‘The Womb of Nature and Perhaps her Grave’

“Christianity involves a God as transcendent as Aristotle’s, but adds (this was what it inherited from Judaism and could also have inherited from Plato’s Timaeus) the conception that this God is the Creator of phusis. Nature (d.s.) demoted is now both distinct from God and also related to him as artifact to artist, or as …

To Know Him

"We must not think Pride is something God forbids because He is offended at it, or that Humility is something He demands as due to His own dignity – as if God Himself was proud. He is not in the least worried about His dignity. The point is, He wants you to know Him: wants …

When One is Miserable…

“When the storm is upon us,” said Donal as they rose from their crouching position, ”it seems as if there never could be any sunshine more; but our hopelessness does not keep back the sun when his hour to shine is come.” “I understand,” said Arctura. “When one is miserable, misery seems the law of …

The Real Thou

The prayer preceding all prayers is, "May it be the real I who speaks. May it be the real Thou that I speak to.— CS Lewis

A World of Faerie

“Drawn by the sea, he took his way through the dim solemn boughless wood, as if to keep a moonlight tryst with his early love. But the sun was not yet down, and among the dark trees, shot through by the level radiance, he wandered, his heart swelling in his bosom with the glory and …

A Divine Gift

Whatever it be that gives gladness, or sorrow, or hope — this, be it violin, pencil, pen, or, highest of all, the love of woman, is simply a divine gift of holy influence for the salvation of that being to whom it comes.George MacDonald, Robert Falconer

On the Intellect “Sibi Relictus”

C. S. Lewis, “About Hinduism–you will remember that long ago you and I agreed, being still unbelievers, that Hinduism and Christianity were the only two things worth serious consideration. I still think it was a sound decision. And I agree that there is in Hinduism no true idea of the gulf between the Creator and …

Tolkien on Allegory and Story

“Of course, Allegory and Story converge, meeting somewhere in Truth. So that the only perfectly consistent allegory is a real life; and the only fully intelligible story is an allegory. And one finds, even in imperfect human 'literature', that the better and more consistent an allegory is the more easily can it be read 'just …

The Point of All Deprivation

It is the point of all deprivation that it sharpens the idea of value; and perhaps, this is after all the reason of the riddle of death.GK Chesterton

On Form and Matter, and Human Beings with Dante

Version I: And she began: "All thingswhate'er thev beHave order among themselves,and this is form,That makes the universe resemble God.Here do the higher creatures see the footprintsOf the Eternal Power, which is the end Whereto is made the law already mentioned.In the order that I speak of are inclinedAll natures, by their destinies diverse,More or …