Book Review: Beyond the Shadowlands by Wayne Martindale
July 20, 2005 Posted by Roger Overton
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“There have been times when I think we do not desire heaven, but more often I find myself wondering whether, in our heart of hearts, we have ever desired anything else.” The writings of C.S. Lewis have captivated the hearts and minds of many people, even spurring some to belief in the Son of God. He will be brought to the spotlight this fall with the theatrical release of the first Chronicle of Narnia. I’ve always found The Last Battle, the final volume of the Chronicles, to be the most rousing and magical, because of Lewis’ creative perspective of Heaven. |
Lewis considered the earthly life the Shadowlands. In Beyond the Shadowlands Wayne Martindale examines Lewis’s thoughts on the afterlife, on Heaven and Hell. “In thinking about why I have been afraid of going to Heaven or have desired it so little, I have identified seven myths or false ideas I have held about it at one time or another and that Lewis’s thinking has helped dispel.” (16) He also examines six myths about Hell that Lewis brought clarity to.
In Part One (one chapter) of Heaven Dr. Martindale shows how Lewis took on each of the seven myths he once held. These include “Heaven Will Be Boring”, “What! No Sex?”, and “Just a Harp and Crown Trip.” In Part Two (six chapters) he highlights Heaven in the fictional works of Lewis. As he puts it, after demythologizing the misconceptions, Lewis brings clarity by remythologizing the truths of Heaven into his writings.
In Part One (one chapter) of Hell Dr. Martindale shows how Lewis dealt with six common myths about Hell including- “A Good God Wouldn’t Send Anyone to Hell,” “A Physical Hell Would Be Cruel,” and “No One Could Be Happy in Heaven Knowing Some Are in Hell.” In Part Two (five chapters) he highlights Hell in the fictional works of Lewis.
There is also a chapter dealing with the issue of Purgatory in Lewis’s writings followed by an Epilogue. I would say that in the chapter on Purgatory I learned the most about Lewis. I’d assumed that when Lewis mentioned Purgatory he meant in the “Romish” sense (as he put it), but he actually didn’t like Rome’s doctrine.
While this book is obviously focused on the works of C.S. Lewis, it felt more like a book on Heaven and Hell with a helpful friend pointing out the details and enriching perspectives (Lewis through Martindale). Extensive knowledge of Lewis’s works are not required since Martindale sets up each work through summary and reflection. When I picked it up I was afraid that it would be merely a collection of Lewis quotes- that would be easier to read in his books. Quite the contrary, Martindale’s created an independent work that brings Lewis back to life for a delightful interview on what really amounts to the good and evil around us. In relation to the growing collection of volumes written on the life and works of C.S. Lewis, Beyond the Shadowlands will long remain as an incredibly significant contribution to our understanding of Lewis.
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Posted in Book Reviews, Main Page, Roger's Posts, Theology
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July 20th, 2005 at 1:07 pm
Roger, how do you find time to read so much?!
That aside, I have a question–does this book go into whether or not Lewis was an inclusivist? That claim has been made, and some things in the Narnia Chronicles would suggest it.
July 20th, 2005 at 1:30 pm
I assume you're refering to the guy who worshipped Tash in The Last Battle and Aslan attributed that worship to himself? That specific incident is addressed, but not in terms of “inclusivism.” Dr. Martindale made several points about it that were good. The one I've thought to be convincing, which I think he that was most convincing as well, is that it's more likely that the guy isn't dead when he sees Aslan. He sees Aslan while living and submits to him then. I can post his other points on that when I get home if you'd like.
July 20th, 2005 at 3:14 pm
Emeth, Hebrew for truth . . .
).
I hadn't thought of the “living” angle before, that might do the trick.
What would be less hard to wriggle out of, for those concerned about this episode in the Last Battle, is the notion Aslan expresses that anytime anyone does good it is for God (even if in the name of Tash), and anytime anyone does evil, it is against God (even if in the name of God).
Combine this viewpoint with Lewis's gradualist view of salvation (some are drifting toward it, and some drifting away), and with Lewis's most controversial statements about the Buddhist finding the most Christian aspects of Buddhism, and you have, I think, a pretty serious divide with Lewis and Reformed thinking (even I have some trouble here, 2-point Calvinist that I am
At any rate, it's a good book to know about. Thanks for bringing it to light.
July 20th, 2005 at 4:09 pm
Yeah, I'd be interested to hear what else he has to say about this.
July 20th, 2005 at 11:25 pm
In regards to Micah's note about Emeth's name- “to which Lewis added the further definition, “intrinsic validity, rock bottom reality, something rooted to God's own nature.” (114)
The points:
1) “In Lewis's view, Emeth had actually kept the first commandment in his heart, though the externals look like false religion. The reverse is also true. As Jesus warned, what offers itself as worship to the true God may be false in the heart of the pretender or the self-deceived… Emeth had been a seeker after God, even though he didn't know his name or much about him.” 115)
2) “Emeth is saved by Aslan, not any other. On this point Lewis never wavered: All salvation comes through Jesus, without exception.” (115)
3) He wasn't dead.
4) “He sincerely looks to Tash, but to sincerity Emeth adds a love of truth and goodness. Anything that is good, Aslan explains, is truly of him, whatever the human attribution. Conversely, anything evil is of Tash (the Devil), even if the names are ignorantly reverse… When he sees Aslan, the true God, he recognizes him immediately. The implication is that if he had learned the truth about him earlier, he would have both recognized it and accepted it.” (116-117)
He also summarizes several points from Lewis's letters on the subject:
“1) that he did believe that some who didn't know of Christ in this life will be saved; 2) that we don't know the fate of all who haven't heard, and some may be saved who don't fit our formulas; 3) that his own ideas are speculations beased primarily on Matthew 25:31-46; 4) that all salvation, however it happens and to whomever it is granted, is from Jesus and by his grace; 5) that our duty, out of concern for those who haven't heard, is not to speculate but to tell them about Christ.