at all. He specially says that there is no excess of goodness. You cannot go too far in the right direction. The line that we should follow may start from a middle point in the base of a triangle: but the further off the apex is, the better. In that dimension--" Its ignorant and dilettante skepticism "Do manus !" broke out Mr. Sensible. "Spare us the rest, young man. We are not at a lecture, and I readily admit that your scholarship is more recent than mine. Philosophy should be our mistress, not our master: and the pursuit of a pedantic accuracy amidst the freedom of our social pleasures is as unwelcome as--" "And the bit about thinking mortal thoughts," continued Vertue, whose social experience, as I dreamed, was not extensive, "the bit about mortal thoughts was quoted by Aristotle to say that he disagreed with it. He held that the end of mortal life was to put on immortality as much as might be. And he also said the most useless of studies was the noblest." "I see you are letter-perfect, young man," said Mr. Sensible, with a rather chilly smile, "and I am sure these pieces of information, if repeated to your teachers, would win the applause they deserve. Here, if you will forgive me, they are a little out of place. A gentleman's knowledge of the ancient authors is not that of a pedant: and I think you have misunderstood the place which philosophy ought to hold in the reasonable life. We do not memorize systems. What system can stand? What system does not leave us with the old refrain--que sais--je ? It is in her power to remind us of the strangeness of things--in the brown charm of her secluded meditations--above all, in her decorative function--that philosophy becomes instrumental to the good life. We go to the Porch and the Academy to be spectators, not partisans. Drudge!!" "Dinner is served, sir," said Drudge, appearing at the door. Then I dreamed that they went into the dining-room and so to table.

Letter II Resistance Strategy Virtue and Stock Responses to Cultivate Blogging Your Experience Resistance Strategy Virtue and Stock Responses to Cultivate Passion for Truth

Title: Relationships, Prayer, Faith and Action
Letter III Title: Relationships, Prayer, Faith and Action Principles for Consistency in Prayer Life In this chapter Lewis focuses on prayer and domestic living. In prayer, Lewis here develops the distinction between “spiritual” prayer and “effective”. He describes how prayer can be “rendered innocuous” to the point of “keep on rubbing the wounds of the day a little sorer even while he is on his knees”. On domestic living we see the development of evil habits such as mutual annoyance, neglect of the obvious, and double standards, and Lewis shows how a person can “turned at a moment's notice from impassioned prayer for a wife's or son's "soul" to beating or insulting the real wife or son without a qualm and beating or insulting a person without qualm.”

Vocabulary Key Words Letter III

Analysis Matrix – Letter III Relationships, Prayer, Faith and Action Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Observations, References Changes of conduct Get in first Keep in touch with other family charges Gradually from the centre to a new standard Prayer a. Keep the patient from the intention of prayer altogether b. Render it innocuous (easy and entertaining) Let him pray: -Parrot like prayers, in devotional mood (no will or intelligence); thinking: =feeling is important =position makes no difference -Pray spiritually with self examination avoiding the obvious c. When praying for people: -Create an “imaginary person” -let it never flow in treatment for the real one d. result = “prayer to insult” = rubbing the wounds … little sorer a. Pray at all times, in the Spirit b. Pray at all times, in all situations, all kinds of prayers with WILL, INTELECT, directly to the Lord (Peter at the sea) =faith, in obedience, no repetition =hidden, with bended knees -practical, for real issues (discern) =in faith  peace (no interference) -Avoid looking at “self” -Take the plank out of your own eye first, do not judge your neighbor -Turn the other cheek - Leave wrath to God d. God’s peace will result a. James 5:13-16; Eph 6:18 (at all times) Romans 8:26 (The Spirit intercedes with groans) b. Lk 18:1-8 (parable of the persistent widow); Mat 26:41 (Not fall into temptation); Matthew 6:7 (no vain repetition) Is 62:6-7 “give yourselves no rest” Ro 12:12 “faithful in prayer” Luke 11:1-11 “the Lord’s prayer” Proverbs 30:8 “Keep falsehood and lies far” c. Mt 7:1-5 “Do not judge”; Matthew 5:39 “right cheek, turn to him the other” Romans 12:19 “Do not take revenge…God’s wrath” d. Phil 4:4-7 (Gods peace ) continues

Analysis Matrix – Letter III Relationships, Prayer, Faith and Action Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Observations, References Common ground and actions -Dualistic approach: horror and neglect of the obvious -Keep his mind on “inner” life and off the elementary duties Use: voice tone and moment (keep double standard) -Integrated action -Love your neighbor as yourself Mt 22:39 “Love your neighbor as”; Dt 19:18 no “false testimony” against your neighbor Relationship With Spouse, Family -Neglect of the obvious -develop domestic hatred with double standards (face value innocence)-Good and settled habit of mutual annoyance, “Daily pinpricks” -Love and understanding -be as little children -Think of others more highly than yourself Ro 15:1-7 (accept one another); Matthew 18:3 “unless you change and become like little children” Habits to develop -Mutual annoyance -horror and neglect of the obvious -prayer innocuous: spiritual, reminding of sins (save her soul) for a fictitious character. -mind on “self examination” -double standards -jealousy -Effective prayer -No double standard =no dishonesty =sober judgment =confess our sin =we where called to peace -Be thankful for all Proverbs 11:1 “The LORD abhors dishonest scales”; Romans 12:3 “think of yourself with sober judgment” Colossians 3:15 “you were called to peace. And be thankful”. I Jn 1:9 (confess our sins)

Questions for Discussion - Letter III
1. How can domestic irritations adversely affect the Christian life? 2. How in Lewis’ thinking how does God work to bring a young Christian “under a new standard”? 3. How can domestic irritations adversely affect the Christian’s prayer and living? 4. Why should we avoid concentrating our minds on the inner life? 5. How should we pray? 6. What would be the habits Screwtape wants Wormwood to develop in his “patient”? 7. What would be the “neglect of the obvious”? 8. Develop the “double standards” of this chapter and try to apply them to your relational world. For Further Reading and Reflection How does this chapter shows a light on how I relate to God and see my vocation? Reading: The Weight of Glory..

VIRTUES TO CULTIVATE Letter III I. Diligence II. Patience III. Honesty
IV. Courage V. Charity VI. Creativity VII. Empathy VIII. Humility IX. Stewardship X. Compassion XI. Justice XII. Faith XIII. Hope XIV. Wisdom The Cardinal Virtues: prudence, temperance, courage, justice The Theological Virtues: love, hope, faith The Seven Contrary Virtues: humility, kindness, abstinence, chastity, patience, liberality, diligence humility against pride, kindness against envy, abstinence against gluttony, chastity against lust, patience against anger, liberality against greed, and diligence against sloth. The Seven Heavenly Virtues: faith, hope, charity, fortitude, justice, temperance, prudence The Seven Corporal Works of Mercy Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, give shelter to strangers, clothe the naked, visit the sick, minister to prisoners, and bury the dead.

VIRTUES TO CULTIVATE Diligence Patience Honesty Charity Humility
Compassion Justice Faith Hope Wisdom Courage Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. C. S. Lewis

Letter III Resistance Strategy Virtue and Stock Responses to Cultivate Blogging Your Experience Resistance Strategy Virtue and Stock Responses to Cultivate

Title: Prayer: Why? And Does It Work?
Letter IV Title: Prayer: Why? And Does It Work? The Fundamental Communication: The Link Betewen Incomplete Individuals and the Utterly Concrete Person In this chapter Lewis expands on the development of habits for prayer. He describes the difference between a beginner, who still is developing out of the “parrot like nature” of his childhood prayers and a patient whose “real nakedness of a soul in prayer” shows him as “very far advanced in the Enemy’s service”

Vocabulary Key Words Letter IV Prayer vaguely devotional mood
composed his spirit to love a sense of supplication prayer of silence bodily position subtler misdirection away from Him towards themselves trying to produce feelings estimate the value of each prayer by their success in producing the desired feeling Wherever there is prayer, there is danger He is cynically indifferent to the dignity of His position ghastly luminosity, that stabbing and searing glare you must keep him praying to it—to the thing that he has made, not to the Person who has made him subjective nature, and the man trusts himself to the completely real, external, invisible Presence, this real nakedness of the soul in prayer—you will be helped by the fact that the humans themselves do not desire it as much as they suppose. Vocabulary Key Words Letter IV Form Position Direction

Analysis Matrix – Letter IV
Prayer: Why? And Does It Work? Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations Prayer: Form a. Keep the patient from the intention of prayer altogether. b. Or childlike parrot prayer, let it be: Entirely spontaneous Inward Informal Unregularised c. Let him try: Producing a devotional mood (no will or intelligence) a. Pray at all times, in all situations b. All kinds of prayers, = in childlike Faith = directly to the Lord = in freedom and confidence = confessing our sins c. Mood is not important: = Faith (believing) + righteousness (forgiven sinner) a. Ephesians 6:18 (at all times) b. James 5:15 “prayer offered in faith”; Ephesians 3:12 “…approach God with freedom and confidence” c. Genesis 15:6 “believed …credited …as righteousness”; I Jn 1:9 (confess our sins) James 5:16 “confess your sins…The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” Position Bodily position makes no difference -Merely “composing ones spirit to love” -Indulging “a sense of supplication” - For clever and lazy patients “whatever their bodies do affects the soul” “Try to keep things OUT of their minds” On our knees - Persistently 1 Corinthians 1:27 “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong” Fill your minds with the Holy Spirit 1 Kings 18:42 “Elijah… put his face between his knees”; Luke 5:8 (Peter) Mat 26:41 (Not fall into temptation);Luke 18 (parable of the persistent widow); Ephesians 5:18 “be filled with the Spirit” continues

Pray to “IT” not to the person who made me
Analysis Matrix – Letter IV Prayer: Why? And Does It Work? Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations Attitude Prevent them from attending to God “turning the gaze from God to themselves” Produce their FEELINGS by the action of their OWN WILL Charity - charitable feelings Courage – Feel brave Forgiveness – Try to feel forgiven Estimate the value by the feeling *let them not understand this depends on their health , tired etc There is immediate action! - It might take a while for an answer - God’s will might not be our will “There's such a thing as getting more than they bargained for!” It is for our best The Holy Spirit will intercede for us! -No communication interference -Peace Lack of faith? Peter at sea Daniel 9:23 “As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given” I Jn 5:14 (ask anything according to His will) Jer 29:11 (For I know the plans I have for you.. not to harm you” ;Romans 8:26 (The Spirit intercedes with groans); Phil 4:4-7 (God’s peace will result)! Mt 14:28-31 (why did you doubt?) Direction Pray to “IT” not to the person who made me “They have never known that ghastly luminosity, that stabbing and searing glare which makes the background of permanent pain to our lives” Pray to the God your Creator “ not what you think Thou art, but what Thy knowest Thyself to be” In the “nakedness of your soul” (Our Father who art in heaven) Isaiah 62:6-7 “give yourselves no rest”

Questions for Discussion - Letter IV
1. According to CS Lewis, what is the first reaction against the “parrot like prayers of childhood? 2. What would be the main difference between a prayer of an “advanced in the Enemy’s service” and the spontaneous prayer of the beginner? 3. Does the position of the body have any influence on prayer according to Screwtape? 4. How do feelings affect my prayer life? 5. What is according to CS the danger of the “real nakedness of the soul” in prayer? 6. What does “the Enemy” pours out in “quite shameless fashion on the praying patient? For Further Reading and Reflection How does this chapter shows a light on how I relate to God and see my vocation? Reading: Letters to Malcolm chiefly on prayer “Prayer is either an illusion or a personal contact between embryonic, incomplete person (ourselves) and the utterly concrete person. Prayer in the sense of petition, asking for things, is a small part of it; confession and penitence are its threshold, adoration its sanctuary, the presence and vision of God its bread and wine.” CSL

Searching God’s Will to Our Vocation in Prayer
In searching for our vocation, the first and foremost challenge is, “How do we communicate with God?” Jesus is the best example for our prayer life. Especially before major decisions or tasks, he spends nights in prayer and fasting. When Jesus began his ministry, it was not less than 40 days! How are we dealing with our decisions in life? But before we can even start to pray, we might consider: - total honesty with regard to the challenges and temptations which we face at college and in the real world. - total transparency in our dealings, business and relationship - total acceptance of our limitations, etc. - total surrender to the Lord now (it will happen sooner or later - hopefully in faith) - total commitment and involvement with the tasks at hand Only then, we will be able to maintain the focus on the Christian calling and vocation road map, and facilitate corrections on the journey when we are distracted on the way.

Resistance Strategy Virtue and Stock Responses to Cultivate Blogging Your Experience
Honesty in prayer

Title: War, Fear of Pain, Suffering, Death and Faith
Letter V Title: War, Fear of Pain, Suffering, Death and Faith Fundamental Principles For Facing Fear and Death In this chapter Lewis describes the difference between death in wartime and in peacetime. He describes the emotional problems of wartime, not many times in their favor as “Men are killed in places where they knew they might be killed and to which they go, if they are at all of the Enemy's party, prepared” as in wartime “not even a human can believe that he is going to live forever”. “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” I Peter 5:8-9 “Like a good chess player he (Satan) is always trying to maneuver you into a position where you can save your castle only by losing your bishop.” CSL

Vocabulary Key Words Letter V

Analysis Matrix – Letter V
War, Fear of Pain, Suffering, Death and Faith Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Observations and Strategies Pain and Suffering Concentrate on the Future “reward of all our labors—the anguish and bewilderment of a human soul” -Terror-pictures of the future -Self-pitying glances at the happy past -Thrills in the pit of his stomach “finally secure his soul ‘a brim-full living chalice of despair and horror and astonishment’” “do not allow any temporary excitement to distract you from the real business of undermining faith and preventing the formation of virtues” Concentrate on the Present -Rejoice in our sufferings -Do not look back on past -Perfect peace -Encouraging faith -Promote formation of virtue -Ro. 5:3-5 “rejoice in our sufferings” -2 Co. 1:5 “Christ our comfort overflows” Ph. 3:10-11 “attain to the resurrection from the dead” -Luke 9:62 "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." -Isaiah 26:3 “perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast” John 14:27 “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” -Col 3:12 “clothe yourselves…patience” Acts 14:22 “Strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith.” We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said.” continues

War, Fear of Pain, Suffering, Death and Faith Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Observations and Strategies Reaction to War “fear and suffering of the humans is a legitimate and pleasing refreshment” Make Extremists -Extreme Patriotism -Ardent Pacifism Bringing souls to Our Father Below Is it just? Is it moral? -Self control “makes prizes of humans who have given their lives for causes He thinks bad on the monstrously sophistical ground that the humans thought them good and were following the best they knew” -Do not be stiff-necked -Be courageous and strong -Avoid all extremes Micah 6:8 “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” -Pr 29:11 A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control” Dt 10:16 “Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer”1 Co 16:13 “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong” Ecc 7:18 The man who fears God will avoid all extremes Wars a. Great opportunity for attacks on faith -Immediate Fear -Suffering b. certain tendencies inherent: by no means in our favor -hope for a good deal of cruelty and unchastity “continual remembrance of death: our best weapons, contented worldliness, is rendered useless” a. His blockade is admittedly imposing ‘See thousands turning in this tribulation. to the Enemy: “nevertheless have their attention diverted from themselves to values and causes which they believe to be higher than the self”” b. Part of Redemption c. Be Prepared 1 Co 10:13 “provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” Jer 36:3 Ro. 5:3-5 “rejoice in our sufferings” continues

War, Fear of Pain, Suffering, Death and Faith Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Observations and Strategies Death In wartime: undesirable deaths “Men are killed in places where they knew they might be killed and to which they go, if they are at all of the Enemy's party, prepared” “not even a human can believe that he is going to live forever” In peacetime: true condition unknown “costly nursing homes amid doctors who lie, nurses who lie, friends who lie, as we have trained them, promising life to the dying, encouraging the belief that sickness excuses every indulgence, and even, if our workers know their job, withholding all suggestion of a priest lest it should betray to the sick man his true condition” - Him that suffering is an essential part of what He calls Redemption -In Service - In Faithfulness “precise moment of terror, bereavement, or physical pain, you may catch your man when his reason is temporarily suspended” “post is nearly always defended” - Heb. 10:25; “But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved” -1 Pe 1:13-16 “prepare your minds for action” -Mat. 25:23 “'Well done, good and faithful servant”; Faith “A faith which is destroyed by war cannot really have been worth the trouble of destroying.” Faith Endures Heb. 11:1 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see”

Questions for Discussion - Letter V

Letter V Resistance Strategy Virtue and Stock Responses to Cultivate Blogging Your Experience Resistance Strategy Virtue and Stock Responses to Cultivate Passion for Truth

Letter VI Title: - In this chapter Lewis describes -
Fundamental Principles - In this chapter Lewis describes - “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” I Peter 5:8-9 “Like a good chess player he (Satan) is always trying to maneuver you into a position where you can save your castle only by losing your bishop.” CSL

Vocabulary Key Words Letter VI

Analysis Matrix – Letter VI
My - Not Thy - Will Be Done (Life's Tribulations) Mind Activities - General Attitude to War Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Observations and Strategies Life’s Tribulations a. “our business is to keep them thinking about what will happen to them” -maximum uncertainty -mind filled with contradictory pictures of the future -arousing hope or fear “There is nothing like suspense and anxiety for barricading a human's mind against the Enemy” b. Let him think “daily cross” means: -practice fortitude and patience to a dozen different and hypothetical fates -“the Enemy does not greatly assist those who are trying to attain it” a. “wants men to be concerned with what they do” -submitting with patience to the Enemy's will -accept with patience the tribulation which has actually been dealt out to him b. for the daily task of bearing (today’s fear and suffering) the daily bread will be provided -resignation to present and actual suffering, even where that suffering consists of fear a. Mt. 6: 25, Revelation 2:10 do not worry about your life Deut. 31:6, Do not be afraid or terrified b. Matthew 16:24 "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” James 4:14 “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life?” General Activities of Mind a. Concentrate on the Object b. “If favorable to the Enemy bend his mind back on itself” - Fix Attention Inward a. Concentrate on the Soul b. Look upwards to God - Be concerned with what you do now a. Psalm 130:6 “My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen…” 1 Peter 1:9 “for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls” b. Psalm 121 Hebrews 12:2 “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus”

Analysis Matrix – Letter VI
My - Not Thy - Will Be Done (Life's Tribulations) Mind Activities - General Attitude to War Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Observations and Strategies Spiritual Law a. Weaken his prayers -diverting his attention from the Enemy Himself to his own states of mind about the Enemy b. Patient's mind is diverted from the thing feared to the fear itself c. all activities of mind which favor our cause, encourage the patient to be un-self-conscious and to concentrate on the object a. Strengthening prayers -attention to Jesus - attaining the Goal b. Diverted from fear c. Be self-conscious about evil - Watch your step -be un-self-conscious about yourself when doing good a. Ephesians 6:18 “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” Hebrews 12:2 b. Philippians 3:14 “I press on toward the goal to win the prize” c. Luke 6:37 "Do not judge, and you will not be judged” - Matthew 6:3 “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” General Attitude to War a. Vindictive feelings against imaginary scapegoats a. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” - to smooth out our rough spots - Live in peace with all a. Matthew 22:39 “Love your neighbor as yourself” Matthew 24:12 “increase of wickedness, love...will grow cold” Hebrews12:14 “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy”

a. Man as concentric circles:
Analysis Matrix – Letter VI My - Not Thy - Will Be Done (Life's Tribulations) Mind Activities - General Attitude to War Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Observations and Strategies General Attitude b. Malice to his immediate neighbors. c. Benevolence towards people he does not know b + c. Love – sign of the church - Under God’s Grace as the integrating factor c. John 13:35 “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." 1 Peter 4:8 “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins” Characteristics of Man a. Man as concentric circles: 1. Intellect 2. Will 3. Fantasy “Shoving all Virtues outwards into the circle of fantasy and all the desirable qualities (malice) inwards into the Will” a. Man as Integrated Entity a. heart, soul 1. intellect (mind) 2. will (steadfastness, strength) 3. Sentiments: Peace 4. fantasy: do not let it guide you The Man of God – See attached[1] a+b+c. Deuteronomy 6:5; Mt. 22:37 “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” 1. Ps. 119:11 “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” 2 Psalm 119:34 “Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart” 3. Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you” 4. Proverbs 12:11 “he who chases fantasies lacks judgment”

Questions for Discussion - Letter VI
1. What, according to Screwtape is the best way to barricade a human’s mind from God? Do you agree with that suggestion? 2. Why is it so important for us to be concerned with what we do? 3. How, according to paragraph two, should we see the Lord ’s Prayer as saying “Thy will be done? 4. According to CSLewis, what should be considered as our appointed cross? 5. Discuss: “see that the patient never thinks of the present fear as his appointed cross but only of the things he is afraid of” 6. What should be considered the “spiritual law” involved with the notion of fear? 7. Discuss: “all activities favorable to the Enemy bend his mind back on itself.” 8. What difference would it make to fix my attention on the “state called anger” versus the being insulted by somebody? 9. What are the consequences of “But it is usually a sort of melodramatic or mythical hatred directed against imaginary scapegoats” 10. Discus the ways in which “the malice thus becomes wholly real and the benevolence largely imaginary”.

Letter VI Resistance Strategy Virtue and Stock Responses to Cultivate Blogging Your Experience Resistance Strategy Virtue and Stock Responses to Cultivate

Letter VII Title: - In this chapter Lewis describes -
Fundamental Principles - In this chapter Lewis describes - “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” I Peter 5:8-9 “Like a good chess player he (Satan) is always trying to maneuver you into a position where you can save your castle only by losing your bishop.” CSL

Vocabulary Key Words Letter VII

Title: Appearance, Reality and the Church
Letter VII Title: Appearance, Reality and the Church Fundamental Principles for Exercising Discernment In this letter Lewis describes how the view on demons has changed over the ages; sometimes concealed, at other times terrifying. Screwtape mentions also how all extremes, “except devotion to the Enemy” should be encouraged. He describes how to make “the patient” a conscientious objector and, in which cases it is worthwhile to make him a pacifist or a patriot, as long as he uses “faith as a means and world as an end.” “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” I Peter 5:8-9 “Once you have made the World an end, and faith a means, you have almost won your man, and it makes very little difference what kind of worldly end he is pursuing. Provided that meetings, pamphlets, policies, movements, causes, and crusades, matter more to him than prayers and sacraments and charity, he is ours—and the more "religious" (on those terms) the more securely ours. I could show you a pretty cageful down here” Screwtape letter VII.” CSL

Questions, Observations and Strategies
Analysis Matrix – Letter VII Appearance, Reality and the Church Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations and Strategies The Devil’s Existence a. Conceal / Disbelief Ignorance Materialism Skepticism b. Reveal / Belief Direct Terrorism Demon Possession c. Ideal Emotionalism and Mythology of Science Belief in Life Force Worship of Sex Psychoanalysis Worship of Forces Denial of Spirits Materialistic Magician a-c. Knowledge b. Spiritual Warfare Resist, and do not Fear I Peter 5:8-9 “your enemy the devil prowls around” James 4:7 “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” 1 John 3: 8 “the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work” Church Small / Closed Clique Auto Admiration Pride / Hate Defensive / Self-righteous Divided Paul vs. Apollo High vs. Low Presbyterians vs. Baptists Open and Outreaching 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 still infants because: “there is jealousy and quarreling among you”

Analysis Matrix – Letter VII Appearance, Reality and the Church Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations and Strategies Attitude to War (different ages) Extreme Convictions Patriotism / Pacifism Complacency (sleep) Prone to faction (inflame) Moderation Temperance 1Tim. 3:2 “must be…self-controlled” Titus 2:2 “temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled” Church and War Partisan Spirit World as an End: Faith as a Means Convictions / causes part of religion not the other way around; then the most important part, and then replacement for prayer, love and sacraments Faith as an End(Anchor for the soul) Temporal Affairs  Mater of Obedience Hebrews 6:9 “hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” Deuteronomy 10:12 “what does the LORD …ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul” Mic. 6:8 “act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly”

Questions for Discussion - Letter VII
What has been the believe on the devil over the ages? What is the devil’s prevailing strategy in the USA today? And in other parts of the world? And in our lives? What would be a “materialist Magician”? What do you think about the New Age religion? When and why in your point of view are extremes dangerous? How can we avoid/ cultivate these extremes in our lives? What should be our proper reaction? What are the problems of the “subordinate factions” in the church? Has CSLewis been able to pinpoint it adequately? What can we do in our churches to avoid this problem? What is the problem with being a “conscientious objector”? Why is honesty so important to God? According to the Scriptures, can honesty be a means to enter heaven? Pacifism or patriotism, what is the prevailing attitude today Why does it not really matter to the devil if you are a pacifist or an activist? What are the consequences to a Christian life to making “the world an end and faith a means”? How is the church fighting evil? Is the church treating the symptoms or the cause of problems?

Then we have Gideon, and his fleece. : Testing the Lord? Do or do not?
Doubts And our Vocations In our calling we might have times at which we doubt. We question the reason for all, if it was really God that called us to this position, if somebody else can do it better, if … The Old Testament is full of doubters. The most well known doubter might be Abraham. In Egypt, he did not trust God and told a lie (that Sarah was his sister and not his wife) later on he doubted that God would give him a child and he took Hagar, Sarah’s maid as his wife, and Ishmael was born... David, when fleeing Saul, He fled towards Gath and pretended to be a madman (1 Samuel 21:10-14). Zachariah, the priest who couldn’t believe he would be a father at old age and became mute till the promise was fulfilled … Then we have Gideon, and his fleece. : Testing the Lord? Do or do not? Using god’s law If we would remember that God is light – in him is no darkness body needs sunshine production of Vit D, cabin fever and depression kick in if we do not get sunlight enough. So it is with us spiritually. We need to be reading, meditating and praying. Meanwhile, if you do get discouraged and doubt, no need to be sitting when you can be on the road. So keep going, unless: you are doing something against His word: for that you need to know It! So study and meditate on it. Doubters Abraham  In Egypt + with Ishmael David  as a fugitive (acting as a madman in front of kings) Zachariah  Mute till fulfilled promise (John the Baptist) Gideon  Testing the Lord with “do not” and “do” Using God’s law: when? Lessons from the way of biology sunshine - picture of closed room curtain and sunlight outside We all need at least X photons of sunshine to bask in His presence otherwise we become depressed Sunglass onlyand hour of sunshine in Michigan winters

Title: The Natural Law of Undulation
Letter VIII Title: The Natural Law of Undulation Christian Literature and Parallel Lives Fundamental Principles for Counter Acting Spiritual Oscillations MY DEAR WORMWOOD, So you "have great hopes that the patient's religious phase is dying away", have you? I always thought the Training College had gone to pieces since they put old Slubgob at the head of it, and now I am sure. Has no one ever told you about the law of Undulation? Humans are amphibians—half spirit and half animal. (The Enemy's determination to produce such a revolting hybrid was one of the things that determined Our Father to withdraw his support from Him.) As spirits they belong to the eternal world, but as animals they inhabit time. This means that while their spirit can be directed to an eternal object, their bodies, passions, and imaginations are in continual change, for to be in time means to change. Their nearest approach to constancy, therefore, is undulation—the repeated return to a level from which they repeatedly fall back, a series of troughs and peaks. If you had watched your patient carefully you would have seen this undulation in every department of his life—his interest in his work, his affection for his friends, his physical appetites, all go up and down. As long as he lives on earth periods of emotional and bodily richness and liveliness will alternate with periods of numbness and poverty. The dryness and dullness through which your patient is now going are not, as you fondly suppose, your workmanship; they are merely a natural phenomenon which will do us no good unless you make a good use of it.

Letter VIII To decide what the best use of it is, you must ask what use the Enemy wants to make of it, and then do the opposite. Now it may surprise you to learn that in His efforts to get permanent possession of a soul, He relies on the troughs even more than on the peaks; some of His special favorites have gone through longer and deeper troughs than anyone else. The reason is this. To us a human is primarily good; our aim is the absorption of its will into ours, the increase of our own area of selfhood at its expense. But the obedience which the Enemy demands of men is quite a different thing. One must face the fact that all the talk about His love for men, and His service being perfect freedom, is not (as one would gladly believe) mere propaganda, but an appalling truth. He really does want to fill the universe with a lot of loathsome little replicas of Himself—creatures, whose life, on its miniature scale, will be qualitatively like His own, not because He has absorbed them but because their wills freely conform to His. We want cattle who can finally become food; He wants servants who can finally become sons. We want to suck in, He wants to give out. We are empty and would be filled; He is full and flows over. Our war aim is a world in which Our Father Below has drawn all other beings into himself: the Enemy wants a world full of beings united to Him but still distinct.

Letter VIII And that is where the troughs come in. You must have often wondered why the Enemy does not make more use of His power to be sensibly present to human souls in any degree He chooses and at any moment. But you now see that the Irresistible and the Indisputable are the two weapons which the very nature of His scheme forbids Him to use. Merely to over-ride a human will (as His felt presence in any but the faintest and most mitigated degree would certainly do) would be for Him useless. He cannot ravish. He can only woo. For His ignoble idea is to eat the cake and have it; the creatures are to be one with Him, but yet themselves; merely to cancel them, or assimilate them, will not serve. He is prepared to do a little overriding at the beginning. He will set them off with communications of His presence which, though faint, seem great to them, with emotional sweetness, and easy conquest over temptation. But He never allows this state of affairs to last long. Sooner or later He withdraws, if not in fact, at least from their conscious experience, all those supports and incentives. He leaves the creature to stand up on its own legs—to carry out from the will alone duties which have lost all relish. It is during such trough periods, much more than during the peak periods, that it is growing into the sort of creature He wants it to be. Hence the prayers offered in the state of dryness are those which please Him best. We can drag our patients along by continual tempting, because we design them only for the table, and the more their will is interfered with the better. He cannot "tempt" to virtue as we do to vice. He wants them to learn to walk and must therefore take away His hand; and if only the will to walk is really there He is pleased even with their stumbles. Do not be deceived, Wormwood. Our cause is never more in danger, than when a human, no longer desiring, but intending, to do our Enemy's will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys. But of course the troughs afford opportunities to our side also. Next week I will give you some hints on how to exploit them, Your affectionate uncle SCREWTAPE

Vocabulary Key Words Letter VIII

Analysis Matrix – Letter VIII
The Natural Law of Undulation Christian Literature and Parallel Lives Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations and Strategies Human Nature a. Humans are amphibians half spirit and half animal Spirit = Eternal Body is Animal = bound b. Time Change closest constancy = undulation a. Man is the image of God Man has an eternal nature All things work together… b. God explores Troughs (i.e. Job, Joseph, Daniel) - to create steadfastness, perseverance - Faith, not feelings a. Gen. 1:26-27 God created man in his own image - Subject to frustration / fallen nature Rom 7:14,21-25; 8:15-17 “I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin” Ecc. 3:4 “a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance” b. Rom. 5:3 “rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering” James 1:2-3 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance” Human Freedom a. Man is food to be consumed “Cattle for food” b. The devil is empty and needs filling (Sucks In) c. Man-absorbed by the devil and extinct b. Man is a vase to be freely filled with God’s glory (perfect freedom) -God’s Love flows over c. Servants who can become sons, freely and gladly (to conform to Him) -Man-one with God but still distinct a. Colossians3:10 new self-in the image of its Creator b. Acts 4:31 be filled with the Holy Spirit Rom. 8:21 brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. Jo 3:16 “God so loved the world” c. Romans 8:23 “wait eagerly for our adoption as sons” Pr 4:20-27 how to look for perfection Psalm 119:9 guard your word in my heart

Analysis Matrix – Letter VIII
The Natural Law of Undulation Christian Literature and Parallel Lives Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations and Strategies Human walk Continuous interference and temptation God wants us to learn to walk by ourselves…He takes His hand away for a while …and is pleased even when we stumble Proverbs 17:3, 1 Thessalonians 2:4 “the Lord tests the heart” Matthew 14:27-32 Peter walks on the water: “you of little faith” Obedience Our cause is in the greatest danger, then when a human, no longer desiring but still intending to do our Enemy’s will… and still obeys Obedience and faith in God amidst hopeless situations Heb. 12:1 “let us run with perseverance” James 1:2 consider joy, when facing trials Isaiah 7:9 “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all”

Questions for Discussion - Letter VIII
How much backsliding is caused by the feeling that troughs are permanent? Why would be it against God’s Nature to over-ride human will? Do you agree with the law of Undulation? What is most damaging, peaks or troughs? Do you agree with the idea of God’s period withdrawal from us? Why should it be against God’ nature to over-ride human will? How conciliate this idea with God’s sovereignty? Do you think God expects us to obey when we feel forsaken?

Uncertainties and Fluctuations of Faith
Letter VIII The Law of Undulation Uncertainties and Fluctuations of Faith Short Peaks Long Peaks Long Troughs Short Troughs Temporary Nature

WHY ARE WE SO UNSTABLE? SOME THOUGHTS
We are human; as such, we have body, intellect + emotions (my Brain Power) and soul (God given to humans). * Body: we are born, we grow, we die, can get cut, eat the wrong things, be poisoned, brake a bone, heal… * Intellect and emotions: we feel good, bad, we love and hate, we learn and some people say we can “unlearn”. In other words, we are emotionally up and down, left and right, and many times these are unconsciously related to how my body is doing. If I have a stomach-ache I will have the tendency to “hate all” that’s how the term “biblious” came into being (a person that has biliary problems can be very belligerent). If I feel good and the weather is right, even if I would be in a crash, as long as I myself would not get hurt, I would be able to cope quite well. Add a few injuries, psychological and/or physical and all feels and seems a disaster, even tough the same circumstances in other psychological conditions could be quite harmless. * Soul: It is where we can connect with the “outside” world, with God. It is not that easy to find and dissect. However, the Bible says that the person that is “connected” to his Maker is able to endure even the most difficult situations. That is how you can discern the “Fruits of the Spirit” such as love gentleness and self-control for example. When the “head” of the body (the soul) is connected to the body, even the most un-equilibrated of bodies (i.e. a sick, and dying person) can find peace and the ability to “love her neighbor” and “bless those who curse you” this can only be done with God’s help. A simple example is your mother herself: I know I have constantly to ask forgiveness to you all - I have not been always a very good example - and God is not finished with me yet! That just shows you what an angry person I am in temperament! Imagine what I would be if I was NOT a Christian! As such, you will see that God from my “I feel” perspective varies by the day if not hour! God is close when I feel good, and far away when I feel bad. If you have based your religion on how you FEEL, I understand that as soon as you arrived in Haiti and you got your first intestinal upset, you went downhill from there. However, God is NOT an ‘I FEEL’ it is an ‘I KNOW’. We should base our faith on the: * “rock” below: Jesus Christ and His death on the cross for our sins, not once but over and over again. As we continue sinning. We have to claim the blood of the Lamb on the doors of our hearts. * God the Father in the heavens above; the anchor of faith in His promises behind the veil. Then no matter what our emotions, we can say, “I believe”. God says, “If you do not stand firm in your faith you will not stand at all” Isaiah 7:9. * Holy Spirit: we need the heavenly consoler and teacher (the Holy Spirit) to teach us – we need to pray always to ask for His help as to understand the Gospel (literally: good news). In this process, we fall (some say ‘we fall away’, others say we ‘sin’ and some say ‘you go to hell’) the truth is that God says, “leave the judging to me, I can see the hearts, you not”.

Uncertainties and Fluctuations of Faith
Letter VIII The Law of Undulation Uncertainties and Fluctuations of Faith Intellectual Confidence versus Real Confidence The Mechanism: Worldly Anxieties Physical Discomforts Lascivious Fancies Doubts The Strategy for Recovery: Pressing Steadily Through These Interruptions Letting Grace Operate

Title: Undulation, Moderation and Phases
Letter IX Title: Undulation, Moderation and Phases Fundamental Principles for Exercising Discernment Pleasures are God’s creation, not the devil’s. Screwtape mentions: ‘We distort pleasures “An ever increasing craving for an ever diminishing pleasure is the formula”. In this chapter, we see more closely the effects of Undulation on these pleasures and faith dependent on the character of the “patient”.

Vocabulary Key Words Letter IX

Analysis Matrix – Letter IX
Undulation, Moderation and Phases Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations and Strategies Pleasure a. “Our research has not enabled us to produce one” b. Try to work AWAY from natural condition, at times, ways or degrees which he has forbidden -least natural -least redolent of its maker -least pleasurable “Ever increasing craving for ever diminishing pleasure” a. He made all pleasures b. enjoy in natural condition in ways and degrees healthy for work, play and innocuous merriment a. Gen 1:31 “it was very good” Ps16:11 “you will fill me with joy in your presence” Ps.84:11 “no good thing…withholds” b. Pr. 25:28 “who lacks self-control” 1 Thessalonians 5:8 “let us be self-controlled”; 2 Timothy 3:3 “without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good”; Titus 2:2 “be temperate, worthy of respect” Undulation Work away from the natural a. a. condition of any pleasure: -Evoke Distortions -Exploit them in troughs -Troughs Sexual Temptations(man), desire of things(woman) Empty Inner Life Avoid Peaks(more energy, but powers of resistance are at their highest) b.Use pleasure at times and ways forbidden by Him (extremes) -Away from the natural condition (empty mind) -Increasing craving and Diminishing pleasure is the formula. - Take all – give nothing Pleasure is God’s Invention a. a. ever increasing pleasure IN OBEDIENCE till daylight Do not deprive one another- I Cor 7:4-5,Exodus 20:17(You shall not covet) b. Use them at the right time Moderation and Obedience -Everything is permissible, not all is good God wants to fill us a. Jas 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above”, “In His time he makes all things beautiful” (Ecc 3:11) or: Pr 4:18 (Till perfect day ) -Ro. 8:28 (Things work together) Obs: It is difficult to pray and sin: Obedience and prayer: Eph6:18 (Pray at all times) b. Wise heart will know the proper time (Ecc8:5); Ecc. 7:18b “The man who fears God will avoid all extremes”; I Cor 6:12 “Everything permissible…but I will not be mastered by anything” “My Father will honor he who serves me” John 12:27 Eph 3:16

Analysis Matrix – Letter IX
Undulation, Moderation and Phases Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations and Strategies Knowledge of right and wrong a. Explore the thought of troughs - Keep knowledge out of his mind a. Seek Wisdom Learn from each other as not be as infants “tossed back and forth” a. Proverbs 4:7-9 Eph 4:14 “by every wind of teaching” Religion “Consider Jargon, not reason” Attack on faith: a. If Despairing Type: -Keep out of the way of Christians -Direct attention to appropriate passages -Desperate design to recover feelings -Sheer will power: 2. If Hopeful type: -acquiesce (content) to low Temperatures (not so low after all) -1st days excessive -Moderation in all things (religion is good upto a point), -moderated religion is as good as none -Trough is Permanent Faith is a Phase(avoid the true / false question) Losing Interest - This is False -Hazy Ideas (fashionable ideas) Progress and development Historical Point of View Modern Biographies (always emerging from Phases) - Blessed word: Adolescent Whatever you do, do it for the glory of God. “Life is religion” i.e. All of life. a. Despair = lack of faith - Do not be anxious … - Peace that surpasses understanding b. do not be Lukewarm - Rev. 3:16 (obs: Laodicea was the wealthiest church in Phrygia) Make EVERY thought captive to Christ (2Cor 10:5) Decide what is right or wrong, let your yes be yes and your no be no. (there are no gray areas). Be strong in the faith! Philippians 3:8 (consider everything a loss), I Co. 10: 31 (do it all …glory of God) ; a. 1Pe.5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on him”; Ph. 4:6-7 “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding” Romans 3:3 (What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness?) Philippians 2:13 (for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose), Isaiah 61:3 (a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair) Romans 6:15 (sonship, not fear), 1Cor (run a race) See next page: Pilgrim’s Regress: Mr. Sensible Eph6:10-18 (Armor of God)

Title: Flirting with the World Friends, Acquaintances and Attitudes
Letter X Title: Flirting with the World Friends, Acquaintances and Attitudes Fundamental Principles for Exercising Discernment IN THIS CHAPTER, CS LEWIS MASTERFULLY DESCRIBES A RELATIONSHIP OF A CHRISTIAN TO HIS NON-CHRISTIAN FRIENDS. SCREWTAPE SUGGESTS HOW A WRONG CHOICE OF FRIENDS CAN LEAD TO A DOUBLE LIFE WHERE, “WHILE BEING PERMANENTLY TREACHEROUS TO AT LEAST TWO SETS OF PEOPLE, HE WILL FEEL, INSTEAD OF SHAME, A CONTINUAL UNDERCURRENT OF SELF-SATISFACTION.” SCREWTAPE DESCRIBES THE SUBTLE WAYS OF “LOOKS, TONES AND LAUGHS” WHERE “HE WILL BE SILENT WHEN HE OUGHT TO SPEAK AND LAUGH WHEN HE OUGHT TO BE SILENT” IN MANNER AND WORDS, REMINDING WORMWOOD THAT “ALL MORTALS TEND TO TURN INTO THE THING THEY ARE PRETENDING TO BE”. “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” I Peter 5:8-9 “Once you have made the World an end, and faith a means, you have almost won your man, and it makes very little difference what kind of worldly end he is pursuing. Provided that meetings, pamphlets, policies, movements, causes, and crusades, matter more to him than prayers and sacraments and charity, he is ours—and the more "religious" (on those terms) the more securely ours. I could show you a pretty cageful down here” Screwtape letter VII.” CSL

Vocabulary Key Words Letter X

Analysis Matrix – Letter X
Flirting with the World Friends, Acquaintances and Attitudes Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations and Strategies Friends and Acquaintances Rich Middle-aged Smart Superficially Intellectual Brightly Skeptical about all Contemptuous Belittles anything Fashionable Vain (sexual, social and intellectual) Pacifist (vaguely) “All mortals tend to turn into the thing they are pretending to be.” Poor, Lonely People of all ages Widows, Orphans, Sick Simple Wise Faithful Christian Friends (Is any pleasure on earth as great as a circle of Christian friends by a fire? CSL) Ah, look at all the lonely people… Where do they all come from? Where do they all belong? (Beatles) I was a strange, I was sick. and you came to visit me … Mt. 25:31-46/ Jas. 2:14-17 There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations - these are mortal. But it is immortals who we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit - immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. C.S.L. Attitudes Mannerisms – Subtle Play of -Looks -Laughs “Faith in direct opposition to assumptions of the conversations” -Postpone open acknowledgment with the aid of shame, pride, modesty and vanity. -Silent when he ought to speak -Laugh when he ought to be silent Delay realization that this pleasure is a temptation Your word should be … Yes, Yes, No., No. Walk with competence and responsibility Act with Justice and Mercy Speak Silent Attitude of humble in love Mat. 5: 37 (Yes-No) Salt and light – Luke14: 33-34 Luke 16:13(Do not serve two masters) Mic.6:8(Justice and mercy) Open my lips …Ps 51:15 II Cor. 10:2-6(we do not wage war as) 1 Timothy 1:15-16( I, the worst of)

Analysis Matrix – Letter X
Flirting with the World Friends, Acquaintances and Attitudes Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations and Strategies Christian Literature Avoid Issues: Mammon Worldly Vanities Choice of Friends Value of Time, Temperance Speak Up Moral Virtues, Justice, Mercy Puritanism Live in Chastity Sobriety of Life John 17:16,IICor10:3 (They are not of the world) Galatians 5:22 (Fruit of the Spirit) Zachariah 7:9, Matthew 23:23 (Love justice/ mercy) Romans 12:3 (think of yourself with sober judgment) Parallel Lives -Enjoy kneeling besides the grocer because … He remembers that the grocer could not possibly understand the mocking world. -Enjoy blasphemy over coffee because … He is aware of a “deeper” spiritual world … -Drinking with them and laughing at their jokes because it would be priggish, intolerant, and puritanical not do so. -Aggravate domestic tension Consistency in behavior Integral life Life is Religion 1 Peter 3:15-17 (clear conscience ...good behavior in Christ) Proverbs 8:13 ( to hate evil);(say no to ungodly passions)Titus2:12, 1John2:15 (do not love anything of) Romans 7:14(slave to sin) II Peter 2:17-22 (promise freedom, while slaves of depravity) James 3: (two kinds of wisdom) James 2:22 (faith complete by …did)

Title: Human Laughter: Joy, Fun, the Joke Proper, and Flippancy
Letter XI Title: Human Laughter: Joy, Fun, the Joke Proper, and Flippancy Fundamental In this letter “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” I Peter 5:8-9 “Once you have made the World an end, and faith a means, you have almost won your man, and it makes very little difference what kind of worldly end he is pursuing. Provided that meetings, pamphlets, policies, movements, causes, and crusades, matter more to him than prayers and sacraments and charity, he is ours—and the more "religious" (on those terms) the more securely ours. I could show you a pretty cageful down here” Screwtape letter VII.” CSL

Vocabulary Key Words Letter XI

Analysis Matrix – Letter XI
Human Laughter: Joy, Fun, the Joke Proper, and Flippancy Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations and Strategies Joy Avoid Joy by all means: “a meaningless acceleration in the rhythm of celestial experience” “disgusting and direct insult to the realism, dignity and austerity of Hell” Encourage jokes and witticisms b. Good Music – Detestable Rejoice Always a. Rejoice in the Lord, always. I will say it again: Rejoice …even when suffering! “Joy is the serious business of heaven” b. Good Music – A Glimpse of Heaven c. Praise brings liberty and victory over evil a. Phillipians4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always” 1 Peter 1:8 “you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy” 1 Peter 4:13 “rejoice…sufferings” b. Nehemiah 8:10 “Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy” Hebrews 10:34 “Joyfully…better and lasting possessions” c. 2 Chronicles 20:22 “As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against …they were defeated” enjoyment Very Little Use Can be used to divert It has wholly undesirable tendencies EnjoymentJoy Contentment a. “Closely related to Joy – a sort of emotional froth arising from the play instinct” “It promotes charity, courage contentment and other virtues” b. Godliness + contentment c. Pleasure in evil conductfool a. 1 Timothy 6:17 “Who richly provides us … for our enjoyment” Proverbs 17:22 “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Ecclesiastes 2:25 “Without Him, who can eat or find enjoyment?” b. 1 Timothy 6:6 “godliness with contentment is great gain” c. Proverbs 10:23 “A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct, but a man of understanding delights in wisdom” Are we having fun yet?

Human Laughter: Joy, Fun, the Joke Proper, and Flippancy Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations and Strategies The Joke Proper (Sudden perception of incongruity) A promising field. a. Use jokes and humor (British dry sense of humor) b. Humor is invaluable as a means of destroying shame. “If a man simply lets others pay for him, he is “mean”; if he boasts of it in a jocular manner, he is comical” c “Mere cowardice is shameful; cowardice boasted of with humorous exaggerations and grotesque gestures can be passed off as funny” d. Cruelty is shameful – “unless the cruel man can represent it as a practical joke” “A thousand blasphemous jokes do not help towards a man’s damnation so much as his discovery that almost anything he wants to do can be done, not only without the disapproval but with the admiration of his fellows.” A dangerous field a. Speak the truth b. Shame is a Godly gift and leads to seeking God’s forgiveness - Be just/ do not joke about it c. Fear the Lord, all else “Do not fear! d. Cruelty – practical joke (winks his eyed) a. Proverbs 16:13 “Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value a man who speaks the truth” Ephesians 6:14 (belt of truth) b. Psalm 83:16 “Cover their faces with shame so that men will seek your name” c. Isaiah 8:12;1 Peter 3:14 "do not fear what they fear” Isaiah 35:4 ‘say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear” d. Proverbs 10:10 “winks maliciously causes grief, and a chattering fool comes to ruin” Isaiah 57:4 “Whom are you mocking? At whom do you sneer and stick out your tongue? Are you not a brood of rebels, the offspring of liars? Proverbs 11:17 “A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself”

Human Laughter: Joy, Fun, the Joke Proper, and Flippancy Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations and Strategies Flippancy (frivolous, disrespectful, saucy, impertinent) The best of all. a. Builds up around a man the finest armor plating against the Enemy. b. The opposite of Joy. “It deadens, instead of sharpening the intellect; and it excites no affection between those who practice it.” “Only a clever human can make a real Joke about virtue” “Among flippant people the Joke is always assumed to have been made” “every subject is discussed in a manner which implies that they have already found a ridiculous side of it” Deadly a. best armor “think others better than self”, ‘respect? b. the foolishness of the world - crackling torn under pot - cursed - ruins a man - hate knowledge c. God foolishness is wiser than man’s wisdom -to shame the wise “But our merriment must be of another kind (and it is, in fact the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously – no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption” (Weight of Glory) a. Philippians 2:3 “in humility consider others better than yourselves” b. Ecclesiastes 7:6 “Like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of fools.” Ex: Nabal:1 Samuel 25:25; Proverbs 17:12 “Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly” Job4:3 “I have seen a fool taking root, but suddenly his house was cursed” Proverbs 10:23 “a chattering fool comes to ruin” Proverbs 1:22 “How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?” c. 1 Corinthians 1:25 “foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom” 1 Corinthians 1:27 God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise”

Questions for Discussion - Letter XI
How is joy characterized among friends and lovers reunited on the eve of a holiday? How can we experience real Joy? Is the “Joy of the Lord” your strength? If not, what is missing? What is the real danger of Fun according to Screwtape? Describe the type 1 (to whom no passion is as serious as lust and for whom an indecent story ceases to produce lasciviousness as it becomes funny), and type 2 (to whom laughter and lust are excited at the same moment and by the same things) as depicted by Lewis. Try to compare what they would look in your own circle of friends. How can we help ourselves not to become as one of these characters? If “joy is the serious business of heaven, what is missing in my life and our church life so we can more fully enjoy the God given joy? How can we develop joy in our lives? What is God’s warning in (Because you did not serve the LORD your God joyfully and gladly in the time of prosperity), Deuteronomy 28:46-48 and how do I compare it to Hebrews 10:34? Does God have a sense of humor? How can we avoid the temptation of flippancy? Is it really as dangerous as Lewis mentions? Can there be joy outside God’s will?

Letter XI Resistance Strategy Virtue and Stock Responses to Cultivate Blogging Your Experience Resistance Strategy Virtue and Stock Responses to Cultivate Passion for Truth

Letter XII Title: Human Laughter: Joy, Fun, the Joke Proper, and Flippancy Fundamental In this letter “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” I Peter 5:8-9 “Once you have made the World an end, and faith a means, you have almost won your man, and it makes very little difference what kind of worldly end he is pursuing. Provided that meetings, pamphlets, policies, movements, causes, and crusades, matter more to him than prayers and sacraments and charity, he is ours—and the more "religious" (on those terms) the more securely ours. I could show you a pretty cageful down here” Screwtape letter VII.” CSL

Vocabulary Key Words Letter XII

Analysis Matrix – Letter XII
Lukewarm Behavior Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations and Strategies Habits a. Do not attempt to hurry … you awaken him to a sense of his real position b. a change of direction in his course … make him imagine…choices…trivial and revocable c. Slowly …into the cold and dark of utmost space” a. Awake! Take the plumb line of righteousness and measure your “real position” b. no choice is trivial c. Walk, in the right path, until total day - you must not turn to them a. Isaiah 28:17 “righteousness the plumb line” b. Joshua 24:15 “choose for yourselves …whom …serve ...we will serve the LORD." c. Proverbs 4:18 “The path of the righteous” till - full - day Jeremiah 15:19 “Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them” Church Going a. Maintain external habits “Better so than “that he should realize the break it has made with the first months of his Christian life” a. Rejoice! rejoice with those who said… a. Psalm 122:1 “I rejoiced … who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD.’" Spiritual Condition a. SIN: make him think he has adopted - few new friends - amusements - spiritual state unchanged b. no need for repentance of sin c. keep vague, uneasy feeling of not been doing very well …increases reluctance - to think about the Enemy - dislike of religious duties d. Begging distractions and benumbing of heart a. The Holy Spirit convinces us of sin - do not be stiff-necked! b. Repentance: turn away from evil so that times of refreshment may abound c. do not rely on feelings (but the Holy Spirit may use it!- John16:8) but “be filled with the Spirit” d. Meditate on His law by day and night a. John 16:7-8 “the Counselor will not come to you…He will convict …in regard to sin “ Acts 7:51 "stiff-necked people resist the Holy Spirit” b. Jeremiah 5:19-20 “repent… restore you … times of refreshing …may come” c. Job 24:23 “He may let them rest in a feeling of security, but His eyes are on their ways” Ephesians 5:18 “do not get drunk …filled with the Spirit” d. Psalm 119:97 “how I love your law! I meditate all day long” Ps. 23:6b; Ps. 119:11

Analysis Matrix – Letter XII
Lukewarm Behavior Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations and Strategies Prayer Life a. Unreal, distracted b. Avoid Contact with God a. Practical b. Pray continually… -Keep watch… a. Philippians 4:6 “in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” b. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 “pray continually” Luke 18:1 “always pray and not give up” Mt. 25:13 “Therefore keep watch” Pleasures Decisions Activities a. habit renders …less pleasant and harder to forgo - waste his time/boredom - do nothing/staring b. avoid healthy/outgoing … give nothing in return "I now see that I spent most of my life in doing neither what I ought nor what I liked" - Nothing is very strong a. seek the Lord -develop spiritual habits diligently -all is permissible -Be pure - use time wisely - sharing your faith b. "without whom nothing is strong".(Book of Common Prayer; The Lessons Appointed for Use on the Sunday closest to July 27, Year B)[1] -be faithful unto death a. Hosea 10:12 “it is time to seek the LORD” 1 Corinthians 7:29 “time is short” Phil. 1:6 Confidently I Co. 6:12 “Everything is permissible for me” Ph. 4:8 be pure! Proverbs 12:24 “Diligent hands will rule, but laziness” 1 Timothy 4:15 “Be diligent” b. Psalm 114 “Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord” Mark 6:45-52 (Jesus walking on the seat) “They were utterly astounded” Rev. 2:10 “Be faithful, even to the point of death”

Questions for Discussion - Letter XII
Discuss “do not attempt to hurry … you awaken him to a sense of his real position” Can you see this happening in your own lives? What is this “dim uneasiness”? and the “without whom Nothing is strong” What would be some good examples for the “trivial and revocable” changes that make us change direction in our Spiritual life and how can we avoid this from happening? How much is this “Maintain external habits” occurring in our churches? How much of it is perceived and how reality? If so, how can we distinguish between them? How do I feel about church going? What, in your personal experience where the changes that occurred for us to “realize the break it has made with the first months of our Christian life” How is my prayer life? In lieu of the description for a devilish choice of friends, how should we choose our friends and amusements? Describe the steps from “choice of friends” (a apparently small unimportant decision) to the “cold dark and utmost place” Have you ever felt that “increased reluctance to think about the Enemy, dislike religious duties, begging distractions and benumbing of heart”? Could we use these signs as symptoms of our first “change of direction to the “cold and dark of utmost space”? I.e. should it be a time of serious soul searching for sins or disobedience to God’s Word and a time of repentance? How should I cultivate good habits and what would that lifestyle include?

Letter XIII Title: Human Laughter: Joy, Fun, the Joke Proper, and Flippancy Fundamental In this letter “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” I Peter 5:8-9 “Once you have made the World an end, and faith a means, you have almost won your man, and it makes very little difference what kind of worldly end he is pursuing. Provided that meetings, pamphlets, policies, movements, causes, and crusades, matter more to him than prayers and sacraments and charity, he is ours—and the more "religious" (on those terms) the more securely ours. I could show you a pretty cageful down here” Screwtape letter VII.” CSL

Vocabulary Key Words Letter XIII

Analysis Matrix – Letter XIII
The Asphyxiating Cloud – Divine Grace Personality, Faith in Action Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations and Strategies Repentance And Renewal a. defeat of the 1st order a. 1st step toward victory - Grace (protection against evil) - Repentance = Revival and Renewal Ro. 3:23-24 “are justified freely by His grace” 2Co.12:7-10 “My grace is sufficient” Isaiah 30:15 “repentance and rest is your salvation” Holy Spirit Asphyxiating Cloud -All encompassing comforting presence Acts 2:28 “you will fill me with joy in your presence” Pains (reading a good book, walk to the park, tea at the lawn, etc.) a. Avoid Real Pain b. Damn the patient by the world (vanity, irony expensive tedium) a. Touchstone of reality b. Salvation trough faith - forgiveness /eternal life - peace / thankfulness - no need for abundance of possessions - enjoy his work - God, a hiding place Psalm 23:4 “your rod and your staff, they comfort me” 2 Timothy 3:15 “salvation through faith” Luke 1:77 “forgiveness of their sins” Colossians 3:15 “Peace … rule…be thankful” Luke 12:15 “man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” Ps. 32:7 “You are my hiding place” Psalm 55:22 “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you” Pleasure a. Avoid simple pleasures b. Avoid strong personal taste that is not sinful b. Avoid sinful pleasures Eternal pleasures Develops innocence, humility an self-forgetfulness -enjoy and share b. do not put hope in wealth - all is given for enjoyment -Joy of God’s presence a. Ecclesiastes 3:22 “enjoy work” 1 Tim. 6: “ do not put their hope in wealth” “God… everything for our enjoyment Nehemiah 8:10 “enjoy send some to those who have nothing prepared… joy of the LORD is your strength." b. Psalm 16:11 “fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures”

Analysis Matrix – Letter XIII
The Asphyxiating Cloud – Divine Grace Personality, Faith in Action Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations and Strategies Personality a. Detach man from himself b. Detach man from God “Eradicate any strong personal taste that is not a sin” c. Give nothing back d. Choose Best People -Bright People Right Foods - Important Books a. Distinctness of every one b. Abandon the clamor of self-will and look to God c. He gives eternal life Wisest - Bravest Good - Enjoyable a. Psalm 139:14 “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” b + c. Mt. 10:39 “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” c. 2 Thessalonians 1:9 “They will be shut out from the presence of the Lord” d. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 “Test everything. Hold on to the good” Titus 3:9 (avoid foolish controversies) 2 Timothy 2:16 “Avoid godless chatter” Psalm 119:63 “friend to all who fear you” James 4:4 “friendship with the world is hatred toward God” Ideas vs. Actions a. Avoid converting ideas into action. b. Passive acts are weakened by passivity “Write a book about it excellent way to sterilizing God’s influence. a. Faith without action is dead… b. Chasing fantasies lead to poverty Active acts are strengthened by repetition a. James 2:17 “faith … is not accompanied by action, is dead” b. Pr. 28:19 “He who works his land will have abundant food, …chases fantasies…poverty” 1 Corinthians 9:25 “strict training” Titus 2:12 “live self-controlled, upright and godly lives”

Questions for Discussion - Letter XIII
1. Discuss “A repentance and renewal of what the other side call "grace" on the scale which you describe is a defeat of the first order. It amounts to a second conversion—and probably on a deeper level than the first.” 2. What would you consider the “asphyxiating cloud” and how can we live as to become “permanently surrounded by it” as to become inaccessible to the devil? 3. Why would something really enjoyable be so deadly to the devils attacks? 4.How in our lives can we be in touch with these unmistakably real situations? Could this change our attitudes toward especially painful situations in our lives? You might want to read the story below as a vivid example of God’s grace . 5. Do you agree that the “palming off vanity, bustle, irony, and expensive tedium as pleasures” and the trying to protect us at all costs from any real pain or pleasure is a good way to keep us from God? Why or why not? 6. What would it mean: as a “preliminary to detaching him from the Enemy, you wanted to detach him from himself”? 7. How and why does God wants to detach men from themselves? Why is it necessary for us first abandon the clamour of self-will?In your experience is this true? 8. Do you agree with the “deepest likings and impulses of any man are the raw material, the starting-point, with which the Enemy has furnished him”? 9. Why would a “strong personal taste which is not actually a sin” be so helpful in the process of loosing our self-will? 10. Discuss the meaning of “No amount of piety in his imagination and affections will harm us if we can keep it out of his will” How can we avoid being prevented from taking action?

Title: Spiritual Pride and Inner Circles
Letter XIV Title: Spiritual Pride and Inner Circles Fundamental In this letter “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” I Peter 5:8-9 “Once you have made the World an end, and faith a means, you have almost won your man, and it makes very little difference what kind of worldly end he is pursuing. Provided that meetings, pamphlets, policies, movements, causes, and crusades, matter more to him than prayers and sacraments and charity, he is ours—and the more "religious" (on those terms) the more securely ours. I could show you a pretty cageful down here” Screwtape letter VII.” CSL

Vocabulary Key Words Letter XIV

Analysis Matrix – Letter XIV
Spiritual Pride and Inner Circles Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations Armor of God a. “Find the chink in her armor” - “unobtrusive little vices in one” - become the great error in the next” by example a. Put on the full armor of God - Do not compare yourself to the person beside you. a. Ephesians 6:13-18 “the full armor of God” 2 Corinthians 10: 12 “compare themselves … they are not wise” Color of our Faith a. Convince that: - “assumption that outsiders who do not share this belief are really too stupid and ridiculous” b. “Not faith but mere colors of surroundings” a. “Do not think to highly of yourself” - Imitate Jesus Christ, not neighbor b. Be imitators of God a. 2 Corinthians 10:17-18 “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord” b. Ephesians 5:1 “Be imitators of God” Pride a. The novice exaggerates - Pride brings arrogance. b. Beware of Eros love - it can blind the truth c. Let them imitate defects… d. Spiritual Pride - strongest and most beautiful of vices - Best conditions: “Accepted in new circle, illusion to his own position in it. Under the influence of “love”, i.e. blind him of the real situation. Make him feel he is finding his own level” a. No novice in leadership - he might become conceited b. Agape: covers c. Imitate that which is good d. Pride comes before the fall - We are all sinners and deserve the wrath of God - Be willing to associate with people of low position a. 1 Timothy 3:6 “might become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil” b. 1 Peter 4:8 “Love covers a multitude of sin” c. 3 John 1:11 “do not imitate what is evil but what is good” Ephesians 5:1 “Be imitators of God” d. Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction” Gal 2:17 “we ourselves are sinners” Ro. 12:16 “be willing to associate with people of low position”

Analysis Matrix – Letter XIV
Spiritual Pride and Inner Circles Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations Inner Circles a. Teach him…mistake contrast - circle that delights - circle that bores “for the contrasts between believers and unbelievers” a. Search - for truth (all are sinners) - the family of God (by their fruits) “God is not a God of confusion” a. Romans 5:11-13 “because all sinned” Mt. 7:16 “by their fruit you will recognize them” 1 Corinthians 14:33 “God is not the author of confusion, but of peace” (KJV) Christianity a. “Success depends here on confusing him. “ “keep a sly self congratulation” b. Being secretive c. Amusement at unbelievers - Hope in society/ inner rings. d. “No interest in true or false but in mystery, in which he is one of the initiates” a. Humble yourself and he will exalt you b. Is not secretive c. Religion for the simple and children - Hope in Christ d. He died for us, once and for all a. Mt 23 :12 “Whoever humbles himself will be exalted” b. 2 Peter 2:1 “They will secretly introduce” Revelation 2:24 “have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets” c. Matthew 11:25 “revealed them to little children” 1 Corinthians 15:19-20 “hope in Christ” d. 1 Peter 3:18 “Christ died for sins once for all”

Questions for Discussion - Letter XIV

Title: Spiritual Pride and Inner Circles
Letter XV Title: Spiritual Pride and Inner Circles Fundamental In this letter “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” I Peter 5:8-9 “Once you have made the World an end, and faith a means, you have almost won your man, and it makes very little difference what kind of worldly end he is pursuing. Provided that meetings, pamphlets, policies, movements, causes, and crusades, matter more to him than prayers and sacraments and charity, he is ours—and the more "religious" (on those terms) the more securely ours. I could show you a pretty cageful down here” Screwtape letter VII.” CSL

Vocabulary Key Words Letter XV

Analysis Matrix – Letter XV
Time and Eternity Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations and Strategies Actions And Emotions Look Ahead a. Future (if at all possible) -Tortured fear (hag ridden) -Stupid confidence b. Present - Avarice - Lust - Ambition - Complacency - Living in pleasurable sin Live in the Present a. Future -Meditating on eternal union b. Bearing the present cross - Obeying the voice of conscience - Receiving grace - Pleasure (in present) - Honesty - Kindness - Happiness Matthew 6:25 “Cast all your anxieties on Him” Every day has its own worries Seek ye first “We live in time, but God has destined us for eternity” Time Get them away from the eternal and the present (concentrate on the past and future) It is far better to have them live in the future and the past a. Attend to eternity or present Meditating or bearing his cross b. future: Hope Past: do not look back Is the Lord’s For God all days II Pe 3:8 Give thanks in all circumstances Php 4:11 Past Frozen, no longer flows - Dangerous - Limited value Look to the past in gratitude I thank God

Analysis Matrix – Letter XV
Time and Eternity Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations and Strategies Present a. Point at which time touches eternity b. Complacency, no happiness c. Think of unrealities a. lit up with eternal rays -“Meditate on eternal union or separation” b. Be honest kind and happy NOW “Obeying the present voice of conscience, bearing the present cross, receiving the present grace, giving thanks for the present pleasure.” c. Duty: Plan for tomorrow When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad consider: b.Ecclesiastes 7:14 “God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore a man cannot discover anything about the future” c. Proverbs 19:2 “many are the plans” Eternity Get them away from the eternal We are made for it 1 Timothy 6:12 “Take hold of the eternal life” Future a. Nearly all vices are rooted in the future - Desire the future - Inflames hopes and fears b. Least like eternity - Make them think unrealities “Bring him to perpetual pursuit of rainbows end offering up the present, piling up disappointment and impatience” a. Plan the future - Is in His hand - Do not fear “do not give it your heart, do not place your treasure in it” a. Future: Commit to the Lord Past Psalm 40:5 Many are the plans of man… b. I, Pe 5:7 Anxiety: cast on Him Hope: In Him Ti 4:10; Rom12:12 “He who builds a tower” 2 Thimothy 2:16 “Who loved us and by His grace give us eternal encouragement and good hope”

Title: Church Shopping - Diversity and Unity for Eternity
Letter XVI Title: Church Shopping - Diversity and Unity for Eternity Fundamental In this letter “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” I Peter 5:8-9 “Once you have made the World an end, and faith a means, you have almost won your man, and it makes very little difference what kind of worldly end he is pursuing. Provided that meetings, pamphlets, policies, movements, causes, and crusades, matter more to him than prayers and sacraments and charity, he is ours—and the more "religious" (on those terms) the more securely ours. I could show you a pretty cageful down here” Screwtape letter VII.” CSL

Analysis Matrix – Letter XVI Church Shopping - Diversity and Unity for Eternity Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations and Strategies Church Shopping. a. Cured of churchgoing b. Fidelity to church out of indifference c. Looking for the church that "suits" d. Attack local church -make it a club, coterie or faction d.Criticise the church a. Attend church (communion of the saints) fidelity to the parish church because God has called you b-Unity of local church “unity of place and not of likings” - #classes/psychology “together in the kind of unity the Enemy desires.” -be a pupil (disciple) d. Reject what is false or unhelpful (no waste of time) and be open and non-critical of any nourishment available -I rejoice with those who said to me: Let us go to the house of the Lord. Ps 121:1 -John 17:21 “that all of them may be one” Ephesians 4:3 “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit” I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Ps 23:6 For the zeal of your house consumes me. Ps. 69:9

Analysis Matrix – Letter XVI Church Shopping - Diversity and Unity for Eternity Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations and Strategies How to find a church -watered down to unbelief -let go of tradition -repetitiveness avoid new truths Personal faults in preachers: such as hatred, dishonesty but: “I must warn you that he has one fatal defect: he really believes. And this may yet mar all” c-be violently attached to some party within the church. d-lukewarm about doctrinal issues e-“working up hatred between those who say "mass" and those who say "holy communion"” when neither party could possibly state the difference” Teaching: nourishing building up the faith -hold on to what is good -Search scripture Openness to the whole word of God -Believing preacher (he does not need to be perfect!) Do not choose sides about indifferent issues Concentrate on essentials Follow sound doctrine “human without scruples should always give in to the human with scruples” e. Be mindful of your weaker brother “variety of usage within the Church of England might have become a positive hotbed of charity and humility” Ephesians 4:12-13 “built up… reach unity In Him” Ephesians 2:19-22 “building is joined together” 1Corinthians1:10, 3:1-14 “no divisions …united” Revelation 3:16 “lukewarm… spit you out of my mouth.” Romans14:13 “stop passing judgment…not to put any stumbling block” 1 Corinthians 8:11 “weak brother …is destroyed by your knowledge”

Vocabulary Key Words Letter XVI

Title: Gluttony (of Delicacy), Eating Disorders and Chastity
Letter XVII Title: Gluttony (of Delicacy), Eating Disorders and Chastity Fundamental In this letter “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” I Peter 5:8-9 “Once you have made the World an end, and faith a means, you have almost won your man, and it makes very little difference what kind of worldly end he is pursuing. Provided that meetings, pamphlets, policies, movements, causes, and crusades, matter more to him than prayers and sacraments and charity, he is ours—and the more "religious" (on those terms) the more securely ours. I could show you a pretty cageful down here” Screwtape letter VII.” CSL

Vocabulary Key Words Letter XVII

Analysis Matrix – Letter XVII
Gluttony (of Delicacy), Eating Disorders and Chastity Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations and Strategies Gluttony (of Delicacy) a. Gluttony as a means of catching souls - Deaden the human conscience on the subject. - No sermon is preached on it b. Use “a human belly and palate to produce querulousness, impatience, uncharitableness, and self-concern” - “All I want” state of mind: Insatiable demand for the exact c. make believe the practice of temperance instead of indulging of the appetite a. God provides for his people - Keep a clear conscience - be able to discern right from evil -Be thankful for all b. Think of others first before self c. Recognize meaning of temperance in the broad sense -be easily pleased a. Psalm 111:5, Job 36:31 “provides food in abundance” Acts 24:16 “strive to keep my conscience clear” Hebrews 5:14 “trained to distinguish good from evil” 1 Corinthians 10:29-31 “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” Ecclesiastes 9:7 “Go, eat your food with gladness” b. Romans12:9 -10 “Hate what is evil; Honor one another above yourselves” c. 1 Timothy 3:2 “be temperate, self-controlled” Ephesians 5:3 “Among you must not be even a hint of greed”

Analysis Matrix – Letter XVII
Gluttony (of Delicacy), Eating Disorders and Chastity Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations and Strategies Gluttony of excess a. Mere excess in food is much less valuable than delicacy. “Its chief use is as a kind of artillery preparation for attacks on chastity” b. Keep your man in a condition of false spirituality c. Never let him notice the medical aspect. Keep him wondering what pride or lack of faith has delivered him into your hands” d. Males are best turned into gluttons with the help of their vanity - think …very knowing about food - begins as vanity can then be gradually turned into habit -bring him into the state in which the denial of any one indulgence “puts him out” - His charity, justice, and obedience are all at your mercy. a. Delicacies are deceptive b. Do not practice falsehood a. Proverbs 23:2, 6 “Do not crave his delicacies, for food is deceptive” Matthew 4:3, Deut. 8:3 ‘The tempter came to Him ( and use Bread, Fame, Riches) Luke 16:19-31 (the rich man and Lazarus) 1 Corinthians 11:20 “Eating at the Lord’s Supper” If he must think of the medical side of chastity, feed him the grand lie which we have made the English humans believe, that physical exercise in excess and consequent fatigue are specially favorable to this virtue. How can a young man keep his way pure? Ps. 119:9 “By living according to Your Word” 1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do” … Deuteronomy 8:3 “For men does not live by bread alone”

Abstinence Vocabulary Monogamy Being in Love Key Words Marriage
Freedom Abstinence Monogamy Being in Love Marriage Excitement Freedom Competition Affection Sexual Desire Love Flesh Fidelity Fertility Chastity Infatuation Vocabulary Key Words Letter XVIII Chastity Fidelity Love

Title: Complete Abstinence or Unmitigated Monogamy
Letter XVIII Title: Complete Abstinence or Unmitigated Monogamy Fundamental Rules for Achieving Ultimate Pleasure From Sex In this letter CSL covers one of the greatest driving forces of human life – a cause of great pleasure and most sadness in human history. “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” I Peter 5:8-9 “Like a good chess player he (Satan) is always trying to maneuver you into a position where you can save your castle only by losing your bishop.” CSL

One thing is not another
Analysis Matrix – Letter XVIII Complete Abstinence or Unmitigated Monogamy Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations and Strategies Sexual Temptation -“being in love” experience as the only respectable ground for marriage; Excitement permanent No longer binding if not in love In love - being the only reason for marriage and so being any sexual infatuation an excuse for him marrying a heathen, a fool or a wanton -God demands either complete abstinence or unmitigated monogamy. -Marry a believer In fidelity, fertility and goodness With intention of loyalty, mutual help, chastity, transmission of life 1 Tim. 3:2-16 “husband of but one wife” -II Corinthians 6:14 “not joked together with unbeliever” -I Samuel 16:7 ( man looks on the outward appearance but the Lord looks on the heart) Philosophy of Hell -Hellish axion: One thing is not another one self is not another “My good is my good and your is yours” I gain you loose “Sucking the weaker into the stronger; To be means to be in competition” -Heavenly axion: Love “The good of one self is to be the good of another” -God = Three in One Cooperation Sexual Purity - Ephesians 4: 17-24 Corinthians. 13

Analysis Matrix – Letter XVIII
Complete Abstinence or Unmitigated Monogamy Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations and Strategies Sex -Merely one more way In which a “stronger self preyed upon the weaker” -Sexual intercourse = “being in love” Sexual infatuation=love Joke Being in love blend of affection, fear, and desire -Sexual desire + Affection offspring dependent parents impulse to support Family “like the organism, only worse; for the members are more distinct, yet also united in a more conscious and responsible way” Marriage: “One flesh”, eternally enjoyed or eternally endured I Corinthians 7:27 (are you married? Do not seek a divorce) Hebrews 13:4 “marriage should be honored by all” I Corinthians 7 (on marriage) Ephesians 5: (Imagery of marriage) Genesis 2:24 (and they will become one flesh) Mark 10:9 (what God has joined together let no man separate)

Questions for Discussion - Letter XVIII
1. What can be done to curb the devil’s extraordinary success in making so many marriages neither happy nor holly? 2. Do you agree that “The Enemy's demand on humans takes the form of a dilemma; either complete abstinence or unmitigated monogamy”? What are the problems with this statement? 3. Is the concept "being in love" the only respectable ground for marriage”? 4. Is in your view this permanent excitement the binding condition of marriage? 5. In your view are the marriages in our churches a good example of godly marriage? 6. Discuss the axiom of hell: “My good is my good and your good is yours. What one gains another loses.” And, "to be" means "to be in competition". 7. Discuss the godly definition of love: “The good of one self is to be the good of another.” 8. How would this apply to our daily living, and to marriage? 9. How would we live up to our Godly destiny of co-operation? 10. How does Screwtape’s idea of sex differentiate form the “Enemy's”? 11. What in Screwtape’s eyes did God add to sexual desire? And what are the main aims of that union? 12. What in this letter is the definition for a family? Would you tend to agree or disagree? 13. Discuss: “ The truth is that wherever a man lies with a woman, there, whether they like it or not, a transcendental relation is set up between them which must be eternally enjoyed or eternally endured.” 14. How would, in Screwtape’s eyes, our decision to marry look like? Where does “being in love” fit into the picture? For Further Reading and Reflection How does this chapter shows a light on how I relate to God and see my vocation? Reading: The Weight of Glory..

Developing Virtue Faithfulness

Vocabulary Key Words Letter XIX

Letter XIX Title: - Fundamental - In this letter CSL covers one of the greatest driving forces of human life – a cause of great pleasure and most sadness in human history. “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” I Peter 5:8-9 “Like a good chess player he (Satan) is always trying to maneuver you into a position where you can save your castle only by losing your bishop.” CSL

Letter XX Title: The Devil's Agenda: Sexual Insanity, Promiscuity and Pervasion Chastity Fundamental - In this letter CSL covers one of the greatest driving forces of human life – a cause of great pleasure and most sadness in human history. “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” I Peter 5:8-9 “Like a good chess player he (Satan) is always trying to maneuver you into a position where you can save your castle only by losing your bishop.” CSL

Vocabulary Key Words Letter XX

Analysis Matrix – Letter XX
The Devil's Agenda: Sexual Insanity, Promiscuity and Pervasion Chastity Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations and Strategies Temptation -Our best weapon: the belief of ignorant humans that there is no hope getting rid of us except by yielding. Truth that these attacks don’t last forever You will not be tempted beyond.. Chastity -Have you persuaded him that unchastity is unhealthy? -Stimulate fornication, solitary vice -promotion of “desirable marriage” -Flee from Sexual Immorality 1 Co. 6:12-20 Sexuality and Marriage If you can’t use his sexuality to make him unchaste we must try to use it for the promotion of a “desirable marriage.” “Make him marry the infernal Venus = you may fail as far as fornication, but there are other and more indirect methods of using man’s sexuality to do his undoing” Ideal Woman Physical Type (hellish Venus) if falling in love as the best we can manage -It is not good for the man to be alone -He who finds a wife … -A faithful man who can find -The faithful have vanished – -The virtuous woman … Gen. 2:18 Prov. 18:23 Prov. 20:6 Ps. 12: 1-2 Prov. 31

Analysis Matrix – Letter XX
The Devil's Agenda: Sexual Insanity, Promiscuity and Pervasion Chastity Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations and Strategies Sexual Taste -Misdirection: “Work this through a small circle of popular artists, dressmakers, actress, and advertisers who determine the fashionable type” -Guide each sex away from those members of the other with whom spiritually helpful, happy, and fertile marriages are most likely. -Female taste = dislike to beards, etc -Male taste = aristocratic, arrogant, Exaggeratedly feminine, Bodies like boys -Nudity -Direct desires to what does not exist -make the role of the eye in sexuality more important -the demands more impossible : Terrestrial/ Infernal Venus -Godly fashion: Develop Fruits of the Spirit -Moderation, Decency -Avoid outward adornment Natural and inward beauty ????External attraction only (possession)????? Keeping our way pure Wisdom that comes from above How to live then … Keep yourself holy 1 Co. 5:9-11 1 Tim. 2:9 (woman) 1 Tim 2:8 (man) 1 Pe. 3:3 (woman) 1 Pe. 3:7 (man) Ps. 119:9 James 3:17 1 Pe. 2:1-2 Lev. 20:7-8 Imaginary Women/ developed desires Infernal Desires brutally Wants the felt evil “that tang” Like of animality, sulkiness, craft, cruelty Ugliness, “by our art made o play on the raw nerve of private obsession Becomes prostitute or mistress Draws away from marriage or when married: treated like slave, idol or accomplice unhappiness of a very lasting and exquisite kind Terrestrial Readily mixed with charity Obedient to marriage Golden light of reverence Naturalness beauty May call to evil, but only accidentaly Marriage leads to lasting happiness, a copy of Christ and the church

Title: Our False Sense of Ownership All Belongs to Him
Letter XXI Title: Our False Sense of Ownership All Belongs to Him Fundamental Principles for Understanding God’s Lorship Time and possessions are the primordial claims of this letter. Man, in Screwtapes’ mind, should consider all his possessions his own, so that he will regard them as “being stolen” from him. Whilst all the time the expression “Mine” as expressed by a human “sounds equally funny in Heaven and in Hell” as in the end: “Our Father or the Enemy will say "Mine" of each thing that exists”. “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” I Peter 5:8-9 “Like a good chess player he (Satan) is always trying to maneuver you into a position where you can save your castle only by losing your bishop.” CSL

Analysis Matrix – Letter XXI
Our False Sense of Ownership All Belongs to Him Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Bible References Intellect a. Moral assault by darkening his intellect b. Attack patient’s peevishness (irritability) a. Seek Wisdom, intellect a God given to use b. Be patient a. Proverbs 4:7 “Wisdom is supreme … get understanding” b. Proverbs 16:32 “Better a patient man than a warrior” Claims on Life a. Encourage patient to feel injured when claims are denied a. You belong to God Ezekiel 18:4 “For every living soul belongs to me” 1 Corinthians 6:19 “You are not your own; you were bought at a price” Time a. Make him claim: “My time is my own” “wrap a darkness about it” b. Let him have the feeling that he starts each day as the lawful possessor of 24 hours - feels that it is being stolen - a grievous tax …to employers - generous donation … religious duties a. Time is a gift from God b. Man can neither make, nor retain one moment of time; it all comes to him by pure gift. a. Ecclesiastes b. time a gift

Analysis Matrix – Letter XXI
Our False Sense of Ownership All Belongs to Him Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Bible References Ownership “sound equally Funny in Heaven and in Hell” “Our Father or the Enemy will say "Mine" of each thing that exists” a. The sense of ownership in general is always to be encouraged b. Much of modern resistance to chastity comes from men’s belief that they “own” their bodies. c. Produce sense of ownership not only by pride but by confusion. - "my Teddy-bear" = "the bear I can pull to pieces if I like" - "My God" = "The God on whom I have a claim for my distinguished services and whom I exploit from the pulpit—the God I have done a corner in" a. My times are in your hands. b. “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it” and I “a royal child …love's sake, in titular … real rule of wise counselors” c. ownership as - “my Teddy-bear" = recipient of affection …special relation - “My God” = my Creator a. 1 Co 10:25 “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it” . b. 1 Co.6:19 “You are not your own; you were bought at a price” c. Psalm 31:15 My times are in your hands Psalm 90:12 “Teach us to number our days aright” Bodies “those vast and perilous estates, pulsating with the energy that made the worlds” God made you, and He did it marvelously! Psalm 139:13-14 “You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb... I am fearfully and wonderfully made” Possession a. The Devil claims possession - let his sense of ownership-in-Time lie silent, uninspected, and operative I conquered a. All belongs to God (now and forever) - “A man plans his course but the Lord determines his steps” I made all and own all Rev. 4:11 “for you created all things” Proverbs 16:9 “plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps”

Questions for Discussion - Letter XXI
Discuss; peevishness (irritability). “Men are not angered by mere misfortune but by misfortune conceived as injury” Do you agree with this statement? Why is “the way” for it “prepared for your moral assault by darkening his intellect”? Is it really so clear that we do not belong to ourselves? Discuss “Let him have the feeling that he starts each day as the lawful possessor of twenty-four hours. Let him feel as a grievous tax that portion of this property which he has to make over to his employers and as a generous donation that further portion which he allows to religious duties.” Discuss “man can neither make, nor retain, one moment of time; it all comes to him by pure gift; he might as well regard the sun and moon his chattels (property) Are you committed to a total service God? How should this chapter affect our daily living? What do you need to change? What are some examples of situations like “one day involved nothing harder than listening to the conversation of a foolish woman”? Discuss “Wrap darkness about it, and in the centre of that darkness let his sense of ownership-in-Time lie silent, un-inspected, and operative”

How can we discourage the “sense of ownership”? Discuss “claims to ownership which sound equally funny in Heaven and in Hell” Have you ever consciously realized that your body is that “ vast and perilous estates, pulsating with the energy that made the worlds, in which they find themselves without their consent and from which they are ejected at the pleasure of Another!” will this change some of your views on yourself? 0 Discuss “as if a royal child whom his father has placed, for love's sake, in titular command of some great province, under the real rule of wise counselors, should come to fancy he really owns the cities, the forests, and the corn, in the same way as he owns the bricks on the nursery floor. 1 Do you agree with the definition of the finely graded differences that run from "my boots" through "my God"? 2 Does the expression "The God on whom I have a claim for my distinguished services and whom I exploit from the pulpit—the God I have done a corner in" ring true in our worship? 13 On “that final day”, will the Lord say to you: “you are mine?”

- God filled the world with pleasures
Analysis Matrix – Letter XXII Beatific and Miserific Visions Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations Love - Your man is “in love” —and in the worst kind he could possibly have fallen into— - he found the right woman - if He's so moonstruck by virginity—instead of looking on there, grinning? Proverbs 20:6 “a faithful man who can find” Proverbs 31:10 “a wife of noble character who can find” Character Traces “a vile, sneaking, simpering, demure, monosyllabic, mouse-like, watery, insignificant, virginal, bread-and-butter miss. The little brute. She makes me vomit. She stinks and scalds through the very pages of the dossier” -“Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? ... He who does these things will never be shaken” -Blessed are you when… -Be filled with the Holy Spirit -Be faithful to the point of death Psalm 15 Galatians 5:22 “fruit of the Spirit is…” Matthew 5:1-16 (The beatitudes) Revelation 2:10 “Do not be afraid … Be faithful, even to the point of death” Pleasures - Everything has to be twisted before it's any use to us. - God filled the world with pleasures “There are things for humans to do all day long without His minding in the least -sleeping, washing, eating, drinking, making love, playing, praying, working” Psalm 16:11 “you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” 1 Corinthians 10:23,31 “all for the glory of God” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Be joyful always” Witness - Deadly Odor “Even guests, after a weekend visit, carry some of the smell away with him. The dog and the cat are tainted with it. And a house full of the impenetrable mystery” - Fragrance of Love Eph. 5:2, 1 John 3:23 “live a life of love …fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” 1 Timothy 6:6 “godliness with contentment is great gain”

Analysis Matrix – Letter XXII
Beatific and Miserific Visions Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations Music and Silence a. “Noise, the grand dynamism, the audible expression of all that is exultant, ruthless, and virile - Noise which alone defends us from silly qualms, despairing scruples, and impossible desires. We will make the whole universe a noise in the end” b + c. Music and silence—how I detest them both a. Noise: A clanging cymbal b. Music c. Silence a. 1 Co. 13:1 “Only a clanging cymbal” b. Psalm 150 “Praise the Lord with music” c. Ecclesiastes 3:7 “A time to be silent” Habakkuk 2:20 “Let all the earth be silent before Him” The Devil Centipede - In my present form I feel even more anxious to see you, to unite you to myself in an indissoluble embrace. That snake! Gen. 3:1 “serpent was more crafty than…” Genesis 3:15, Romans 16:20 “he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel"

Questions for Discussion - Letter XXII

Analysis Matrix – Letter XXIV
Spiritual Pride and Inner Circles Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations Armor of God a. “Find the chink in her armor” - “unobtrusive little vices in one” - become the great error in the next” by example a. Put on the full armor of God - Do not compare yourself to the person beside you. a. Ephesians 6:13-18 “the full armor of God” 2 Corinthians 10: 12 “compare themselves … they are not wise” Color of our Faith a. Convince that: - “assumption that outsiders who do not share this belief are really too stupid and ridiculous” b. “Not faith but mere colors of surroundings” a. “Do not think to highly of yourself” - Imitate Jesus Christ, not neighbor b. Be imitators of God a. 2 Corinthians 10:17-18 “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord” b. Ephesians 5:1 “Be imitators of God” Pride a. The novice exaggerates - Pride brings arrogance. b. Beware of Eros love - it can blind the truth c. Let them imitate defects… d. Spiritual Pride - strongest and most beautiful of vices - Best conditions: “Accepted in new circle, illusion to his own position in it. Under the influence of “love”, i.e. blind him of the real situation. Make him feel he is finding his own level” a. No novice in leadership - he might become conceited b. Agape: covers c. Imitate that which is good d. Pride comes before the fall - We are all sinners and deserve the wrath of God - Be willing to associate with people of low position a. 1 Timothy 3:6 “might become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil” b. 1 Peter 4:8 “Love covers a multitude of sin” c. 3 John 1:11 “do not imitate what is evil but what is good” Ephesians 5:1 “Be imitators of God” d. Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction” Gal 2:17 “we ourselves are sinners” Ro. 12:16 “be willing to associate with people of low position”

Analysis Matrix – Letter XXIV
Spiritual Pride and Inner Circles Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations Inner Circles a. Teach him…mistake contrast - circle that delights - circle that bores “for the contrasts between believers and unbelievers” a. Search - for truth (all are sinners) - the family of God (by their fruits) “God is not a God of confusion” a. Romans 5:11-13 “because all sinned” Mt. 7:16 “by their fruit you will recognize them” 1 Corinthians 14:33 “God is not the author of confusion, but of peace” (KJV) Christianity a. “Success depends here on confusing him. “ “keep a sly self congratulation” b. Being secretive c. Amusement at unbelievers - Hope in society/ inner rings. d. “No interest in true or false but in mystery, in which he is one of the initiates” a. Humble yourself and he will exalt you b. Is not secretive c. Religion for the simple and children - Hope in Christ d. He died for us, once and for all a. Mt 23 :12 “Whoever humbles himself will be exalted” b. 2 Peter 2:1 “They will secretly introduce” Revelation 2:24 “have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets” c. Matthew 11:25 “revealed them to little children” 1 Corinthians 15:19-20 “hope in Christ” d. 1 Peter 3:18 “Christ died for sins once for all”

Questions for Discussion - Letter XXIV

Developing Virtue Use of time and Money

Analysis Matrix – Letter XXV
The Horror of the Same Old Thing Replacing Mere Christianity by Fashion Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations Fashions a. Christianity AND ( with a difference ) - The crisis - Faith healing - Psychical research - Vegetarianism - The New Order a. Mere Christianity - Salvation through faith Jesus - simple platitudes a. Ephesians 2:8 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith…the gift of God” James 1:27 “Religion that God Our father accept is this” Feelings a. Horror of the same old thing, “an endless source of heresies” - Folly in counsel - Infidelity in marriage - Inconsistency in friendship a. Thankfulness and simplicity - Hold on to the faith - Wisdom / Faithfulness - Consistency / Endurance - as children a. James 3:13 “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom” Experience of reality in time a. Use change as an END - Exaggerate the pleasures -demand for absolute novelty b. It “diminishes pleasure for increasing desire” and spells for: - avarice - unhappiness or both a. God made change pleasurable: Rhythm b. Be thankful under all circumstances a. Ecclesiastes 3 “all beautiful in His time!” b. Colossians 3:15 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts… And be thankful”

Analysis Matrix – Letter XXV
The Horror of the Same Old Thing Replacing Mere Christianity by Fashion Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations Emotional Changes a. Fix the approval of fashion on the virtue nearest to the vice which we are trying to make endemic - Cruel ages: Sentimentality - Feckless + Idle: Respectability - Lecherous: Puritanism - Liberalism: Slaves or Tyrants a. Modesty - Christ the same -Yielding fruits of the spirit - Do not be tossed along by any wind of teaching a. Hebrews 13:8 “Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” Galatians 5:22 “the fruits of the Spirit are” Ephesians 4:14 “blown here and there by every wind of teaching” Intellect a. Nonsense in the intellect - reinforce corruption in the will b. Ask unanswerable questions - in accordance with the general movement of our time - is it progressive or reactionary?” a. Enemy loves platitudes - reinforce stability - do all you can do b. ask simple questions - Is it possible? - Prudent? - Righteous? a. Ecclesiastes 9:10 “whatever your hand finds to do” b????? Ecclesiastes 7:10 "Why were the old days better than these?" For it is not wise to ask such questions.?????? The Future a. Think that the future is the promised land which favored heroes attain… b. Substitute descriptive adjective: “unchanged” for the emotional “stagnant” c. Decide the future by making unanswerable questions a. “We reach at 60 min an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is and is in God’s hand” b. Fear God and keep His commandments c. “future will be depends very largely on just those choices” a. Ecclesiastes 7:14 “times … God has made the one as well as the other” Jeremiah 29:11 “ plans to give you hope and a future” b. Ecclesiastes 7:13 “Fear God and keep His commandments”

Questions for Discussion - Letter XXV
Discuss “if men become Christians at all, is to keep them in the state of mind I call ‘Christianity And’". Do you agree with the statement? do you think the statement “Work on their horror of the Same Old Thing” is still a valid one for our generation? Do you agree it is as pervasive as Screwtape states it? “an endless source of heresies in religion, folly in counsel, infidelity in marriage, and inconstancy in friendship” Discuss: “The humans live in time, and experience reality successively. To experience much of it, therefore, they must experience many different things; in other words, they must experience change.” How can we avoid making change an end in itself? Do you agree with the statement “He has made, by that union of change and permanence which we call Rhythm. He gives them the seasons, each season different yet every year the same, so that spring is always felt as a novelty yet always as the recurrence of an immemorial theme. He gives them in His Church a spiritual ear; they change from a fast to a feast, but it is the same feast as before.” How can we avoid the “demand for infinite, or un-rhythmical”? Do you agree that avarice and unhappiness are largely a consequence of this insatiable demand for change? Discuss the horror of the same old thing in the Arts and Fashions 11 How can we ask the simple questions “is it righteous? is it prudent? Is it possible?” to understand how to live as Christians? 12Discuss “The game is to have them running about with fire extinguishers whenever there is a flood, and all crowding to that side of the boat which is already nearly gunwale under” What would be the dangers of our age? 13 What would be our greatest defense against the error of this insatiable change?

Analysis Matrix – Letter XXVI
Love, Unselfishness: Charity and Conflict Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations Relationships a. Courtship (future spouse) - Sow seed for domestic hatred b. Love - Keep definition ambiguous - Postpone resolution of problems a. Serve one another in love - In your anger do not sin b. Love is the essence of living - solve problems NOW - do not give the devil a foothold a. 1John G1 John 3:18 “Love one another with actions and truth” b. Ephesians 4:26-27 “do not let the sun go down while you are still angry” Courtship -Time to sow the domestic seeds of hatred -enchantment of unsatisfied desire -waived or postpone problems - foment the problems in secret and render them chronic -Time to sow eternal values -time to learn charity -Solve present problems, in Love -be open about all (hidden sin eat up the bones) Galatians 5:13 “serve one another in love” Gal. 5:23 “Kindness, Goodness, faithfulness and self-control” Psalm 32:3 “when I kept silent” Unselfishness/ charity "If people knew how much ill-feeling Unselfishness occasions, it would not be so often recommended from the pulpit" a. Develop negative “Unselfishness” - surrender benefits “unselfish in forgoing “ - male& female: divergence of view - regard other as radically selfish Woman = taking trouble for others, make a nuisance of herself Man = not giving trouble to others will not undertake anything to please others b. More confusion: - erotic enchantment = mutual complaisance - Mutual self-sacrifice = sprouting natural c. double blindness: “Mistaking sexual excitement for charity” “Excitement will last” a. Develop positive “Charity” - surrender benefits “that others may be happy in having them” - male& female “divergence for happiness and completion” - regarding each other better than self b. Commands: - mutual complaisance = charity - mutual self-sacrifice = sprouting out of obedience - serve in submission to one another c. Double vision - Human perspective - Godly perspective “there is no one perfect” - live in sacrifice not conforming to the world a. The Apostle of Love: I , II John b. 1 Corinthians 13 “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered it keep no record of wrongs” Ephesians 5:21 “submit to one another” c. Song of Songs 6:9 “my perfect one” Romans 3:11 “there is no one righteous” Romans 12:1 “offer your bodies as living sacrifices”

Analysis Matrix – Letter XXVI
Love, Unselfishness: Charity and Conflict Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations Generous Conflict of Illusion a. Reversed contention - Establish a rule of official, legal, or nominal Unselfishness - emotional resources - died away - spiritual resources - not yet grown “It is often impossible to find out either party's real wishes; with luck, they end by doing something that neither wants, while each feels a glow of self-righteousness and harbors a secret claim to preferential treatment” b. Generous Conflict Illusion “bitterness which really flows from thwarted self-righteousness and obstinacy and the accumulated grudges of the last ten years is concealed” c. Be dishonest “each manages to feel blameless and ill-used itself, with no more dishonesty than comes natural to a human” a. Frank contention “Each side frankly contending for its own real wish, they would all have kept within the bounds of reason and courtesy” -Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought -There is not one righteous -Do not harbor grudges -Do not let the left hand know what the right hand did -confess your sins b. No illusions but truth in love c. be honest - God hates a lying tongue a. Romans 12:3 “do not think of yourself more highly than you ought” Ephesians 4:23 “Take on a new attitude” ///// Do not allow for bitter root of resentment Matthew 6:3 “do not let your left hand know what your right” James 5:16 “confess your sins to one another” 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just … b. Ephesians 4:15 “say the truth in love” c. Proverbs 12:17 “a truthful witness gives honest testimony” Proverbs 6:17; 12:22 God hates “a lying tongue” Mrs. Fidget "She's the sort of woman who lives for others—you can always tell the others by their hunted expression" “they will be on the road to discovering that "love" is not enough, that charity is needed and not yet achieved” 1 Corinthians 13 & Matthew 5:44 “love your enemies and pray for them” Love for a spouse? Charity for a beggar? Or should it be both?

Questions for Discussion - Letter XXVI
How does the sense of enchantment in courtship affect later relationship between spouses and how does Screwtape suggest in using them? What does God gives us to defend ourselves from these problems. What effect does the change from positive charity (love) to the negative unselfishness have on our lives? How in our daily life will these outlooks affect our actions and reactions toward others? Try to come up with real life examples in both camps. What is easier? Being unselfish or charitable? In what manner will the difference of the sexes in their specific outlook of “doing good offices” of the woman and the man’s “respecting other people's rights” work itself out in a daily fashion? Come up with examples, maybe a play? How can erotic enchantment be confused with charity? How can we avoid that mutual complaisance dies down over a lifetime? How does Screwtape suggest bringing double blindness on wormwoods patient? Does this sound true for our dating? How in lewis’ mind conflict arises when he tries to discourse on “Reversed contention” do you think this happens often? Have you seen this work itself out in college or family life? Can I look back at some roots of bitter resentment in my life and find the cause in simple actions as the ones described? Could you have a “belly laughter” with the people involved, or at least try to solve these. What do you think of the comment “dishonesty than comes natural to a human” Discuss: "If people knew how much ill-feeling Unselfishness occasions, it would not be so often recommended from the pulpit"; What was wrong with Mrs. Fidget? How do we develop elaborate and self-consciousness unselfishness? What in Lewis’ mind is the road to understanding the need of charity?

Analysis Matrix – Letter XXVII
Prayer, Love, and Truth Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations Prayer -Distraction and wandering of the mind Thrust it away by sheer will power Try to continue the normal prayer -accepts the distraction as his present problem lays that before the Enemy make it the main theme of his prayers -Pray continually -Don’t be anxious -1Thessalonians 5:17 pray continually -Phil. 4:6 not be anxious present your requests to God. Love and Petitionary Prayer -Raise intellectual difficulties about prayer -Encourage false spirituality “Praise and communion with God are the true prayer.” -Interpret the prayer for the daily bread in a “spiritual sense” -haunting suspicion that the practice is absurd no objective result “a granted prayer becomes just as good a proof as a denied one that prayers are ineffective” -Petitionary prayer Pray for your daily bread -In Obedience God answers Prayer -Pray in Spirit on all occasions all kind of prayers -Pray that our eyes will be open -Mat. 6:9-13 “our father” -Eph. 6:18 Praying always …perseverance and supplication Proverbs 15:29 He hears the prayer of the righteous[1]. -Ephesians 6:18 pray in the Spirit -II Kings 6:16-17 open his eyes, that he may see

Prayer, Love, and Truth Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations Time, Prayer and Predestination -Let him think that the Enemy perceives reality from a spatial/ temporal, sequential (human) mode of perception. -Don’t let him see that the Enemy harmonizes the prayers of today with the weather of tomorrow. And if so, he could not pray freely, but were predestined to do so. -Why that creative act leaves room for their free will is the problem of problems -If your are in trouble, pray -God who knows everything … -A day is like a thousand years Examples: -Elijah (prayed for fire and rain -James 5:17, I Kings 18) -Disciples (Peter’s Miraculous escape from prison - Acts 12:1) [ Peter's Miraculous Escape From Prison) Find others! “men's prayers today are one of the innumerable coordinates with whicMth the Enemy harmonises the weather of tomorrow” “the enemy does not foresee the humans making their free contributions in a future, but sees them doing so in His unbounded Now.’ -James 5:13(prayer of faith) -2Pe 3:8 “day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day” -I Kings 18 -Acts 12:1-18 On prayer: -Mt 21:22 “you ask for in prayer" -Mk 9:29 "This kind can come out only by prayer” -Romans 12:12 “Be faithful in prayer” -1 Peter 3:12 “his ears are attentive to their prayer”

Prayer, Love, and Truth Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations The Historical Point of View -Create good “Intellectual climate” “Only the learned read old books” “Men the least likely to acquire wisdom”(2 Tim.3:7“always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth”) -influence their thoughts -Let them ask: who influenced the ancient writer is the statement consistent what phase in writer's development general history of thought how it affected later writers has been misunderstood general course of criticism "present state of the question -Cut every generation off from all others “Great scholars are now as little nourished by the past as the most ignorant mechanic who holds that "history is bunk" -When reading ask: whether it is true possible source of knowledge be prepared to correct thoughts and behavior do not reject as “simple-minded” -Look for ancient paths and walk in them -Wormwood cannot deceive the whole human race all the time -Free commerce between the ages -characteristic errors of one may be corrected by the characteristic truths of another. Philippians 4:8 “excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” -Acts 17:11 “examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” -1 Corinthians 1:27 “foolish things of the world to shame the wise” -Jeremiah 6:16 “look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.”.

Questions for Discussion - Letter XXVII
1. Why does God want us to pray? 2. How should we pray? 3.Why do we need to seek wisdom with the older generations? What can we learn from Lewis’s description on distractions in prayer? 2.Discuss the: “thrust it away by sheer will power and to try to continue the normal prayer as if nothing had happened” 3.What do you think would happen to us if we would “accept the distraction as my present problem and lay that before the Enemy and makes it the main theme of my prayers and endeavors? 4.When Lewis talk about love what does the “new idea of earthly happiness” imply? 5.Discuss the terms “petitionary prayers” to “pray for their daily bread and the recovery of their sick” and “false spirituality” and “praise and communion with God is the true prayer" 6.Why is the habit of obedience so important, especially in prayer? 7.What are the common proofs for us that our prayers don't work? How can we defend ourselves against these ideas? 8.What Is the main difference between God and our view on prayer? Does taking time as the “ultimate reality make a difference in prayer? 9.Discuss: “ men's prayers today are one of the innumerable coordinates with which the Enemy harmonises the weather of tomorrow” 10.Discuss: Why that creative act leaves room for their free will is the problem of problems 11. What is implied in the term: “The Historical Point of View”? 12. Do you agree with the comments on reading old books? 13. How would God want us to read? 14. Discuss: “learning makes a free commerce between the ages there is always the danger that the characteristic errors of one may be corrected by the characteristic truths of another”

Title: Fear, Fatigue, Emotions, and “Reality”
Letter XXX Title: Fear, Fatigue, Emotions, and “Reality” Fundamental Principles For Dealing With Normal Life Pressures In this letter Screwtape develops an interesting strategy by stating “keep your patient as safe as you possibly can” the older the safer! There is always hope in “worldly advancement, prudent connections, and the policy of safety first” as “prosperity knits a man to the World.” He goes on to say that whilst the Enemy “has guarded them pretty effectively from the danger of feeling at home anywhere” as death is just a door to another kind of life. “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” I Peter 5:8-9 “Like a good chess player he (Satan) is always trying to maneuver you into a position where you can save your castle only by losing your bishop.” CSL

Vocabulary Key Words Letter XXVIII
While they are young we find them always shooting off at a tangent. Ignorant of explicit religion Incalculable winds of fantasy and music and poetry The mere face of a girl, the song of a bird, or the sight of a horizon—are always blowing our whole structure away. Appetite for Heaven that our best method, Attaching them to earth is to make them believe that earth can be turned into Heaven at some future date by politics or eugenics or "science" or psychology, or what not. Real worldliness Death = good sense or Maturity or Experience. "Experience Illusion. How valuable time is to us may be gauged by the fact that the Enemy allows us so little of it. The majority of the human race dies in infancy; of the survivors, a good many die in youth. It is obvious that to Him human birth is important chiefly as the qualification for human death, and death solely as the gate to that other kind of life. We are allowed to work only on a selected minority of the race, for what humans call a "normal life" is the exception. Apparently He wants some—but only a very few—of the human animals with which He is peopling Heaven to have had the experience of resisting us through an earthly life of sixty or seventy years. Well, there is our opportunity. The smaller it is, the better we must use it. Whatever you do, keep your patient as safe as you possibly can, Death Destruction Spiritual state Human suffering Worldly friends taken Entangle Survival Bodily safety Monotonous years of middle-aged prosperity Middle-aged adversity Routine of adversity, Gradual decay of youthful loves Quiet despair Inarticulate resentment Prosperity knits a man to the World Finding his place in it It is finding its place in him. Sense of importance Feeling at home Vocabulary Key Words Letter XXVIII

Letter XXVIII MY DEAR WORMWOOD, When I told you not to fill your letters with rubbish about the war, I meant, of course, that I did not want to have your rather infantile rhapsodies about the death of men and the destruction of cities. In so far as the war really concerns the spiritual state of the patient, I naturally want full reports. And on this aspect you seem singularly obtuse. Thus, you tell me with glee that there is reason to expect heavy air raids on the town where the creature lives. This is a crying example of something I have complained about already—your readiness to forget the main point in your immediate enjoyment of human suffering. Do you not know that bombs kill men? Or do you not realize that the patient's death, at this moment, is precisely what we want to avoid? He has escaped the worldly friends with whom you tried to entangle him; he has "fallen in love" with a very Christian woman and is temporarily immune from your attacks on his chastity; and the various methods of corrupting his spiritual life which we have been trying are so far unsuccessful. At the present moment, as the full impact of the war draws nearer and his worldly hopes take a proportionately lower place in his mind, full of his defense work, full of the girl, forced to attend to his neighbors more than he has ever done before and liking it more than he expected, "taken out of himself" as the humans say, and daily increasing in conscious dependence on the Enemy, he will almost certainly be lost to us if he is killed tonight. This is so obvious that I am ashamed to write it. I sometimes wonder if you young fiends are not kept out on temptation-duty too long at a time—if you are not in some danger of becoming infected by the sentiments and values of the humans among whom you work. They, of course, do tend to regard death as the prime evil and survival as the greatest good. But that is because we have taught them to do so. Do not let us be infected by our own propaganda. I know it seems strange that your chief aim at the moment should be the very same thing for which the patient's lover and his mother are praying—namely his bodily safety. But so it is; you should be guarding him like the apple of your eye. If he dies now, you lose him. If he survives the war, there is always hope. The Enemy has guarded him from you through the first great wave of temptations. But, if only he can be kept alive, you have time itself for your ally. The long, dull monotonous years of middle-aged prosperity or middle-aged adversity are excellent campaigning weather. You see, it is so hard for these creatures to persevere. The routine of adversity, the gradual decay of youthful loves and youthful hopes, the quiet despair (hardly felt as pain) of ever overcoming the chronic temptations with which we have again and again defeated them, the drabness which we create in their lives and the inarticulate resentment with which we teach them to respond to it—all this provides admirable opportunities of wearing out a soul by attrition. If, on the other hand, the middle years prove prosperous, our position is even stronger. Prosperity knits a man to the World. He feels that he is "finding his place in it", while really it is finding its place in him. His increasing reputation, his widening circle of acquaintances, his sense of importance, the growing pressure of absorbing and agreeable work, build up in him a sense of being really at home in earth which is just what we want. You will notice that the young are generally less unwilling to die than the middle-aged and the old.

XXVIII The truth is that the Enemy, having oddly destined these mere animals to life in His own eternal world, has guarded them pretty effectively from the danger of feeling at home anywhere else. That is why we must often wish long life to our patients; seventy years is not a day too much for the difficult task of unraveling their souls from Heaven and building up a firm attachment to the earth. While they are young we find them always shooting off at a tangent. Even if we contrive to keep them ignorant of explicit religion, the incalculable winds of fantasy and music and poetry—the mere face of a girl, the song of a bird, or the sight of a horizon—are always blowing our whole structure away. They will not apply themselves steadily to worldly advancement, prudent connections, and the policy of safety first. So inveterate is their appetite for Heaven that our best method, at this stage, of attaching them to earth is to make them believe that earth can be turned into Heaven at some future date by politics or eugenics or "science" or psychology, or what not. Real worldliness is a work of time—assisted, of course, by pride, for we teach them to describe the creeping death as good sense or Maturity or Experience. Experience, in the peculiar sense we teach them to give it, is, by the bye, a most useful word. A great human philosopher nearly let our secret out when he said that where Virtue is concerned "Experience is the mother of illusion"; but thanks to a change in Fashion, and also, of course, to the Historical Point of View, we have largely rendered his book innocuous. How valuable time is to us may be gauged by the fact that the Enemy allows us so little of it. The majority of the human race dies in infancy; of the survivors, a good many die in youth. It is obvious that to Him human birth is important chiefly as the qualification for human death, and death solely as the gate to that other kind of life. We are allowed to work only on a selected minority of the race, for what humans call a "normal life" is the exception. Apparently He wants some—but only a very few—of the human animals with which He is peopling Heaven to have had the experience of resisting us through an earthly life of sixty or seventy years. Well, there is our opportunity. The smaller it is, the better we must use it. Whatever you do, keep your patient as safe as you possibly can, Your affectionate uncle SCREWTAPE

Analysis Matrix – Letter XXVIII
Time, Aging, and Perseverance Area of Life Devil’s Advice (during war time bombing) God’s Way References Life and Death, Body and Soul, Time and Eternity a. Do not rejoice in deaths - your patient would go to heaven now - he is more spiritual - loves Christian girl - helps others b. keep your patient alive a. Do not be afraid... b. Stand firm, in the faith a. Matthew 10:28 “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body … but of the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell” b. 1 Corinthians 15:58 “Stand firm. Let nothing move you… know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” Isaiah 7:9 “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.'” YOUTH longing optimism a. young more willing to die than older b. they have deep seated appetite for heaven and feel the Enemy in religion, fantasy, music, poetry c. make them believe that earth can be turned into heaven by politics, etc [cf liberation theology] a. Remember your Creator in the days of your youth -Enjoy life -Be a blessing b. Stand firm, on His promises -Grace according to temptation - Hide God’s Word in your heart c. Hope in restoration “Maranatha!” a. Ecclesiastes 12:1; 9:9 “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth” Ecclesiastes 8:15 “I commend the enjoyment of life” Proverbs 18:22/ Proverbs 20:6 Genesis 12:2 “you will be a blessing” b. 1Corinthians 15:58 “Stand firm. Let nothing move you” 1 Corinthians 10:13 “he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear” Psalm 119:9, 11 “How can a young man keep his way pure?” “I have hidden…” c. Isaiah 41:10 “do not fear, for I am with you… strengthen you and help you” Revelation 22:20 “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus”

Analysis Matrix – Letter XXVIII
Time, Aging, and Perseverance Area of Life Devil’s Advice (during war time bombing) God’s Way References MIDDLE AGE Adversity prosperity worldliness a. Middle age will help us - *use adversity (decay of love and hope; growth of drabness and despair) - prosperity (man finds his place in world = the world in him... by work, friends, wealth) a. Stand firm, by His strength: - Use sword of the Spirit. - Careful, watch and pray - God’s Commands are a blessing (Calvin: cane of obedience) (Die before you die) a. 1 Corinthians 15:58 “stand firm” 1 Corinthians 16:13 “be strong” - Ephesians 6:17 “sword of the Spirit” - Mark 14:38 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall” - Psalm 143:10 God’s will: “lead me on level ground” Deuteronomy 11:13 “faithfully obey the commands” OLD AGE pride, experience, death a. "real worldliness is a work of time assisted by pride" b. teach them to describe creeping death -good sense - maturity - experience a. Stand firm, in His peace: be humble b. My times are in Your hand, - Good sense is “Open your hand” (let go). - maturity means “declare God’s power” “persevere” - Experiencing “He is faithful” (find consolation His presence; grow up, then He is bigger) - Hold on to what you have Is 26:3 “perfect peace… whose mind is steadfast” b. Psalm 31:15 “My times are in Your hands” - 1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on Him” - Psalm 71:18 “Even when I am old and gray, till I declare your power to the next generation” Hebrews 10:36 - 1 Thessalonians 5:23,24 “The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it” - Revelation 2:25 “Only hold on to what you have” Habakkuk 3:17-19; Psalm 4:8

Questions for Discussion - Letter XXVIII
Why do time and prosperity lead us away from God? How can we grow old gracefully and wisely? Why is Security our greatest enemy? What in Lewis’s opinion does age has on a person’s attitude towards death? Do you think this is true? Did you ever think of the possibility that your prayers for safety might be endorsed by the devil? And, if this should be true, how should this affect my lifestyle? Is there a difference between recklessness and the knowledge that God is in control? Would this have any effect on my life? Discuss: “the Enemy, having oddly destined these mere animals to life in His own eternal world, has guarded them pretty effectively from the danger of feeling at home anywhere else” Discuss “How valuable time is to us may be gauged by the fact that the Enemy allows us so little of it.” In your experience, does peace-time move to a younger age the idea of “dull monotonous years of middle-aged prosperity or middle-aged adversity” and how can we prepare for those experiences as to grow spiritually?. 0 Do you agree with the statements: "finding his place in it" (the world), while really it is finding its place in him? How does the world find its place in me?

Analysis Matrix – Letter XXIX
Virtues and Vices Fear, Cowardice, Courage and Despair Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way Questions, Observations and Strategies Hatred a. Cannot produce any virtue - use as supplied by the enemy b. Tension: guide them in the right direction and muddle conscience -Feel hate, defending weaker party -Fear compensated by hatred “Hatred is a great anodyne for shame” c. Defeat courage - “Cowardice is still shameful, makes a man know too much about himself” d. Promote hatred and injustice - leads to war - leads to cowardice “Pilate was merciful till it became risky” e. If conscience resists “muddle him” a. All virtues are a gift from above - learn to control them for God’s glory b. Tension: Can provoke violent emotions - controlled by peace -Forgive again and again -Fear thrown out for love c. Fear not! Take courage! - confessed cowardice leads to self knowledge and repentance - discover the whole moral world - love casts out fear d. Promote charity and justice - leads to courage - leads to peace e. Fulfill duty in good conscience a. Psalm 139:14 “You created me” Romans 8:6 “controlled by the Spirit” James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above” b. Philippians 4:7 “and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding” Luke 17:4 “seven times … forgive him" Matthew 6:15 “perfect love drives out fear” c. Deuteronomy 31:23 “Be strong and courageous” - Revelation 21:8 “the cowardly… all liars…This is the second death." - 1 John 4:18 “The one who fears is not made perfect in love” d. Deuteronomy 20:8 “Is any man afraid or fainthearted? Let him go home so that his brothers will not become disheartened too.” - Zachariah 7:9 “Love justice and mercy” leads to Isaiah 32:16 e. Acts 23:1 “fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience” Despair a. Great triumph: sin for which he cannot seek, nor credit, the Mercy b. really understands in its full depth of dishonor a. Have faith, praise God - do not despair - cast all your anxiety on Him - seek God’s Mercy b. Momentary troubles lead to Eternal glory a. Isaiah 61:3 “garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair” 1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety” Psalm 31:22 “In my alarm …You heard my cry for mercy” b. 2 Corinthians 4:8,17 “We are … not in despair” “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” Courage a. Defeat his courage b. Develop virtues only under conditions a. Courage: “Every virtue at the testing point” b. Unconditional obedience a. Deuteronomy 31:23 “Be strong and courageous” b. 1 Corinthians 16:13 “be men of courage” Romans 1:5 “obedience that comes from faith” Fear a. precautions have a tendency to increase fear - awaken superstition - develop reservations b. Get the fatal act done (covardice) a. total commitment to the task at hand: no reservations - Against Jacob there is no enchantment - without reservations b. The emotion “fear” is not sinful a. Isaiah 35:3 “Strengthen feeble hands, steady knees that give way” Numbers 23:23 “No enchantment” b. Luke22:41-44 Jesus (Mount of Olives) Psalm 19:9 “the fear of the Lord is pure”

Questions for Discussion - Letter XXIX
What are the biggest dangers in the subjective feeling of cowardice, shame, hatred or courage? What are the consequences of wartime on our senses and our morality? Do you agree with the suggestion that courage is every virtue at testing point? What do you think about the suggestion of Attila (one of the most feared and ferocious of the Hun warriors) and Shylock (Shakespearean character, merciless moneylender, a cruel miser) as having misdirected virtues? What do you think about the difference of wartime and peace, and these aspects on the morality the people living in those days? Do you agree with CSLewis development from cowardice to hatred? Could you develop at the difference that faith could have on despair? Can these two feelings survive together in the same heart? Discuss “This moral awakening ‘is probably one of the Enemy’s motives for creating a dangerous world.’” Discuss “Men are more likely to please God in a dangerous world than in a safe world”. Discuss the consequences of despair, suicide or inability to see God’s mercy.

Title: Fear, Fatigue, Emotions, and “Reality”
Letter XXX Title: Fear, Fatigue, Emotions, and “Reality” Fundamental Principles For Dealing With Normal Life Pressures In this letter the consequences of fatigue, emotions and evil are explored. It also talks about the best diabolical result of “attacks on patience, chastity, and fortitude (the fun is to make the man yield just when (had he but known it) relief was almost in sight.” Finally Lewis tries us to come to grip with some definitions of reality. ”Your patient, properly handled, will have no difficulty in regarding his emotion at the sight of human entrails as a revelation of Reality and his emotion at the sight of happy children or fair weather as mere sentiment”. “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” I Peter 5:8-9 “Like a good chess player he (Satan) is always trying to maneuver you into a position where you can save your castle only by losing your bishop.” CSL

Vocabulary Key Words Letter XXX

Analysis Matrix – Letter XXX Fear, Fatigue, Emotions, and “Reality”
Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way References Justice a. Purely realistic: concerned only with results b. Bring us back food, or be food yourself a. Take in account opportunities and intentions b. All to God’s Glory a. 2 Corinthians 4:15 “All this is for your benefit” b. 2 Corinthians 4:15 “may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God” Self Knowledge a. Distort virtues b. Inflate abilities c. Avoid duties a. God knows that we are dust b. Know limitations, be humble c. Fear … “but has done everything his duties demanded” a. Psalm 103:14 “For he knows how we are formed” b. Psalm 149:4 “He crowns the humble with salvation” c. Daniel 3:16 “the God we serve is able to save us from it” Emotions Fatigue a. Provoke - a burst of ill temper, malice and impatience - Excessive cigarette smoking - Forgetting prayers b. Moderate fatigue is a better soil for peevishness than absolute exhaustion - unexpected demands on a man already tired c. Feed him with false hopes - inner resolution: bear it for a reasonable period d. Attacks on - patience, chastity, and fortitude - emotions “the fun is to make the man yield just when (had be but known it) relief was just in sight” a. Aspire - Peace that surpasses all understanding - self - control b. Expect demands - Accept them as from above - Be a servant - Hope of eternal life c. God give us true hope - Endure and Persevere “inner resolution to bear whatever comes to him” d. When attacked: - Stand firm till the end - emotions controlled by the Holy Spirit “In gentleness, and quiet of mind, and even something like vision” a. Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which transcends all” - 1 Thessalonians 5:8 “let us be self-controlled” b. Philippians 1:27 “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel” - 1 Timothy 6:11 “pursue … endurance, gentleness” - 1 Peter 2:16 “live as servants of God” c. 1 Corinthians 10: 13 “No temptation is beyond what you can bear” d. Hebrews 3:6 “Hold fast in… confidence …hope firm … the end.” Romans 8:6 “but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace” Philippians 4:5 “Let your gentleness be evident to all” Reality a. Confuse meaning of the word - “real.” - bare physical facts - other elements of experience “human remains plastered on a wall, that this is "what the world is really like" and that all his religion has been a fantasy” b. Experiences which: - make them happier or better “only the physical facts are "Real" while the spiritual elements are "subjective"” - can discourage or corrupt “the spiritual elements are the main reality” a. Feelings controlled by faith - This life is just a preface - Creation is groaning for redemption - Spiritual warfare “our physical world is just the outward appearance of eternal realities” b. Experiences - Happy is subject to peace that surpasses all understanding - all should be accepted with thankfulness - Corruption happens at all levels a. Hebrews 11:1 (by faith) - 2 Peter 3:13 “we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth” - Romans 8:22 “groaning as in the pains of childbirth” - 2 Corinthians 10:7 “you are looking only on the surface of things” b. Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding” - 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “give thanks in all circumstances” - Titus 1:15 “To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure”

Questions for Discussion - Letter XXX
1. Are emotions / feelings unholy expressions? 2.Why should we not live by emotions? 3.How can we control and use our emotions to the glory of God? 4.How can we resist the devil to use our emotions to distract us from doing God’s will 5.How can fatigue influence or reactions to varied situations? 6.What should be our best training to prepare ourselves to similar situations? 7.In what sense can recognition of ones limitations help us in our spiritual warfare? 8.What is ironic about Wormwood’s desire to excuse himself about the “opportunities and intentions to be taken into account”? 9.What is the Biblical idea of justice? 10.Why is moderate fatigue a better soil for peevishness than absolute exhaustion? 11.What is the problem with “exaggerating weariness”, and the reminder that it will soon be over? Have you ever been caught in such a circumstance? 12.What in CS Lewis is the difference between a tired woman/ man? Can this knowledge be of any help for us in trying to be faithful in our trials? 13.Is the “general rule” for emotional experiences being “real” or not according to CSL applicable to our day and age? What should then, be the correct way of dealing with our emotional experiences? 14.How does CS Lewis elaborate on the subjective and realistic ideas of physical and spiritual facts? For Further Reading and Reflection

Characters From The Great Divorce, The Pilgrim’s Regress, etc
Characters From The Great Divorce, The Pilgrim’s Regress, etc. Further Reading / References

Letter XXX Resistance Strategy Virtue and Stock Responses to Cultivate Blogging Your Experience Resistance Strategy Virtue and Stock Responses to Cultivate

Analysis Matrix – Letter XXXI
Death: Is that The End? Eternal Life: Everlasting Glory or Eternal Damnation Area of Life Devil’s Advice God’s Way References Death All is lost ... a. “You have let a soul slip through your fingers ...” b. a scab had fallen from an old sore c. Gradual misgivings/Sheer, instantaneous liberation d. Bottleneck till... must be crushed The end To die is a gain ... a. The new beginning b. A sudden clearing in his eyes c. “This final striping, this complete cleansing” d. Behold! All was suddenly well New Life a. Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” b. 1 John 3:2 “for we shall see him as he is” I Corinthians 15:52 “in the blinking of an eye” c. Zechariah 13:1 “cleanse them from sin and impurity” d. Rev. 21:5 "Behold, I make all things new." a. Wormwood: a defeated, out-maneuvered fool, reeling back, dizzy and blinded b. Doubts of that “earthborn vermin”: Not, “Who are you? but ... c. The earth born vermin entered the new life d. the failure of our Intelligence Department a. Naturally, as if he'd been born for it… b. “So, it was you all the time.” c. You die and die and then you are beyond death d. “You have let a soul slip through your fingers. The howl of sharpened famine for that loss re-echoes at this moment through all the levels of the Kingdom of Noise down to the very Throne itself” a. Rev. 14:13 “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord” John 16:33 “take heart! I have overcome the world.") b. Job 19:26 “after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God” 1 Corinthians 13:12 “then we shall see face to face…then I shall know fully” c. Revelation 20:6 “have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them” John 11:25 “He who believes in me will live, even though he dies” Romans 6:5 “united with him…in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection” d. Romans 8:38 “…neither death … nor demons,…will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” In God’s Presence a. “He saw Them” God: The suffocating fire to you is … - all our arithmetic is dismayed b. wormwood: only cower c. the half nauseous attractions of a raddled harlot a.…The angels, Him, the Presence … cool light to him, is clarity itself, and wears the form of a Man. b. pain and pleasure take on transfinite values c. this thing of earth and slime can stand upright … true beloved, believed to be dead is alive and even now at his door a. 1 John 3:2 “shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” Mat. 25:21 'Well done, good and faithful servant… Enter into the joy of your lord.' b. Revelation 21:4 “no mourning or crying or pain” c. Philippians 3:21 “transform our lowly bodies…like His” - Psalm 17:15 “In righteousness … I will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness” - Isaiah 26:19 “dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy”

Questions for Discussion - Letter XXXI
Discuss how we can avoid the fear and temptations of death? Discuss the “gradual misgivings versus the sheer, instantaneous liberation” What are the differences between the devil and the patient’s experiences of death? In Screwtape’s eyes, how does this thing of earth and slime react to God’s presence? What in Lewis’ eyes will be our eternal perspective on dying? How does Screwtape describe eternal life in comparison to marriage? If spiritually, we follow the same pattern of death to sin (Romans 6:2) and resurrection in righteousness in obedience (Romans 6:16), what should this mean to our daily living? (Galatians 3:11 “Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith.”; Romans 5:1-2 “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God”. Proverbs 29:6 “An evil man is snared by his own sin, but a righteous one can sing and be glad.”) We need to die daily to our old self, to be filled with the holy spirit How do our images of images of heaven / eternal life compare to Lewis’ descriptions and Biblical reality? How should this affect my daily living? How can we overcome the evil one? John 16:33 ("I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.") John 19:30 (Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.) 1 John 5:5 (Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. ) In our Vocation, calling as Christians Jesus says in John 13:16: “I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.” How, trough the perspective of Jesus’ death should we than live out our calling?

Steps for Restoring The Vocation Path / Road Map
Total honesty with regard to the challenges and temptations which we face at Calvin and in the real world. Total transparency in our dealings, business and relationship Total acceptance of our limitations, etc. Total surrender to the Lord now (it will happen sooner or later - hopefully in faith) Total commitment and involvement with the tasks at hand Only then, we will be able to maintain the focus on the Christian calling and vocation road map, and facilitate corrections on the journey when we are distracted on the way.

Appendices References
Screwtape The Great Divorce Callings Scripture (NIV) Letters to Malcolm Mere Christianity The Pilgrim’s Regress DRAFT

CS Lewis’s Religious Topics
Joy (as a rationale for heaven) The Validity of Reason (as a participation in the divine Logos) The Objectivity of the Natural Law The reliability (epistemological) of the Imagination (as metaphor, symbolism and myth to establish meaning, the antecedent of truth) The Solidity of the Supernatural world and its Imminence The Law of Inattention The Quiddity of Things Chronological Snobbery Authority, Hierarchy, and Ceremony are prominent features of the supernatural landscape Membership in the Body of Christ Transposition Sacramentalism

CS Lewis’s Religious Topics
Signs Look both At and Along (both Contemplation and Enjoyment) Obedience (main job), No Right to Happiness (our human destine) Bulverism (argument is not refuted simply by attributing motive to the persoen who has made it) The Law of Undulation The Inner Ring Syndrome Ordinatenss Need for Perspective and Context Personhood Progress is not Necessary Moving Forward Verbicide

Temptation & Vocation A Study Guide for CS Lewis’s Screwtape Letters

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Temptation & Vocation A Study Guide for CS Lewis’s Screwtape Letters

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