A Summary of C.S.
Lewis’s perspective on the Theological Virtues (Faith, Hope, Love) in Mere Christianity (Book II, chapters
9-12)
Lewis begins his
discussion of Charity with reference to his chapter on Forgiveness, which he
calls “a part of Charity” (129). He notes that while man consider charity as
“alms,” the giving of money to the poor constitutes only part of Charity. The
central quality of Charity Lewis calls, “’Love, in the Christian sense,’” which
characterizes a state of the will rather than of the emotions. What we like or
do not like are not Charity (though they may aid or detract from Charity).
Charity desires the good or happiness of others as much as one’s own, and it
must be cultivated through habitual actions that put others first, whether or
not one feels like doing so. Loving, like hating, increases itself—the more one
does acts of love, the more one finds he does love the object of his loving
action; and the more one does acts of hate, the more one finds he does hate
object of his hating action.
Lewis defines hope
as, “a continual looking forward to the eternal world,” remarking that, perhaps
paradoxically, such thinking makes men far more useful in the present world
(134). He cites history for examples that show that the most heavenly-minded
Christians did the most worldly good. The principle runs this way: “Aim at
Heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in’: aim at earth and you will get
neither” (134). Lewis then anticipates his famous “argument from desire,” by
observing how often people have desires beyond what any earthy goods can
satisfy. He says there are three possible responses to such desires: 1) The
Fool’s Way, 2) The Way of the Disillusioned ‘Sensible Man,’ and 3) The
Christian Way. The Fool’s way blames the earthly goods for his dissatisfaction
and spends all of his energy moving from one pleasure to the next, always
seeking after what nothing he seeks can provide. The Sensible Man’s way denies
the longing as false and tries to find contentment in the lesser pleasures
earth provides. Whereas the Fool runs up a lengthy account of disappointments,
the Sensible Man avoids small disappointments, but still misses out on the true
satisfaction Reality affords. The Christian way believes it is man’s nature to
desire things beyond this world because he was made for another—the natural
desire for otherworldly pleasure is evidence of the reality beyond this life.
All of the Scriptural imagery for heaven constitute earthly expressions for the
inexpressible treasures of Heaven: music indicates the ecstasy and infinity of
Heaven; crows, our share of God’s splendor, power, and joy in Heaven; gold, the
timelessness and preciousness of Heaven.
Lewis devotes two
chapters to Faith, since there are two senses of the word. The first involves
belief, or acceptance of the truth of the doctrines of Christianity. The nature
of this acceptance constitutes virtue, because it clings to the truth against
the sense, emotions, and moods that make unbelief easier or more comfortable. A
man may “have faith” in a surgeon’s skill, yet feel afraid when he must go
under the knife. His faith shows itself strong when he chooses to quiet his
fear in response to his reason’s acceptance of the truth. Faith then, like
Charity, requires habituation—a continual effort at overcoming emotions and
moods to the contrary. The second kind of Faith pertains to this habituation,
since the revelation of faith, or the strengthening of faith, requires that one
battle against temptation. Giving in to temptation does show temptation’s
strength, but only through resistance does one test the strength of temptation.
Since Jesus alone resisted all temptation, he alone knows temptation’s full
strength, and it is only in striving to overcome temptation that we discover
that God alone possesses the power to resist, and that He freely provides that
power to those who seek it. One cannot know how much one needs faith until one
tries to be good and fails, and one only understands how much one’s good
depends upon God when one’s failure leads one to confess one’s utter dependence
upon God for faith and works. In short, one cannot possess great faith without
exhibiting great moral effort, yet one cannot achieve great moral effort
without the help of God received by faith.
