Barnes & NobleThe Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis

Great story of heaven and hell

C.S. Lewis once more proves his theological and allegorical writing chops in "The Great Divorce." Written in response to a piece on the marriage of heaven and hell, an idea to which Lewis takes exception, this story takes the short and basic form of an allegorical journey of one soul from hell to heaven where many conversations are had between lost souls and their heavenly counterparts who seek to persuade them of the folly of their decision. Taken literally, several theological problems arise, but Lewis is intelligent enough to frame all this as a dream where fantasy and fact collide. As with much of his myth (looking at you "Until We Have Faces"), it is interesting to note the themes often deal with fundamental human and spiritual truths set against backdrops which may not be factually accurate. My point is that to take "The Great Divorce" as a fact, to assume Lewis had some special knowledge of the afterlife, would be a massive error. Rather, his imagery seeks to distill the essence of heaven and hell (as he, no doubt so inadequately, understands them) into concrete, understandable concepts, and the dialogue emphasizes fundamental differences in thought and worldview between Christians and those non-Christians. Lewis excels in these respects; though much of the volume is light theological discussion, I still found it hard to put down. I have no doubt Lewis would admit errors snuck into his work, but it still performs admirably to show at least one man’s understanding of the difference between Christians and those not saved, between heaven and hell, and why those differences matter. I recommend putting this quick read on your list to entertain as well as enrich.