S7E8 – AH – “Lewis on the Christian Life”, After Hours with Dr. Joe Rigney
Jan 9, 2024
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Dr. Joe Rigney, author of 'Lewis on the Christian Life,' discusses C.S. Lewis's perspective on the Christian life. They explore Lewis's emphasis on following Jesus daily, the importance of apologetics, and the concept of choosing Christ. The speakers also touch on topics such as Irish whiskey, their book projects, and C.S. Lewis's views on religion's privatization. They discuss the concept of Christian hedonism and its connection to finding joy in God.
Lewis emphasizes the daily choice between surrendering to God or turning away, determining one's destiny.
Lewis criticizes the privatization of religion, emphasizing the importance of true community and interconnectedness.
Lewis's concept of Christian hedonism encourages finding joy in God and experiencing earthly pleasures as reflections of His glory.
Deep dives
The Choice: The Importance of Making the Right Choice
Lewis emphasizes the significance of making the choice between surrendering to God's pursuit or turning aside from it. He believes that this choice is presented to individuals every moment of every day, and it determines whether they become heavenly or hellish creatures. The choice is both self-inflicted and divinely inflicted, as individuals choose to wallow in sin and turn away from God, while also being cast into hell by God as a form of punishment.
The Privatization of Religion and the Collectivization of the Secular Life
Lewis criticizes the modern tendency to privatize religion and make it a personal affair while collectivizing secular life. He believes that this leads to empty individualism and the loss of true community. Lewis emphasizes the importance of membership, wherein individuals can be fully themselves while still contributing to and relying on the community. Membership allows for the appreciation of individuality while valuing the interconnectedness of all individuals.
Christian Hedonism: Finding Joy in God
Lewis's concept of Christian hedonism centers on the idea that God is most glorified when individuals are most satisfied in Him. In Lewis's view, joy and pleasure are not sinful but are rather invitations from God to know and enjoy Him. He depicts heaven as a place of unending joy and life, contrasting it with the shadowlands of earthly existence. Lewis encourages individuals to experience the pleasures of the world as reflections of God's glory and to chase those pleasures back to their source in God.
The Reality of Hell and the Fulfillment of Heaven
Lewis holds that hell is a self-inflicted punishment resulting from individuals turning away from God and sinking into their own misery. At the same time, God casts people into hell as a form of divine punishment. In contrast, heaven is depicted as a place of unending joy and fulfillment. It is characterized by the pursuit of divine love and the experience of God's presence, which leads to the fullness of human existence.
Till We Have Faces: Unveiling the True Self and Surrendering to Divine Love
In 'Till We Have Faces,' Lewis explores the themes of self-justification and self-deception. The main character, Orwol, initially justifies her negative emotions and relationships, portraying herself as a victim of the gods' unfairness. However, as the story progresses, Orwol realizes that she herself is filled with envy, jealousy, and selfishness. Through her encounter with the divine, she is confronted with the choice to surrender and repent, leading to the transformation of her true self and the discovery of authentic love.