A Bit More on G.K. With A Lot of C.S. Thrown In

Yesterday, I put up a post that was a LifeSiteNews Column by John Jalsevac. In it he talked about getting into the writings of G.K. Chesterton, not only for Pro-lifers but everyone. I haven't read s much of G.K. as I should, but from what I have read I can say that he is right in his recommendation.

I would also like to add that there is someone else that should also be high on the list of must read. He was mentioned in yesterday's post. I am talking about C.S. Lewis who was converted to Christianity in part by Chesterton’s writing. (Lewis has admitted as much.)

I have 2 books that I read from every day. 1 is Chesterton Day by Day. The other is A Year with C. S. Lewis: Daily Readings from His Classic Works. Lewis follows in Chesterton's footsteps & provides plenty of insight about what is going on today. Chesternton may have died over 70 years ago & Lewis over 45, but they are both just as relevant now as then. In fact I would say more so.

I won't add more on Chesterton. But I will add a little more on Lewis. Most people these days think of Lewis because of the films coming out based on his Chronicles of Narnia. They are well worth reading, for adults as well as children. But there are some of his other books that every adult should, nay must read. Although all of his books are worth reading these are the ones to start with.

1st of all, I would recommend The Screwtape Letters. This book has recently been adopted for the stage. The book is a series of letters from a senior temptor named Screwtape to his nephew Wormwood. In the letters Lewis is amazingly prescient about where our culture was heading. Read many of the letters & look at the way we view celebraties &, despite the WW II setting, you will swear Lewis just wrote them not over 60 years ago. Then there is the essay he wrote a few years later that is put at the end of the book. Titled Screwtape Proposes a Toast. In it Lewis takes a look at where education is heading through Screwtape's eyes. Again, you will swear it was redently written.

Then there is Lewis' Space Trilogy. Lewis acts as the reporter of a friend by the name of Dr. Ransom. Out of the Silent Planet takes place on Mars (Malacandra). Dr. Ransom is kidnapped by a Dr. Weston & a Dr. Devine. It enables us to look at the Earth through the eyes of other beings. It has its allegorical references to Christianity. Next is Perelanda. Perelandra is the name for Venus. This 1 is much more blatantly Christian in its tone. Dr. Ransom is sent to Perelandra to help their version of Adam & Eve avoid the fall we took on Earth. Unlike Malacandra where there are 3 non-human but sentient races (all older than humanity), this couple is human albeit green. the reason is that since Jesus became man on Earth all future races with be humanoid. Satan (called the Bent One) possesses Weston & comes to Perelandra to do what he did to Thulcandra (Earth). The 3rd book, That Hideous Strength, takes place on Earth & is better defined as fantasy rather than sci-fi. Ransom is back as is Devine who was not seen in book 2. This time Ransom is leading a group who is battling an institute called NICE that Devine is involved with. Basically, the agenda of NICE is a looking forward to much of the New Age philosophy being promoted today. But since there is nothing new about New Age, that is not surprizing. This book could also be considered to be prophetic in that it sets in a fantasy setting much of what is going on today esp in the area of science.

Then there is Mere Christianity. In it he presents the case for Christianity. Another book that has plenty of relevance is The Abolition of Man. This book was referenced to in Archbishop Chaput's book, Render Unto Caesar. Another allegorical novel worth reading is The Great Divorce. This tells of a day trip from Hell to Heaven.

These books are a good place to start with in reading Lewis.

Other good ones to read are The Problem of Pain, A Grief Observed (his dealing with his wife Joy's death), Surprized by Joy (his autobiography), The 4 Loves & The Weight of Glory. Actually, all his books are worth reading.

IMHO, Lewis & Chesterton will go down as the 2 greatest writers of the 20th Century.