 |
| David Lewis |
Here are some questions for you to ponder and discuss here:
(1) Lewis thinks that eternal conscious torment in hell is a wildly disproportionate punishment for whatever one manages to do. Of course, it is unjust to inflict wildly disproportionate punishments upon people. So no perfectly good God (who is presumably perfectly just) would consign people to eternal conscious torment in hell. Is he right about all that?
(2) Some may be inclined to appeal to certain theological traditions according to which it isn't ultimately up to us whether we are saved. Salvation is not a matter of our freely choosing (apart from God's complete unilateral control) to be reconciled to God. Rather, our salvation depends entirely upon God's electing us for salvation and unilaterally bringing it about that we choose to be reconciled to God. Does holding to this view (or something like it) make a difference to Lewis' argument? Would Lewis think that this makes things better or worse for the Christian?
(3) Lewis talks a lot about hell as punishment. Must we think of hell as punishment? Perhaps we should think about things this way: God consigns some persons to hell in the sense that God allows those persons to experience the natural outcome of their free decisions made over a lifetime. (Read the Michael Murray essay again for more on this.) These persons made themselves fit for a hellish existence, cultivating a certain kind of character and way of being through their free earthly choices, and God simply allows them to experience that hellish existence. What might Lewis think about this? What do you think about this?
(4) Some may think that Lewis omitted a crucial aspect of the orthodox Christian story: original sin. Suppose we run that by Lewis. Would that ruin his arguments? What might he think about such an appeal?
(5) Lewis seems to think that no one could possibly freely choose hell (eternal ruin and misery) over reconciliation with God (eternal joy and bliss) from a fully informed perspective. What do you think it takes to be fully informed for Lewis? Is anyone ever really fully informed? Is he right that no one could possibly make such a choice?
(6) We don't think young children and even adolescents are competent to make life and death decisions. For example, we don't let 13 year old children drive cars on the highway. Why should we think that they are capable of making competent decisions regarding eternal life and death? What does it even mean to make such a choice? Is Lewis' analogy of a parent placing infants in a nursery laced with deadly objects a fitting one here?
There are plenty of other questions to consider. But this should be enough for now. Think hard about these things. Reflect deeply. Be patient and persevere. This is tough work.
Interact graciously and charitably with each other. Strive to prod one another in fruitful ways.
