On the Christian Book Club in March we have been reading The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. To me, this is one of those books that you can read over and over again. Each time I read it, I feel like I am able to take something different away from the book. One of the chapters that really caught my attention (there were many of them) was Chapter 15 where the discussion turns to living in the future or living in the present. Screwtape says this on page 76; “In a word, the future is, of all things, the thing least like eternity. It is the most completely temporal part of time–for the past is frozen and no longer flows, and the present is all lit up with eternal rays. Hence the encouragement we have given all those schemes of thought such as Creative Evolution, Scientific Humanism, or Communism, which fix men’s affections on the future, on the very core of temporality. Hence nearly all vices are rooted in the future. Gratitude looks to the past and love to the present; fear, avarice, lust, and ambition look ahead.”

That thought process really seemed to connect with me and the situation we find ourselves in today. Everyone seems so focused on the future, that in order to achieve what they think they want, they will do whatever they think it takes. In the process that have completely sacrificed the present, and they are really no longer living at all.

I hope that you have enjoyed reading the Screwtape Letters on Christian Book Club. As always, I look forward to your comments.

In April our Christian Book Club selection is “The Hobbit” by JRR Tolkien. I am going to put a link to the book in case you need to purchase a copy. After we read the Hobbit we are going to continue the story by reading the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. I look forward to your comments and insight in the weeks ahead.

The Hobbit By J.R.R. Tolkien / Houghton-mifflin If you care for journeys there and back, out of the comfortable Western world, over the edge of the Wild, and home again, and can take interest in a humble hero (blessed with a little wisdom and a little courage), here is a record of such a journey and such a traveler. The period is the ancient time between the age of Faerie and the dominion of men, when the famous forest of Mirkwood was still standing, and the mountains were full of danger. In following the path of the humble adventurer, you will learn by the way (as he did) – if you do not already know all about these things – much about trolls, goblins, dwarves, and elves, and get some glimpses into the history and politics of a neglected but important period. For Mr. Bilbo Baggins visited various notable persons; conversed with the dragon, Smaug the Magnificent; and was present, rather unwillingly, at the Battle of the Five Armies. This is all the more remarkable, since he was a hobbit. Hobbits have hitherto been passed over in history and legend, perhaps because they as a rule preferred peace and quiet to excitement. But his account, based on his personal memoirs, of the one exciting year in the otherwise quiet life of Mr. Bilbo Baggins will give you a fair idea of the estimable people now (it is said) becoming rather rare.

On Christian Book Club we are continuing our reading of “Velvet Elvis”. I think that this is a very interesting read. I get why it has some people stirred up. There have already been a couple of times when I could feel myself getting a little defensive as I read the book. One example was when he wrote about the virgin birth. He certainly affirms his belief in the orthodoxy of the Christian faith, but when he is submitting the questions is still gets me a little excited. Ultimately, I think it is a very positive experience to be challenged. I don’t want to be stuck in “brickianity”. Let me know if any of Bells ideas have got you thinking. I look forward to your comments as we continue our reading. This week you should be well in into Movements 5 and 6.

Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith By Rob Bell

This week the Christian Book Club will be reading “Book 2 – What Christians Believe”.

Lewis says that repentance “means unlearning all the self-conceit and self-will that we have been training ourselves into for thousands of years. It means killing part of yourself, undergoing a kind of death” (p. 57). Real repentance has to do with dealing with our selfishness. Again, I think our culture has taught us that we need to always be looking out for number one. How do we embrace the idea that this selfish part of us has to die. How does this tie in to the death of Christ on the cross?

CS also has a great analogy about how Christians see good on page 63. “…the Christian thinks any good he does comes from the Christ-life within him. He does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us; just as the roof of a greenhouse does not attract the sun because it is bright, but becomes bright because the sun shines on it”. What other analogies have you read so far in the book that you have enjoyed?