7/31/2023 0 Comments Screwtape lettersAnd it is also to be noted that the trough sexuality is subtly different in quality from that of the peak–much less likely to lead to the milk and water phenomenon which the humans call ‘being in love’” (Lewis 43). Screwtape explains that “The attack has a much better chance of success when the man’s whole inner world is drab and cold and empty. Screwtape advises that sex be indulged when man is at his least energetic state this paradoxical suggestion is explained in a later quote. However, he points out that by changing the nature of sex, one can utilize sex to draw man away from God. Screwtape makes it clear that sex in itself is not a bad thing, he even goes to lengths to describe how he hates the fact that humans glean “pleasure from this action” (Lewis 102). However, Lewis provides a logical explanation for his belief, allowing for him to appeal to both the theist and the atheist alike. This idea is not an original one it lines up well with the official position of the Church. Lewis, through Screwtape, is able to voice his own opinion on the matter, championing the idea that sex was meant for only monogamous committed relationships. On the other hand, sex in almost every major religion is discouraged unless the party is in a committed monogamous relationship, leaving many confused on how to approach this topic. Sex is, after all, the reason humans are able to reproduce, so demonizing the act would be demonizing a human urge. The question of the virtues of sex is often a confusing matter for those involved in the church because of the seemingly backwards logic that discourages the act. Screwtape advises Wormwood to utilize sex to draw the man away from God by preying upon his natural urges and suppressing his other tendencies. Through exploration of several human urges such as sex, gluttony, and fear, Lewis exposes the raw weaknesses of mankind while also including how these urges can be overcome through virtue and faith. Amidst this originality, Lewis brings one very original perspective to light: Lewis’s own insight into the weakness of man. The content of the book is also original, centering around a correspondence between two demons, Screwtape and his nephew Wormwood. The writing of this novel was executed in epistolary form, a compositional risk that gave the work originality. By portraying the devil’s perspective on humanity, Lewis was able to provide criticisms on the Church, Christianity, and the culture that became so influential in modern day theology. Lewis, not one to be outdone by history, wrote The Screwtape Letters, a work so rich in theological content and so refreshingly original that to call it a classic would be a disservice it deserves a far greater title. Dante Alighieri is remembered for producing The Divine Comedy, a literary work that, while not necessarily theologically accurate, was so original and influential that over 700 years later it is still being studied. Martin Luther is remembered for crafting the 95 theses, a simple list of demands that sparked a divide between Protestantism and Catholicism. In a field so competitive, only those who have created work that is theologically influential are remembered by the masses. Throughout history there have been no shortages of western Christian writers.
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