Comments on: Book Review: Beyond the Shadowlands by Wayne Martindale

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Jul 2005 04:25:00 +0000

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.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Jul 2005 21:09:00 +0000

Yeah, I'd be interested to hear what else he has to say about this.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Jul 2005 20:14:00 +0000

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.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Jul 2005 18:30:00 +0000

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.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Jul 2005 18:07:00 +0000

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.