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The Screwtape Letters: Letters 28, 29, and 30 - Perseverance, Cowardice, and Fatigue, Lecture notes of Religion

In these letters, screwtape discusses various strategies to weaken the patient's faith, including keeping him alive to attack in middle age, making him a coward through fear and hatred, and capitalizing on his fatigue. Wormwood is scolded for his failures and threatened with extinction.

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The Screwtape Letters
Letter 28 - Perseverance
Summary
Wormwoods failures keep mounting. The demon was unable to entangle the patient with worldly friends. The
patient has fallen in love with a dedicated Christian woman, and none of the attacks on his spiritual life are
working at the present. To top it off, Wormwood is showing too much enthusiasm over the potential for human
fatalities due to war. In fact, Screwtape says that they must guard the patient s life in order to let real worldliness
take root and grow into his middle-age years.
Discussion Questions
1. It seems strange that demons would actually want to keep up safe! Why does Screwtape want to avoid
the patients death at this point in his life? 1)
2. Wormwood assumed the war would have a negative effect on the patients spiritual life, but it has
actually proven to be that opposite. How so? (¶1)
3. Screwtape said, Do not let us be infected by our own propaganda. What is the propaganda that he is
referring to? How does Philippians 1:21 counter that argument? 1)
4. Screwtape discloses that only if the man is kept alive, will Wormwood have the opportunity to attack him
in the middle-age years. What advantage does Screwtape foresee for this period of the mans life?
5. Screwtape suggests attacking the man through either adversity or prosperity in his middle-age years.
How are each different? Which of these temptations would be fertile ground for you ?
Adversity
Prosperity -
6. Read 2 Timothy 4:7 and Philippians 3:12-16. What does the Bible say about finishing well? 1)
7. Screwtape says that while we are young, it is hard to keep humans ignorant of religion because of the
fascination with music, poetry, love, songbirds, or a sunset. In contrast, as we grow older, what does
Screwtape say that we steadily apply ourselves towards? Do you agree ? 2)
8. Why would Screwtape want us to believe that this would can be turned into heaven? 2)
They, of course, do tend to regard death as the prime evil and survival as the
greatest good. But that is because we have taught them to do so. - Screwtape
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Letter 28 - Perseverance

Summary

Wormwood’s failures keep mounting. The demon was unable to entangle the patient with worldly friends. The patient has fallen in love with a dedicated Christian woman, and none of the attacks on his spiritual life are working at the present. To top it off, Wormwood is showing too much enthusiasm over the potential for human fatalities due to war. In fact, Screwtape says that they must guard the patient’s life in order to let real worldliness take root and grow into his middle-age years.

Discussion Questions

  1. It seems strange that demons would actually want to keep up safe! Why does Screwtape want to avoid the patient’s death at this point in his life? (¶ 1 )
  2. Wormwood assumed the war would have a negative effect on the patient’s spiritual life, but it has actually proven to be that opposite. How so? (¶1)
  3. Screwtape said, “Do not let us be infected by our own propaganda.” What is the propaganda that he is referring to? How does Philippians 1:21 counter that argument? (¶ 1 )
  4. Screwtape discloses that only if the man is kept alive, will Wormwood have the opportunity to attack him in the middle-age years. What advantage does Screwtape foresee for this period of the man’s life?
  5. Screwtape suggests attacking the man through either adversity or prosperity in his middle-age years. How are each different? Which of these temptations would be fertile ground for you? Adversity – Prosperity -
  6. Read 2 Timothy 4:7 and Philippians 3: 12 - 16. What does the Bible say about finishing well? (¶ 1 )
  7. Screwtape says that while we are young, it is hard to keep humans ignorant of religion because of the fascination with music, poetry, love, songbirds, or a sunset. In contrast, as we grow older, what does Screwtape say that we steadily apply ourselves towards? Do you agree? (¶ 2 )
  8. Why would Screwtape want us to believe that this would can be turned into heaven? (¶ 2 )

They, of course, do tend to regard death as the prime evil and survival as the

greatest good. But that is because we have taught them to do so. - Screwtape

Letter 29 - Cowardice

Summary

In this letter, Screwtape revisits an old topic – fear. This time the context of the war and recent bombings is in the patient’s hometown. Screwtape recommends defeating the patient’s courage and making him a coward. Since human beings normally feel shame and guilt over cowardice, Screwtape believes that his fear will undermine his courage and drive him away from God.

Discussion Questions

  1. What is the one thing that Hell’s Research Department has not been able to produce? Why are they incapable of doing so? How does knowing that tempters have limitation impact your spiritual life? (¶ 2 )
  2. Screwtape says, “Hatred is best combined with Fear” and “Hatred has its pleasures.” How does Screwtape link hatred to fear? Why is hatred an “anodyne for shame”? (¶4)
  3. Read Psalm 27:1, 1 John 4:18, 2 Timothy 1:7. What do these passages say about fear?
  4. Screwtape claims that they have been able to make men proud of most vices, but not of cowardice. Why? What is the danger in inducing patients with cowardice? (¶ 5 )
  5. What does Screwtape say is the formation point of all virtues? Explain what Screwtape means by this. As an example, how was Pilate merciful until it became risky (John 18,19)? (¶ 6 )
  6. Screwtape’s other option is to heap shame on a coward until they break and give in to utter despair. What does despair cause one to do? How did Pilate demonstrate his own despair and cowardice in Matthew 27:24? (¶ 7 )
  7. Read Mattherw16:25. What does Jesus say about the courage necessary to follow him?
  8. What does Screwtape mean by, “the emotion of fear is, in itself, no sin and, though we enjoy it, does us no good”? (¶ 8 )

This, indeed, is probably one of the Enemy’s motives for creating a dangerous

world – a world in which moral issues really come to the point. - Screwtape