Screwtape Revisited

While exploring the Mall of America in Minneapolis this week (which could literally take almost an entire week), I wandered into Barnes and Noble and picked up a copy of The Complete C.S. Lewis Signature Classics. This seven book compilation represents the best from the best. I started on page 179 ... The Screwtape Letters.

I first read TSL as a sophomore in college in 1980. I remember being intriqued with the concept and structure of the book. The storyline centers around a series of letters written from a senior demon, Screwtape, to his nephew, Wormwood, a fledging tempter assigned to an individual identified as the Patient. Through the reverse moral perspective of the demons, Lewis outlines what it means to live out the Christian faith in the small details of life.

TSL was an easy read at that time in my life. But looking back, it was also a book beyond me. My life experiences (or lack thereof) did not allow me to fully grasp and appreciate the principles creatively woven throughout the letters.

It would be like letting your son drive a Porsche on his 16th birthday or take his first date to the Plaza III Steakhouse. He might enjoy the drive or the meal, but the enjoyment would be limited due to his lack of perspective and comparison. As such, it would be wasted horsepower and prime angus. Let him ride around in a clunker for a while and scrape together a few bucks for Taco Bell and suddenly the Boxster and Filet Mignon become more than an event. They are an experience with lasting memory and meaning.

So after 25 years of tooling around in the Christian faith, nibbling on spiritual fast food, I believe it is time to revisit The Screwtape Letters. I plan on blogging through the thirty one letters over the course of the next several months. I hope that the crossroads of the past three decades will radically change my reaction of TSL from an easy read to a life-deepening experience.

I welcome you to join me on this journey with your comments and contributions.