The Cosmic Trilogy

I've finally got around to re-reading CS Lewis' Cosmic Trilogy: Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra and That Hideous Strength.

Overall, I'd best describe the trilogy as Very Odd, although not necessarily in a bad way! Not science fiction as you'd know it, but fantasy as Lewis does best, with talking beasts and fantastic creatures, only set this time in space. As in the Narnia stories he has woven in the 'Deeper Magic', the Story above - and below - all stories, while creating a cosmology entirely his own.

The Trilogy tells the story of a man called Ransom, a Christian professor who finds himself quite unexpectedly taken to Mars (or Malacandra), and then later to Venus (Perelandra). His journey out of the 'Silent Planet' (that is, Earth) leads to some remarkable discoveries about the universe, and a radical perspective change in his theology and cosmology.

My favourite book was the second. It's thoroughly fantastic, functioning as a myth in the way that Lewis does best. Ransom goes to Venus and witnesses the birth of a new race and its first temptation. Will this Eden also fall?

One of my favourite pieces of dialogue in the book is the conversation between the Green Lady and Ransom about why she is human and why fantastic creatures occur only on the more ancient worlds.

She is bewildered by his question and asks him, "How could they come again? Since our Beloved became a man, how should Reason in any world take on another form? Do you not understand? That is all over. Among times there is a time that turns a corner and everything on this side of it is new. Times do not go backward." Jesus is the turning point of all history. Nothing will ever be the same again.

The 'black archon' of Earth, whom Maleldil has blockaded on the planet (thus, 'the Silent Planet') has found a way to travel to Perelandra in the body of a twisted physicist called Dr Weston. In some of the most interesting scenes in the book, Ransom is forced to watch as the 'Un-man' uses every trick in the book to tempt the Lady to disobey Maleldil. Until finally, the Presence himself turns up.

Much to Ransom's dismay, there will be no supernatural intervention. He is Maleldil's representative on Perelandra and, not only must he 'do his best', in fact the very outcome of the battle is in his mortal hands. Literally in his hands, for the struggle he must have with the Tempter is a physical one, to destroy the human body that he inhabits. This is not what he expects, for "no such crude, materialistic struggle could be what Maleldil really intended...it would degrade the spiritual warfare to the condition of mere mythology." But he comes to realise that in the Incarnation, the spiritual has been bound up with the physical to such a degree that they can no longer be separated. He cannot draw a parallel between Eden and Perelandra because "What had happened on Earth, when Maleldil was born a man at Bethlehem, had altered the universe for ever."

It is Lewis' high view of the nature of humanity and his reflections on the universe-shattering nature of the Incarnation which is the most distinctive theme in the book. His use of Ransom reflects his understanding that God has chosen to effect his redemptive purposes through men and women:
"When Eve fell, God was not Man. He had not yet made men members of His body: since then He had, and through them henceforward He would save and suffer."

The task has come to this man, Ransom, to save a world from a fall. But, in one of the most thrilling lines in the book, the Voice tells him, "My name is also Ransom". He comes to understand that if even he fails "this world also would hereafter be redeemed. If he were not the ransom, Another would be...Not a second crucifixion: perhaps - who knows - not even a second Incarnation... some act of even more appalling love, some glory of yet deeper humility... her Redemption was beyond conceiving".

The outcome of the story I'll leave to you to find out!

Lewis' creations are always memorable, his fantasies tend to stick around in your consciousness, invading your worldview. You're left having to remind yourself that no, Mars really is just a cold and barren rock. And there's almost a sadness in coming back to reality and remembering the facts. Yet at the same time, it's a short-lived sadness, for his re-telling of the Big Story leaves me with a deeper, wider view of the real story. For, however fantastic the universes that Lewis creates, the reality is infinitely more glorious! Who can comprehend the mind of God, the intricacies of his plan, the delights he has in store for us?

(I've lots more I could say about That Hideous Strength, but that will have to wait for another day.)

I'd certainly recommend the first two books of the trilogy, for although they don't represent Lewis' best writing, they'll unsettle and stretch your worldview and that's never a bad thing!

Comedic scenes in Matthew

A curious title, you say?
Surely Holy Scripture is not allowed to make you laugh...?

A couple of scenes in Matthew's Gospel have made me chuckle recently.

Matt 14.51
Jesus has been telling parables about the kingdom of God - the mustard seed, the yeast, the pearl, the seed in the field, the hidden treasure and the net... It's not his plainest teaching, put it that way. He comes to the end..
"Have you understood all these things?" Jesus asked.
"Yes," they replied.

Try reading all these parables out loud to someone, with all their varying scenes and images, and then coming to the end with this verse. Tell me it doesn't pull you up chuckling, raising your eyebrow and going 'Oh, really?' I can imagine them nodding vigorously in response, "Yes, absolutely, like a pearl, yes, that makes complete sense. It always reminded me of a net..." It reminds me of times when I was teaching and I'd stupidly ask the class, "Does that make sense? Do you understand?" If I got any response at all it would be nodding heads and confident expressions. Did they have any idea what I was talking about? No.

Matt 16.5-12
Jesus and the disciples are in a boat, crossing the lake. But the disciples have forgotten to bring bread. Perhaps they're blaming each other, or sitting shame-faced. Jesus tells them, "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees." The disciples are convinced he's telling them off for forgetting the bread and they discuss it among themselves. (It makes you wonder if Jesus is playing with them, but his serious response in v.8 probably rules that one out!) I like that the disciples found Jesus just as cryptic as we often do! It's hard to imagine Matthew writing this without a smile on his face.


Anyone got any more?

Revelation on the Road

In Luke 24 Cleopas and his friend are leaving Jerusalem and on the road to Emmaus when they meet Jesus, although of course they don't recognise who he is.

They recount the events in Jerusalem for him:
- Jesus was a prophet from God, "powerful in word and deed", they hoped "he was the one who was going to redeem Israel."
- he was handed over by the chief priests and crucified
- three days later, the tomb is empty (v.23,24)
- the women reported seeing "a vision of" angels who said he was alive

(But they're clearly not convinced! In fact, they're leaving and going home. Alive! That's crazy...)

[Jesus] tells them to pay attention and he opens up the Scriptures regarding himself. Later, they recall how their hearts were "burning within [them]".

Finally, as they eat together in Emmaus, their eyes are opened and they recognise Jesus! They immediately return to Jerusalem, running the 7 miles in the dark (v.29) to tell the disciples (though sadly, their news is already out-of-date because in the meantime Jesus has also appeared to Peter!)

It's not the fact of the empty tomb that convinces them, it's not the angels (the women aren't credible witnesses to start with and with a story like that..?), nor have they simply understood from the Scriptures what it was all about. Their new excitement, as they rush back to Jerusalem, is because they have met the risen Christ himself. As always, it's about revelation, not information!

Richard Briggs pointed out that Christian belief is not based on the fact of the empty tomb, but on the experience of Jesus, alive from the dead. The disciples went from a scared bunch of nobodies, hiding in an upper room, to being passionately excited about Jesus, missionaries and martyrs and church leaders, not because they'd seen an empty tomb, but because Jesus was alive from the dead! They had met him, seen his hands and feet (v.40), seen him eat "broiled fish" (v.41-43 present a funny scene, easy to imagine.. they're all standing there, amazed, and he's trying to convince them he's not a vision. 'Give me something to eat, ' he says.).

There's also a sweetness to this story in the way that Cleopas and his friend don't miss out. If Jesus had not caught up with him (and his wife?) on the road they would not have returned to Jerusalem, where Jesus then appears to all of them and tells them to wait in the city until the Holy Spirit comes. It's also worth noting that Jesus has apparently appeared to Peter individually before this point (see also 1 Corinthians 15.5 for the earliest account of the resurrection appearances), significant because of Peter's earlier betrayal.

The Road to Emmaus story gives us the paradoxical truth:
"Scripture reveals Jesus but you need Jesus to reveal Scripture."
(see also Luke 24.45)

The Gate of the Year

I said to the man
Who stood at the gate of the year,
“Give me a light that I may tread safely
into the unknown.”

And he replied,
“Go out into the darkness
and put your hand into the hand of God
That shall be to you
Better than the light
And safer than a known way!”

So I went forth
And finding the hand of God
Trod gladly into the light.

Minnie Louise Haskins, 1908

Christmas Eve in London

A fairly recent Christmas tradition in our family is the St Martin in the Fields' Christmas Carol Service on Christmas Eve. The Carol Service is always excellent - lots of great carols and drama. But mostly it's just an excuse to be out in the city at night, seeing the lights along the river, wrapped up warm as we wander dark and festive streets. We park near Waterloo station and cross the river on the beautiful Hungerford Bridge. Getting a good seat requires queueing, but that's part of the adventure. Trafalgar Square is always humming with activity and this night is no different.