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We would heartily advise the "Scew Tape Letters" as curriculum for the NIOS Diploma in World Classical Literature. From the "Britannica" bio-data we can see the profound effect of Prof. C. S. Lewis' writings on Christian and European traditions. The "Letters" also offers the historical-novel's taste of the English world at the time of World War II. In this respect it is similar to our marginally suggested readings of Dame Agatha Christy's, "The Young Adventurers" and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes novels.
The
edition, as noted above, includes a history of C. S. Lewis' writing of
the "Letters".
Screw Tape
is an Undersecretary in the administration of Hell and his nephew Worm
Wood is a neophyte Tempter assigned to bring about the down fall of one
Englishman.
In a series of letters Screw Tape advises Worm Wood with different strategies on how to tempt his Patient with evil; and furthermore reveals a broader Christian cosmology and ontology.
The
suggested temptations deal with a man in a marginal Christian mode to
varying degrees of deeper Christian involvement. Thus, we find
profitable comparisons with the similar temptations described by Lord
Caitanya to Rupa Goswami in Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami's "Caitanya-caritamrta"
2.19, Rupa-siksa.
From our
first reading of the "Letters" there is considerable worth in the
information, perspective and focus offered by Prof. Lewis, yet we feel
that the treatment in Rupa Siksa is more systematic. Of course, our
depth training is in the tradition of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and so we
don't consider our estimation to be extremely well informed.
The
"Letters" gives us a taste of the depth of Christian theology and
opportunities for it's practice in the daily life of a mid-century
Englishman in his local Parish community. We were also impressed with
the depth of the cosmology and how it dealt with, for example, the
problem of time, destiny and free-will.
For
further reading there are certainly Wikipedia articles and other on-line
articles, the Britannica and much more.
However,
we recommend the "Letters" as sufficient in itself for the NIOS M. lit.,
being education enough to open a fruitful dialog with any reader of
English, Christian, literature. Thus we we would be mutually enriched in
the understanding of our own tradition, the general principles of
philosophy and religion, and how to work more harmoniously to create
peace, friendship and prosperity with a common cause. the goals of NIOS.
More
personally it certainly serves to help us avoid the snares of the
Tempter.
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