June 12th We'll Be Discussing Influences On C.S. Lewis's Spiritual Journey

Our book for June is From the Library of C.S. Lewis — Selections from Writers Who Influenced His Spiritual Journey compiled by James Stewart Bell with Anthony P. Dawson.

This 402 page book, including indices, is divided into groups of small one and two page excerpts from writers who influenced C.S. Lewis on his spiritual journey.  It is divided up into eighteen themes and a variety of writers are cited under each theme.

Ray will be our discussion leader but because both of the length of the book and the wide range of themes and excerpts he'll be publishing an expanded table of contents which includes an identification of all the authors under each theme.

Be prepared to come to the meeting on June 12th with some discussion strategy about what you liked about the book.  Perhaps a theme that captured your attention or a systematic reading of all the excepts of one or more of the many writers ranging from the writings of saints that are remote in history to contemporary figures such as G.K. Chesterton and J.R.R. Tolkien.  George MacDonald is cited many times in the book.

When you get the expanded table of contents you might want to decide on a reading strategy.  It could be to plunge in and go straight ahead.  It could be to select themes you particularly like from the eighteen offered.  It could be picking authors you're particularly interested in.   Or you might pick a mixed strategy or something entirely different.  Whatever you pick plan to come and tell us all about it.

May 8th We Will Be Discussing The Screwtape Letters

My Dear Wormwood, 

You write that a group of patients in Harrisonburg has intercepted our correspondence and will be discussing it on the evening of May 8th.  You do understand how grave a breach of security this is.  Our agent Caterpod has discovered the discussion agenda.  A certain Jessica is leading the discussion and says:

1. Come prepared to discuss the particular letter that "spoke" to you in some way while you were reading the book.  (apparently Wormwood they have written a book that contains our correspondence ... it must be suppressed.)  Caterpod's intelligence goes on to quote from this book:

2. "There is wishful thinking in Hell as well as Earth." is a quote from the introduction.  Did any of you see examples of this in any of the letters?

As you know Wormwood, Our Father Below does not tolerate "wishful thinking" so this is clearly propaganda spread about us by the Enemy. 

Whatever else you do you must get together with Caterpod and find a way to suppress this breach of our security.  If you fail it will not look good on your next review and you may be sent to the lower circles of Our Father Below's domain.  You will not like that so recover this "book" and confuse the minds of the patients.  We have worked long and hard to convince them that we do not exist.  You must not fail now.

Your very concerned but affectionate Uncle,

Screwtape