A Soul's Journey Toward the Light - Scene 2

From Scene 1 -- Van and Davy Vanauken, a young couple who presented themselves as agnostics/atheists, arrived at Oxford and met a young man who warmly welcomed them. He then introduced them to 4 more friends. All of these new friends were Christians, and Van and Davy had to revise their assumptions about Christians. They found out that people who called themselves Christians could be intelligent and witty. It was a complete surprise!

Van wrote, "The sheer quality of Christians we met at Oxford shattered our stereotype, and thenceforward a reference in a book or conversation to someone's being a Christian called up an entirely new image. Moreover, the astonishing fact sank home: our contemporaries could be at once highly intelligent, witty, civilized, fun to be with--and Christian."

Scene 2

Van and Davy, after realizing their assumptions about Christians were wrong, decided to find out more about what Christians believed. To investigate it for themselves. Not that they would "ever possibly become Christians ourselves" but so that they might understand their new friends better and perhaps be able to contribute more to the discussions they enjoyed so much.

They both stopped by the library and picked up armfuls of books, many by C.S. Lewis, and even
brought back some Bibles of several translations.

Davy: "I've been thinking we ought to know more....and won't Mary Ann and Lew be pleased!"

Van: "Yes. But listen, Davy. We're just having a look, you know. Let's keep our heads. There are enormous arguments against Christianity."

Davy: "Oh, I know! I don't see how any of it could be true. But--well, how would you feel if we decided that it was true?"

Van: Um..."I'm, not sure. One would know the meaning of things. That would be good. But we'd have to go to church and all that. And, well, pray. Still, it would be great to know meanings and you know, the purpose of everything. But, dammit, it couldn't be true! How could Earth's religion--one of Earth's religions--be true for the whole galaxy--millions of planets maybe? That's what rules it out right in the beginning. It's too -- it's too little!"

Davy: "I know. Look--these three by C. S. Lewis are a sort of science-fiction trilogy: Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength. Did you known that?

Van: "Good Lord! I'll read those first--unless you want to?"

Davy: "No. I want to read Screwtape. Thad says it's funny."

Van: "Great. and then we'll trade!"

And that's how it all began. The encounter with Light. Only of course, it didn't really begin then....It was some time later that they realized God had been preparing and leading them for quite some time......

See Scene 3 --


From A Severe Mercy, chapter IV, Encounter with Light.