The Screwtape Letters - Chapter 16

Study guide for Adult / College

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Discussion Questions

Narration Prompt

Reconstruct Screwtape's sixteenth letter to Wormwood in sequence — his alarm at the man's fidelity, the two reasons for attacking it, the two clergymen he has scouted, and the party trick. Then name the central claim: that the devils win by replacing a unity given by place with a division chosen by taste.

Discussion Questions

  1. Screwtape wants the man to keep hunting for a church that 'suits' him until he is a 'connoisseur of churches,' while the Enemy wants him to remain in one parish as a 'pupil.' What is genuinely appealing about seeking the church that fits you best, and why does Screwtape covet that search so much? Use Screwtape's words to Wormwood to defend your reading.
  2. Screwtape says the right attitude in church 'does not appraise,' but lays itself open in 'humble receptivity to any nourishment that is going.' What might make the appraising critic's stance feel wiser or more honest, and why might the humble listener actually receive more from the very same sermon? Use Screwtape's words to Wormwood to develop your answer.

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Critical Thinking

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