March 26, 2023, column in the Amarillo Globe-News:

Amarillo group Lewis Underground welcomes 'mere Christians' to explore works

By Mike Haynes

                Uncle Screwtape says God wants humans to pay most attention to two things: the present and eternity. The two things God doesn’t want us to spend time on, he says, are the past and the future.

                That’s some of the demonic wisdom the experienced devil gives to his nephew Wormwood as the novice demon works on luring a young man to eternal damnation. The advice is correct; it’s just given from the point of view of a spirit who worships “Our Father Below” and whose name for God is “the Enemy.”

        

        Reading “The Screwtape Letters,” published by C.S. Lewis during World War II, can be difficult if you forget to reverse the purpose of the advice. Whatever Screwtape says the goal of his guidance is, you should seek the opposite. But the letters to his nephew reveal enormous amounts of true wisdom and insight into human nature.

                Letter No. 15, which in less than five pages Lewis – through Screwtape – explains the differences and dangers of the past, present, future and eternity, will be the discussion topic at 5:30 p.m. this Monday, March 27, at a meeting of the Lewis Underground. The informal group has gathered every fourth Monday of the month for about half a decade in the public room of River Falls Apartments at 6040 Belpree Road in Amarillo – not to worship Lewis, the famous Oxford professor who wrote “The Chronicles of Narnia” children’s stories, “Mere Christianity” and many more best-selling books, but to continue in his footsteps by pointing people to Christ.

                The group, which also has presented speakers, musicians and artists at public events, is recovering from an attendance lull since the COVID pandemic started. A common theme for its monthly discussions and occasional large events has been to promote “a vital Christian presence” in academics, the arts and the general culture – something Lewis did so effectively.

  

              The Lewis Underground is loosely affiliated with the C.S. Lewis Foundation, based in  

Redlands, California. The foundation sponsors events such as the Summer Institute last July in Oxford, England, that featured people such as writer Philip Yancey, actor Max McLean, musician Amber Salladin and English poet Malcolm Guite. The next Summer Institute tentatively will be in Northern Ireland, where Lewis was born, in 2025.

                The foundation owns the Kilns, the longtime home of Lewis in Oxford, which is open for scholars and for arranged tours.

Amarillo leaders include Kirk Manton and Nan Rinella, both of whom have been foundation volunteers for many years. Manton directs technical operations at the Great Britain events, and Rinella organized several annual C.S. Lewis retreats at Camp Allen, near Navasota. The next Camp Allen retreat is scheduled for this Oct. 6-8, and more information will be available at Monday’s Amarillo meeting.

                Anyone of any age who has an interest in Lewis is welcome at the meetings, including Lewis readers, those who have intended to read Lewis, writers and “mere Christians.”

                Foundation President Steven Elmore wrote that the international organization is “a community of ‘Mere Christians’ inspired by the life and work of C.S. Lewis to seek out and cultivate faith, reason, and imagination in the company of friends. … Rather than idolize the man, however, we are inspired by him to do what he did – live a faithful life engaging creatively with the culture around us to love our neighbors and to share the gospel of Christ.”

                Since the local Lewis Underground began, the group has progressed slowly through three of Lewis’ books: “Surprised by Joy,” “Mere Christianity” and now “The Screwtape Letters.” Those attending this Monday don’t even have to read Letter 15 in advance; it’s short and will be read aloud at the meeting. And consistent with Lewis’ British heritage, the refreshments will be hot tea and scones.

                I hope to see you there. You don’t need to worry if you haven’t read any of the books (the past) and nothing will be expected of you (the future). As Screwtape wisely says in Letter 15, the present is where “all duty, all grace, all knowledge, and all pleasure dwell.”