Unexpected Learning

The last two books I read – Surprised By Joy by C. S. Lewis and In Other Worlds by Margaret Atwood – were pleasure reading.  There was a spiritual component to why I read Lewis, but I had no intent or expectation to have either impact what I think about social justice, nor did I expect to do any writing for this blog on either book.  I was in a vacuum of expectation, but I learned a couple of things. 


My lack of expectation was foolish.  In my essay “What I Mean By ‘Justice’” I referenced Lewis’ Mere Christianity.  At this point, I must include Lewis in a bibliography of writers who address social justice.  Atwood, meanwhile, is a noted author and social critic who I have come to respect and the table of contents for Worlds let me know that I would be reading about dystopias, George Orwell, and Aldous Huxley.  How could I not expect her to consider justice?

In Other Worlds contains both essays and short fiction by Atwood.  The book is Atwood’s exploration of her relationship with science fiction.  The book surprised me a few of times.  A couple of the short stories in Part Three feature alien visitors observing Earth and trying to understand what is going on.  The dialogues point to the absurdity some cultural unfairness.  

Atwood’s stories are good, but I want to focus on one of her essays.  “Dire Cartographies” asks, “Why is it, when we grab for heaven – socialist or capitalist or even religious – we so often produce hell?”  The entire book was interesting, but this is one of a few essays that are particularly fascinating.  My favourite subgenre of science fiction is what Atwood calls ustopias, or stories that are set in societies that are utopian ideals and dystopian nightmares.  

I am curious if my advocacy for social justice and my Christianity are impacted by my attraction to ustopias.  Social justice discussions amongst Christ-followers often include the phrase “Kingdom of God” or a variation.  This is certainly a good thing, after all these words were frequently on Jesus’ lips.  I recall a former classmate of mine frequently telling me he did not like when I said “working to build Christ’s Kingdom” or “building the Kingdom of God” because building God’s Kingdom is God’s job and not mine.  This was a bit irritating.  He and I were in a group trying to write a paper and what I thought was mere semantics was getting in the way of completing our essay.  

I get what he meant now.  The Church is certainly a participant in the Kingdom of God, but we are not the architects.  When I am honest, I will realize that a lot of my social justice discussions use “Jesus” for flavour.  What I am doing is grabbing for heaven.  Atwood’s observation that people grabbing for heaven typically catch hell is a useful warning.  As a Christian, I must acknowledge that I sin and my attempt at justice is tainted.  If I really want justice, I need to stop grabbing at heaven and instead focus on following what Jesus taught.  Justice then becomes inevitable.  

I owe Margaret Atwood thanks.  She taught me that my focus is sometimes misplaced.

Surprised By Joy is C. S. Lewis’ story of his conversion to Christianity.  It is a fascinating book.  I can identify with Lewis’ attraction to some of the more cerebral aspects of Christianity and not being intellectually satisfied by some the arguments against religion.  I appreciate Lewis differentiating between beginning to believe in God and his later conversion to Christianity.  I also like that Lewis found himself surrounded by Christians – both in his reading and his friendships – that he respected.  He eventually had to stop respecting “except for the Christianity” and instead acknowledge the importance of this faith in these people’s lives.  Things developed in his own life from there.

The justice component in this book is blunt.  Lewis chides Christians who ignore cruelty.  You can see how furious he is.  He contrasts the church’s response to “carnal” sins – outright condemnation – with its response to oppression – benevolence and apathy.  Lewis knowingly and intentionally turns his back to what his readers expect when he makes no judgement about the sexual lives of his peers.  Instead, he judges fellow Christians who misplace rage.  Why, he asks, can the church be so quick to condemn “carnal” activity while it so easily ignores victims of cruelty?  Which is more dangerous?  Which is more likely to victimize?  

I appreciate what Lewis did here.  He took something that is unfortunately a non-issue – cruelty – and made it an issue.  There is implicit disapproval of Christian social values in his argument.  As Christians, we need to acknowledge when we see people treated like garbage.  If we do not see disenfranchised people, we are willingly blind.  It is foolish to think that everyone (or even many) on the bottom are there by choice or their own fault.  Many people that have difficult lives are victims of cruelty.  If the church ignores cruel behaviour – whether outright oppression, ignoring people’s obvious needs, dehumanizing people – we ignore Jesus.  

The validity of our faith is not judged by our eagerness to publically condemn specific acts.  Our faith is judged by how we respond to the fatherless, widow, and alien.  Part of what I find distasteful about the label “social justice Christian” is that it lets people off the hook.  If we see cruelty and stand by, we need to re-evaluate what we believe.  Am I ignoring the fatherless, the widow, the alien – in short, the people that most people ignore?  I need to repent.  My religion is not true.  I am not following my God.

I owe C. S. Lewis thanks.  He taught me that it is easy to ignore – and even participate in – the sin of cruelty.  Doing so makes justice an impossible goal.

I’m glad I read these books.  I must continue to read with no grand scheme.