If you follow me on the popular social media platform formerly known as Twitter, you might have seen a post I made about C.S. Lewis’s perspective on Hell. Personally, I find Lewis’s views to be quite intriguing and profound, so I’ve decided to go deeper into his ideas.
C.S Lewis's views on Hell
Lewis describes hell as a state of being rather than a physical location. It is a condition of eternal separation from God and humanity, characterized by a loss of rationality, joy, and humanity itself.
We must picture Hell as a state where everyone is perpetually concerned about his own dignity and advancement, where everyone has a grievance, and where everyone lives the deadly serious passions of envy, self-importance, and resentment.
He also emphasizes that hell is not a place where God actively torments individuals, but rather a self-plunging into one’s own darkness and despair. This inward focus leads to a decay and crumbling of the individual’s humanity. Said individuals are oriented inward, downward, and away from God and humanity. Contrarily, heaven is characterized by an outward focus, upward, and toward God and others.
There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end, "Thy will be done." All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. Those who knock it is opened.
He famously states that the doors of hell are locked on the inside, suggesting that individuals who choose hell are responsible for their own eternal separation from God.
All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell.
Lewis affirms the biblical teaching that some people will not be redeemed and that hell is real. Furthermore, he acknowledges that this belief is hard to accept but argues that it is supported by Scripture and the teachings of Jesus.
This doesn’t deny God’s sovereignty though Lewis also emphasizes God’s sovereignty, highlighting that hell serves as a necessary consequence for those who reject God’s offer of salvation and redemption, based on His justice.
Sources
These are five maybe six points I came up with regarding how C.S Lewis viewed the topic of hell. I got these points from a handful of his writings. Most notably his work “The Problem of Pain“, “The Great Divorce” and my personal favorite “The Screwtape Letters“. These are just a few of his works that cover this topic.
Personal Take
I personally find his views quite interesting. That said I also find that there are a lot of ideas when it comes to the topic of hell. I think his views can be incredibly useful for navigating the Problem of Evil. (Article coming soon) Currently, I do not have a solid view of this incredibly complex topic. I see Biblical evidence for Lewis’s view as well as the more traditional views.
Enough about me though this article is about C.S Lewis’s views. I highly recommend grabbing the previously mentioned books and giving them a read. Even if you disagree with Lewis on this topic. C.S. Lewis is hands down one of the best Christian writers of his time.
C.S. Lewis had an interesting view of hell, especially when compared to contemporary perspectives. His views were clearly influenced by Augustinian, Puritan, and some Reformed theology. I believe that this serves as a reminder that it’s important to occasionally re-evaluate what we may have taken for granted as obvious or traditional.
