Learning in War-Time

In 1939, C.S. Lewis preached a sermon at Oxford. Faced with the beginning of World War Two, Lewis addressed the issue of learning during war time. As usual, Lewis raises some good points that can be used by us to enhance our daily lives, particularly as we go through life at Calvin College.

One of the things that stuck out most to me was the paragraph on fear. Lewis correctly suggests that war threatens us with pain and death. Lewis goes on to state that death in war is better than dying of cancer or some other disease 40 or 50 years down the line. War leads us to think about our own mortality; not the fact that it is imminent, but rather the fact that there is a spiritual side to life. To anticipate death as a soon forthcoming event, it forces us to examine our thoughts about what happens after death. Inevitably, it draws some to the cross and Jesus. Lewis parallels this idea in "The Screwtape Letters" in which the apprentice devil is warned that the onslaught of World War 2 could have poor repercussions for the underworld. As Lewis states, it is always good for us to be aware of our mortality.

Lewis also champions the idea of learning from the past. The ageless adage that those who don't learn their history are doomed to repeat it is met head on by Lewis. As Lewis states, "Most of all, perhaps we need intimate knowledge of the past." Generally this is taken in a macro lens, however, this should be narrowed down to our own lives preferably. There are many things that I don't learn, particularly in things that are said and done. Self-analysis, particularly of the things that we sin against God, is vital. Unfortunately, as fallen beings, we may be doomed to continually screw up in one particular sin, however, with real work and realization, we can start to limit the times we make mistakes. It is an endless battle, indeed a battle that will end in defeat more than victory, however, it must be undertaken. It should be a goal of ours to learn from our sins, and try to correct them.