C. S. Lewis and a New Turn to Charles Williams

AbstractJust as there is a tension between metaphor and concept in Lewis’ writing, some metaphors in Lewis hold a similar tension within themselves. The metaphor of ‘begetting’ sons and daughters of God, among others, can be used to show a co-inherence of created beings in the life of God. But these images can also open a gulf between a life that is created (Bios) and one that is generated by God (Zoe). Unlike Williams’ rejection of ‘twofold’ human nature, a dualism remains in Lewis. The creation of myths in his fiction, however, allows him to show co-inherence imaginatively. In Lewis’ final writing, we find a turning to Williams’ thought in a presentation of the relation of God and the world which is like co-inherence. There is thus an alignment with Williams’ understanding of the immanence of God, just as we saw earlier an approximation to Williams’ theology of romantic love.