Some autobios are just weird

harbarger theory: sometimes allegories need more context

This is the first of my musings on the writings of CS Lewis that I will be sharing over the next year as I attempt to read all of the Christian writings of CS Lewis in the order in which he wrote them.

It wasn't until I finished "Pilgrim's Regress" that I realized that this is not an allegory of the human pilgrimage to faith like Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress." Rather, this was an allegorized telling of the pilgrimage that CS Lewis himself made toward faith.

Knowing this makes this story A) more understandable and B) more enlightening as to why he chose these characters. Lewis wrote this book in the highly allegorized style of Bunyan, of course and used the device of a journey toward the "Island" as the reason for the journey.

Although some parts drag (probably because I don't possess enough insight into Lewis' life and thought to catch the inside references), it's an interesting book that makes me wonder how I would write about THIS pilgrim's progress (or regress) (or digress?) toward faith. Instead of Vertue and Reason, would I have been more likely to write about Politics or Nature or Sensuality?

What would you write about as you make your own pilgrimage toward or away from faith?

The heavy allegory made it hard to read at times, but in the end, it leaves me thinking about my own faith pilgrimage and wondering when or if I'll ever get to the end. I suspect not ... at least on this temporal plain. I suspect that the journey is where it's at, anyway. It's not about the top of the mountain, it's the climb that's the important part. It's not about reaching the end of the trail, but rather the conversation around the campfire along the way ... or the solitary sunset watched while looking over the lake that one evening. Those are the REAL gems, aren't they? I think so.

So, I invite you to journey with me or on your own as we pilgrimage our way through life seeking the presence of God and experiencing it through the company of others. The Island that John sought was just over his shoulder and experienced in the company of others.

The Kingdom of God is about relationships, not "correct doctrine" or "proper etiquette" or even big honkin' churches. It's all about relationships and the sooner we all realized that the sooner the Kingdom will come!!!

"Pilgrim's Regress" - I found it hard to slog through, but a winner in the end!!! An interesting way to start the year!!