Theological Themes of Concupiscence, Sin, Social Sin and Grace in C.S. Lewis's The Great Divorce
Overview
This essay analyzes C.S. Lewis's The Great Divorce as a theological exploration of Christian doctrine through the lens of desire, sin, and divine grace. The analysis examines how Lewis uses fictional narrative to argue for Christianity's rationality and demonstrates how human souls reject God's grace in favor of earthly desires and sinful attachments.
What this essay covers
- Introduction to The Great Divorce as a dream narrative with theological significance and Lewis's argument for Christianity as intuitive morality
- Analysis of grace and love as foundational Christian concepts, contrasting believers' understanding with nonbelievers' self-centered desires
- Examination of sin through character examples such as Pam and Ikey, demonstrating how souls prioritize earthly pleasures over spiritual salvation
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Theological Themes as Concupiscence, Sin, Social Sin and Grace
The Great Divorce is crafted as a reflection of a dream. The narrative starts when the author finds himself in a grey town waiting for a bus. Other people are waiting for the same bus but decide to walk before the arrival of the vehicle. The others are waiting and finally aboard the bus. The context of the narrative involves hidden meaning relevant to the Christian world and spirituality. The narrative can be explored from a theological point of view, with the themes of desire, sin, social sin, and grace, guiding the book's review and analysis.
Lewis adopts a fictitious approach to make arguments about the truth and value of Christianity. The author argues that Christianity is an obvious intuitive way of thinking about life, morality, and happiness. The story proves that Christianity is common sense by showing the alternatives to Christianity are irrational and otherwise ill-founded. The damned souls who refuse to believe in the word of God or the divinity are confused about themselves and their place in the world. They also fail to show basic human emotions such as compassion, respect, and dignity. Lewis does not explain why it is necessary to love and believe in God but makes two arguments. The first argument is on the suggestion that believing in God is the assumption that goodness is possible (Lewis, n.p).