Letter 25: Mere Christianity

Review:
Letter 24 talked about Spiritual Pride. What makes Christians different? Did you pray for an opportunity to lift others up?

 Outline:
  • Screwtape points out the trouble with the group the patient is hanging out with is that they are merely Christian.
  • Wormwood needs to work on "their horror of the Same Old Thing".
  • As with other things, change (something different) is a natural and necessary part of life. The Lord, however, does not want us to focus on change just like eating should not be our focus. Examples include the seasons, the school years, etc.
  • The goodness of this attack is:
    1. Diminish pleasure while increase desire
    2. Needed to produce fashions or vogues
  • Use fashions in thought to draw attention to things which really are not a threat and to draw attention away from things that really are a threat.
  • More jargon attacks. Instead of asking whether it is righteous, ask if it is progressive or reactionary.
Terminology:
  • Incessant - continuing without interruption.
  • Conkers - a traditional children's game in British Isles involving a horse chestnut see and a string.
  • Avarice - excessive desire for wealth, greed.
  • Rapacious - -ravenous, living on prey, excessive greed
  • Endemic - restricted or peculiar to a particular place
  • Feckless - ineffectual, weak; worthless, irresponsible
Questions/Discussions:
  1. The reference to Mere Christianity is neat. Points to his book by that title.
  2. What are some changes in your life? What are some changes that the Lord has brought to your life? For me, the one that popped into my head, was not waking up with a hangover any more.
  3. Why is it important to have both change and stability?
  4. What are some fashions today that have a Christian tint to them?
  5. Look at Numbers 11 which talks about manna v.4-6, 31-34.
Scripture:

Homework:
Look for examples of Mere Christianity versus Vogue Christianity.

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