Journey Toward the Light- Scene 4

Recap: Van and Davy Vanauken have arrived at Oxford to continue their graduate work. They were befriended by a young man who was a Christian. In turn, he introduced them to other Christians at the university. The Vanaukens were astonished at the caliber of these strange individuals -- they were charming, witty, and intelligent scholars. This encounter forced them to rethink their assumptions that Christians were dull, boring, unintelligent, rigid and self-righteous.

They wanted to learn more about Christianity, not to become believers, (of course not!) but to be able to participate in the discussions with their new friends. They went to the library and loaded up books by C. S. Lewis, Chesterton, T. S. Eliot and others, and even some Bibles and commentaries. And they started reading.


During this time of reading / study of the Bible and Christianity, Van wrote in his diary.....

The best argument for Christianity is Christians: their joy, their certainty, their completeness.

But the strongest argument against Christianity is also Christians--when they are somber and joyless, when they are self-righteous and smug in complacent consecration, when they are narrow and repressive, then Christianity dies a thousand deaths.

But, though it is just to condemn some Christians for these things, perhaps, after all, it is not just, though very easy, to condemn Christianity itself for them. Indeed, there are impressive indications that the positive quality of their joy is in Christian faith--and possibly nowhere else. If this were certain, it would be proof of a very high order.

If minds like St. Augustine's and Newman's and Lewis' could wrestle with Christianity and become fortresses of that faith, it had to be taken seriously.

About this same time, Van noted: "I writhed a bit at the thought of my easy know-nothing contempt [of Christians] of other years. Most of the people who reject Christianity know almost nothing of what they are rejecting: those who condemn what they do not understand are surely, little men.

"Thank God," we said, "if there is a God, that we are at least looking seriously and honestly at this thing. If our Christian friends--nuclear physicists, historians, and able scholars in other fields--can believe in Christ, if C. S. Lewis can believe in Christ, we must, at least, weigh it very seriously."

Their joy seems to come from their Christian faith, and perhaps exists nowhere else ---What an amazing observation! As I read more of the Vanuakens in their search for the Light, I notice their many other references to "joy."

Repeatedly this is what stands out most for them as they observe their Christian friends.... They mention love and peace and completeness and other characteristics, but it is JOY they notice most.

I think of my own life and I can remember non-believers commenting on our buoyant joy that seems to keep us bouncing through the difficulties of life.

And now I think again of that amazing hymn by Fanny Crosby: All the Way My Savior Leads Me....

Though my weary steps may falter, and my soul athirst may be
Gushing from the Rock before me, Lo! A stream of joy I see!

Gushing....not flowing....not bubbling...not even pouring....GUSHING!
And that's what I see before me!

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with inexpressible and glorious joy.
I Peter 1:8

More of the Journey Toward Light....Scene 5.....From A Severe Mercy, by Van Vanuaken