The Screwtape Letters - Book Review

a review by Adam Pohlman

Ephesians 6:12 tells us "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]." In the book, The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis gives us a look into the battle for souls from the other side of the trenches. It is written from the perspective of a devil named Screwtape who is writing to his amateur demon nephew, Wormwood, teaching him the ways of tempting humans. Specifically, Wormwood has been assigned to assure the destruction of the soul of a man whose name is unknown and simply referred to as the "patient." The letters progress through the suggested temptations in the life of this young man as he becomes a new convert to Christianity and eventually to his death.

Written as a fictional conversation, the letters from Screwtape to his young demon apprentice are quite entertaining and especially thought-provoking. Because of the point-of-view the book is written from, the main character, in an uncommon twist, refers to Satan as "Our Father" and to God as "the Enemy." When informing young Wormwood about prayer, Screwtape instructs, "The best thing, where it is possible, is to keep the patient from the serious intention of praying altogether. When the patient is an adult recently reconverted to the Enemy's party, like your man, this is best done by encouraging him to remember, or to think he remembers, the parrot-like nature of his prayers in childhood..." (pg. 15). Any reader will be able to relate to many of the temptations that these devils throw at their "patient," and it will strengthen your own walk as you consider where the temptations in your own life may have originated.

C.S. Lewis masterfully uses this unique style of writing to present many of the common weaknesses in a Christians life and then gives the reader encouragement to endure common temptations to which Christians often surrender. Lewis is known as a skilled writer and may be a little difficult at first to get acquainted with the scholarly English prose, but this will only benefit the growth of the reader. The Screwtape Letters cleverly exhorts Christians to righteousness without coming across as "preachy." Important doctrinal themes and stern rebukes of sinful actions and attitudes are addressed by making the devils the bad guys instead of a stuffy, old author. It is a nice change of pace from reading the regular doctrinal exposition type writings or the standard "how-to" books for Christians. Lewis provides a provocative challenge in a short, amusing read and reminds us that we are in a spiritual war.