C.S. Lewis: Spiritual Director of Christian Belief

There once was a young boy who admired fine stationary and proper penmanship and wrote in the fly leaf of his new books, “Ireland, the British Isles, Europe, Earth, the Universe”. [footnoteRef:1] He would grow to become a professor, a prolific reader, writer, scholar and friend with a new inscription across his letterheads, “The Kilns, Headington Quarry, Oxford”, signing his letters: C.S. Lewis. Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963) was well-known for his essays, works of fiction, Theology and Christian Apologetics along with his radio broadcast episodes addressing Christianity which later became the acclaimed classic Mere Christianity. The enormous popularity led to letter exchanges with fans which have been chronicled in several different books over the last 60 years. Lewis was known to sit at his desk answering daily correspondence, whether it was simple inquiries on more books to come, gratitude for his works, or questions wrestling with a deeper spiritual nature. Often, themes discussed in his letters would echo themes discussed in his published writings. Each letter he took seriously, answering in long hand with dip pen and ink, believing this was part of his God-given duty.[footnoteRef:2] Over time, Lewis fostered relationships with many of these letter writers. Many of his letters contain wisdom still relevant for today. Readers gain insight into the true character of who C.S. Lewis was, the themes he explored with his friends and fans, the rapport he developed over time and the guidance he offered not only for those with whom he initially wrote but extending to the next generation as well. Through exploring the letters and writings, Lewis, scholar and writer, is revealed with a new title: Spiritual Director.

Letters for Mary Shelley Neylan

In 1933, Lewis published Pilgrim’s Regress, his first book written as an allegorical fiction exploring his own spiritual journey told through the character of “John”. Lewis had journeyed from Atheism to Theism to Christianity beginning in 1929 (SBJ, ****) and would, from his conversion, boldly claim his faith in speech and writing. Most of his days were occupied with his position among the English teaching faculty at Magdalen in Oxford, England. Days began with morning tea, followed by chapel, breakfast and a heavy teaching load.[footnoteRef:3] He acted as a personal tutor to students as needed and made time for his prolific letter writing. Mary Shelley was one of the students he tutored in preparation for her teaching career in English. Born in 1908, Mary was baptized in the Anglican church but fell away from faith as she grew up, a result of “low church boarding schools”[footnoteRef:4]. She came to Oxford on scholarship in 1930, full of ambition and life but by the time she graduated, was disillusioned.[footnoteRef:5] Mary sent a letter to Lewis, clearly distressed by the failing marks she had received. Lewis responded addressing a theme he would often deal with in his letters: feelings. “You must not run away with the idea that you are a fourth class mind.” (Letters vol II, 113) He continued by humbly asking for her forgiveness both as an examiner and as tutor and requested if he can be of service in the future to let him know. “Till then, good-by and good luck. Yours very sincerely, C.S. Lewis” (Letters, 113), he concludes.

Four years passed until Lewis responded to another letter to Mary, now Mrs. Neylan. He discovered his criticisms had paid off and she had turned back towards poetry. That was the beginning of a steadier flow of letters between the two of them covering topics often seen in Lewis’ letters: literature, faith, reason, feelings, encouragement and advice when warranted.

By March 1940, the topic of conversation had turned towards Christianity and questioning the Bible. Lewis encouraged Mary that it was permitted to ask questions and encouraged her to be an analyst of the text. He found in his own experience, people would tell him what he was to see in the gospels, a “sweetly-attractive-human-Jesus” but that wasn’t what a critically thinking unbeliever would see when they first opened Scriptures. He suggested she come to the Scriptures with an open mind and ask, “what is this?” Lewis then wrote to his friend, Dom Griffiths, asking for prayer for Mary as he realized she was on the brink of Christianity (Letters, 392). One month later, April 1940, Lewis helped Mary wrestle through doctrinal issues aiming her toward issues of obedience, bringing her attention to reason over feeling. He offers encouragement in his agreement of her assessment that feelings cannot be created and challenges her to consider the following, “Isn’t your problem one of thought, not feeling? The question is ‘Is Christianity true—or even, is there some truth mixed up in it?’” (Letters v. ii, 396).

Over the next year, Lewis would begin his radio broadcasts addressing Christianity. His logical, rational, reasoned approach complete with enough allegories to make his talks accessible became popular across the British airwaves. By 1941, Mary had reached a conclusion converting to Christianity and occasionally used Lewis as somewhat of a confessor. Lewis encouraged her when to seek “professionals” not relying merely on friends or laypersons. Years later, he would remark regarding confessing that it was “among the recurrent pleasures of life. What a mercy to another’s voice to liberate one from all the endless labyrinths of the solitary conscience!” (Letters v.III, 551.) For all the reason one may use, feelings did still need to be dealt with after all.

Lewis and Neylan continued to exchange letters yet his concern for Mary extended beyond her. In 1938, Mary had given birth to a little girl she named Sarah. By the time she was 4 years old, she asked Lewis if he would become her godfather. He said yes and the letter exchanges began with little Sarah over the years as well. Lewis would send letters encouraging her writing, poetry, imagination and creativity. At age 11, Sarah was to take her first communion and Lewis sent off a few words of wisdom for her to grow into. He wanted her to remember that communion may or may not come with “feelings”, not to worry either way, if the Lord gave them, the response is thank you. It is more important to keep on in obedience. His second piece of advice was to remember there are only three things anyone need ever do:

• Things we ought to do
• Things we’ve got to do
• Things we like to do.

“Some people seem to spend so much of their time doing things for none of the three reasons, things like reading books they don’t like because other people like them.' Sarah clearly followed this advice. Following her passions, she grew to become an artist, eventually moving to Mexico and owned a small gallery before dying at the age of 79. Lewis’ role in Neylan’s life went well beyond that of professor and tutor. He took his own conversion to Christianity seriously recognizing the distress and feelings of worthlessness in his student. His encouragement helped bring Mary to Christianity, he challenged her perspectives, asked questions of her, and demonstrated a willingness to engage in matters of faith that stretched into the next generation providing solid spiritual direction in her life.

Mrs. Mary Van Deusen

Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer was published in 1964, was published posthumously, but the topic of prayer was requested by Mrs. Mary Van Deusen, an American who wrote to Lewis in August 1949. Lewis responded he could not take on a book regarding prayer—it would be “cheek”! (Letters vol. ii, 965). This did not stop the string of conversation that developed over the years regarding this very subject between the two of them. Over the years Lewis would advise Van Deusen in her prayer life answer questions such as do we prompt God to heal because we pray or does God heal regardless of our prayers? Ought we to engage in spontaneous prayers from the heart or corporate prayers?[footnoteRef:10] What must our proper response be in difficult situations—what can we expect from prayer? As the years passed, the relationship developed; there was mutual awareness they held one another—and those they held dearest—in prayer.

While it may not have been “cheek” to have written a prayer book in ’49 when requested, there were certainly ideas Lewis was still developing and maturing in himself that by the time “Malcolm” was written he had developed more thoroughly. It may well have been that through the regular letter exchanges he engaged in not only did he advise, but he was also learning. In 1952, the answer to Van Deusen regarding “what is better, corporate vs. spontaneous prayer?” was spontaneous is best because in corporate prayer one might not know what is being prayed for until it is already said. What if it was phony or heretical? One must always be thinking.[footnoteRef:12] By the time of “Malcolm” Lewis had engaged in enough dialogue to have developed at the very least, a fine appreciation for the sound doctrine behind “ready made prayers”.

As with Mary Neylan, “feelings” was another area Lewis explored often with Van Deusen. Beginning in 1950, the discussion began over the responsibility of one’s participation within the body of the church even if there are aspects of the church that are disliked. He responded, “Obedience is the key to all doors: feelings come (or don’t come) and go as God pleases. We can’t produce them at will and mustn’t try.” The theme of obedience and belief was one he continued to guide her in over time. In 1953 Lewis again reminds her that feelings of joy and love are gift to give thanks for but do expect the feelings to fade. The challenge then is to stand firm in one’s belief. Feelings are “by nature impermanent”.

As with Mrs. Neylan, his concern did not stop only with Van Deusen alone. Throughout the course of their letter exchanges he learned about her family members. Lewis, while providing counsel and wisdom to Mary, became aware that she had a daughter who also needed counsel. He soon exchanged letters with her grown daughter, Miss Genia Goelz, acting as spiritual director by nature of the discussions. In 1951, Genia sought advice on basic doctrinal questions and turned to Lewis for counsel. He was mindful that Genia had received poor counsel from other religious leaders and advised her as to proper resources. He suggested she spend time reading her New Testament, in prayer and obeying her conscience in all matters. He also advised to not bother much about her feelings. “When they are humble, loving, brave, give thanks for them: when they are conceited, selfish, cowardly, ask to have them altered. In neither case are they you, but only a thing that happens to you.”[footnoteRef:15] Feelings continued to remain a theme that frequently was discussed between both generations of women and Lewis—one that clearly needed his counsel. Lewis continued to offer advice such as remembering to think critically, to consider “glowy” feeling as “birthday cards from God…[they] are only greetings.” Feelings were not the genuine object of the faith rather the genuine “object” or what he called, “real things”, would always be there while the sense of glow would recede and was therefore unreliable. Genia, like Mary Neylan years prior, also dealt with feelings of hopelessness which Lewis addressed with encouragement. He pointed out that what she was sensing was God stirring or as he addressed it, beginning “the treatment”.

“The treatment” would have crossed Lewis’ mind that year as Mere Christianity was published. In it, he discussed the cost of becoming a Christian: “…if once you call Him in, He will give you the full treatment…’Make no mistake,’ He says, ‘if you let me, I will make you perfect.’” (MC, 158). Eight months after writing to Genia of “the treatment” in February of 1952, he responded to her again. This time his reply was a hearty “congratulations and condolences” on her adult conversion to Christianity. Speaking from experience as one adult convert to another and who would come to describe his own conversion as “a prodigal who is brought in kicking, struggling, resentful, and darting his eyes in every direction for a chance of escape” (SBJ, 215), he understood “the plunge” Genia had taken. He offered assurance it was like learning to fly. The advice offered to Genia echoed the image Lewis wrote about in Mere Christianity comparing the process of conversion to that of turning a horse into a winged creature. There may be a period where the creature may be an awkward, unnatural, lumpy shouldered animal but soon enough, the process would evolve and, in its place, transformed, would be a new creature ready to fly (MC, 168-169). That same year, 1952, the third installment of The Chronicles of Narnia was published. In this novel, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the theme of transformation was addressed through the character of Eustace Scrubb as he changed from his old insufferable, greedy self into something new after much agony until he encountered Aslan, the Christ-like figure. Lewis’s spiritual direction in the theme of transformation could easily have been offered to Genia through more than just the letters that year.

Lewis and Van Deusen had exchanged letters for five years when in 1954 the start of the topic of vocation was explored from a spiritual level. Prior to that time, in 1951, Lewis had certainly advised Van Deusen as she explored next steps she may want to take in life and sought his opinion on whether to pursue classes. He replied he didn’t believe so unless there was a strong curiosity or was needed for an occupation. Of course, if it was for pure enjoyment, that was another matter: “I never see why we should do anything unless it is either a duty or a pleasure!”[footnoteRef:18] What, then, should she pursue? What could God want her for? In 1954, she asked these questions and Lewis responded, “You ask ‘for what’ God wants you. Isn’t the primary answer that He wants you. We’re not told that the lost sheep was sought out for anything except itself. Of course, He may have a special job for you: and the certain job is that of becoming more and more His.” He later reminded her that how one handles a “vocation” is to not get caught up in too much of the thinking about what to do, rather start the doing of whatever it is moment by moment as the day presents itself. This was not a new idea for Lewis. In 1941, he preached at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Oxford. In his sermon, Lewis addressed the concept of glory to the congregants and what it meant to be created for the very purpose of belonging to the Lord. When one recognized that in themselves, then it would be possible to recognize society is filled with “gods and goddesses…the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare…There are no ordinary people.” Lewis recognized that in recognizing the sacred and treating one another as God’s sacred beings, one is truly living into their own higher calling.

Of course, the everyday treatment of one another was often the most challenging and in the letters Lewis writes to Van Deusen over their 14-year friendship, often it was the daily challenges that Lewis offered encouragement and direction towards. He inquired about and prayed for Van Deusen’s marriage, her children, staying particularly engaged in the spiritual life of Genia, saying of her “She is always in my prayers. It makes me feel as if I had a daughter of my own!” after hearing particularly distressing news. When a cancer scare arose in the Van Deusen household, Lewis offered prayers and encouragement to take things “day by day, hour by hour.” He once boldly put their friendship on the line when he feared Mrs. Van Deusen might interfere in the marriage of Genia, yet he remained concerned for what he was hearing about Genia’s behavior. Genia had gotten the idea she needed to go about educating her husband and “fix him up”. Lewis thought that was unwise reminding both the women that Mr. Goelz had been a rather good husband. For the sake of the marriage, Lewis was willing to offer counsel and yet his hope was that he had not created enemies between themselves by doing so. He closed his letter with, “At any rate, my prayers will not cease.”

Lewis recognized the similarities between these two women--the tendency toward tension and arguments over trivial matters. One of the more beautiful, or brutal, truths he offered Van Deusen was this: “…why worry? Live and let live. ‘Take life easy as the leaves grow in the tree. There is, if you will forgive me for saying so, a self-tormenting and a mutually tormenting element in both of you.”[footnoteRef:25] Being called out in truth may not have been easy to hear but Lewis cared enough to offer wisdom that would carry to the next generation. [25: 1087]

Conclusion

Today, seeking spiritual direction has become so popular one can choose to become a spiritual director by profession. However, the idea of seeking spiritual direction stretches well into Early Christianity. In the book of Acts, the Ethiopian Eunuch sought help in understanding the text of Isaiah from Philip and was soon baptized into the faith. When people across the globe reached out to C.S. Lewis seeking guidance and direction in their faith, he realized his responses were part of being obedient to God’s call for his own life. Through the letters sent to Mary Neylan and Mary Van Deusen, a picture is painted of C.S. Lewis becoming deeply vested in walking alongside these women as they wrestled with faith, feelings, vocation and what it meant to belong to Christ. He offered direction not only in their lives but by taking part in their daughter’s lives, his concern for the extended generation is evident. The wisdom and direction he offered was consistent with themes he explored and offered to the world at large through his books. Today, C.S. Lewis, the scholar and writer, could be given the title as well: Spiritual Director.