I’ve been reading C.S. Lewis’ book, The Abolition of Man the past few weeks. I try to read this book every 5 years or so since I believe I still don’t understand some of the subtleties of what is being articulated in the book. I do believe I understand the main theme, which is the destruction of the human soul and it’s intrinsic nature by denying that there is absolute Truth that defines reality. The way C.S. Lewis develops this idea is difficult for those of us that do not have an extensive understanding of the pagan, Roman (Greek and Latin), Anglo-Saxon, Shakespearean, Germanic and ancient philosophical and religious writers that C.S. Lewis mastered during his life. 

This time I combined reading C.S. Lewis’ book, That Hideous Strength, a fictional account that I’ve found through research that covers the same theme. It is a fictional story that weaves the human effects to various characters of the concepts that C.S. Lewis develops in The Abolition of Man. The last time I had read the final space trilogy book, That Hideous Strength, was in my college days when I also read the first two books, Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra. This approach served to enhance my understanding of certain aspects that I had hitherto missed when reading The Abolition of Man. The ill fated choices and careers of Lord Feverstone and his colleagues contrasted with the choices Mark and Jane Studdock were faced with through the workings of the N.I.C.E. brought the concepts in The Abolition of Man to a brightly lit stage in my mind where the implications were more evident than I had ever realized. 

This time the mention of the German physician and alchemist Paracelsus piqued my interest and delighted me with a period that appears to be in solidarity with current cultural ideas and leanings pertaining to the medical profession. It is like we are rediscovering the efficacy of nature that toys with those humans who think they can conquer nature for “productive” and “human enhancing” means, but in reality, nature laughs at those futile attempts while remaining firmly in that place where God ordained it to be in relation with humanity. While man endeavors to conquer nature, nature opens her arms and embraces the folly, knowing the Truth from the beginning of time itself that humanity has overplayed its hand and will be effectively chastised when it leaves its place of rightful and benevolent caretaker. The reference to Paracelsus in the book came alive with meaning that I had missed in previous readings.

I think that reading the Bible is much like that. As we draw closer to the holy fire that purifies us for service and worship, our ability to see and recognize Truth becomes clearer and more compelling. This time I have begun to see more clearly the difficult first few chapters in the book as laying a firm foundation for what the later chapters build on. It is easy for most to just accept the beauty of a finished product of a given philosophy. The “Be it resolved” of a resolutions premise that is generally skipped to ensure the “Whereas” is sound. Too often our own intellectual laziness then does not go back to see how the parts leading up to the resolutions thesis statement is supported. The devil is in the details, indeed.

We now live in an age where so many people seem to have abolished their humanity to define conscience as instinct, and truth as a meaningless, relativistic concept. This approach aligns with the ancient tribal idol worshipers that made gods in their own image rather than the freedom and joy that exists for those who recognize the One who created the heavens and the earth in His love for humanity. Each tribe had their “god” which was the relative truth they worshiped. The idea, or resolution that truth is relative is accepted without understanding how that premise was developed. Oh how ignorance of history and the existence of absolute Truth has abolished the humanity of our nature!

I need to continue to research the Greek and Latin phrases and ancient authors that Lewis refers to in building the themes in The Abolition of Man. That type of resolute activity has always seemed to increase my faith in an all-knowing, all-loving and sovereign God. It’s great to have time now with retirement to respond to the inclinations that a faith and trust in God will develop in any penitent and grateful soul. 

I remember that C.S. Lewis once said that we need to have a balance in what we read. This means recognizing the possibility of chronological snobbery that we are blind to in current literature. The antidote is reading the older authors that wrote of wisdom that is more evident now along with the blindness that existed at that time. With the proliferation of knowledge through near universal access of a communication medium that the internet represents, have you attempted to balance your intake of information based on this axiom?