The Great Dance in C. S. Lewis’Perelandra

AbstractThis chapter reflects on why Lewis’ use of the image of dance in Perelandra has potential within it for expansion into a fuller trinitarian concept of co-inherence than Williams achieved. Lewis’ portrayal of the ‘Great Dance’ marks a high point of the impact of Williams’ idea of co-inherence, and also develops it. Lewis envisages the triune God as the centre of the dance and as engaged in its movement, which was partially anticipated by Williams. Lewis is nevertheless offering something different, first because the context of his ‘moving centre’ is a kind of ‘space theology’. Second, his particular appeal to God as the ‘centre’ develops the notion of co-inherence as an interpenetration beyond Williams’ own thought. Third, the picture of the dance offers a theodicy that is more convincing than Lewis’ conceptual approach in The Problem of Pain, moving beyond Williams’ use of dance as a symbol of cosmic necessity.