The Great Divorce

Introduction

The Great Divorce, published 1945, by C.S. Lewis, is a captivating read. Often misunderstood as an allegorical work, Lewis himself referred to it as a “supposal.” Lewis, drawing from his deep imaginative well, supposes a fantasy world where men and women from heaven and hell meet to have a discussion about their innermost desires, longings, and how they got to where they are. It is a sobering book because of the accuracy in which it describes the heart of humanity. However, it is also a hopeful book because of its clarity in revealing the heart of Christ.

There are two main characters in this work—Lewis writes himself as the first, who is the narrator of the story, and the second is the 19th century Scottish minister and fantasy author George MacDonald. The narrator is one of the many men and women who travel up from hell by way of a special bus into the outskirts of heaven. Upon arrival, the passengers instantly realize they are in a different kind of country. As the narrator remarks looking at his fellow travelers, “They were in fact ghosts: man-shaped stains on the brightness of that air. One could attend to them or ignore them at will as you do with dirt on a window pane. I noticed that the grass did not bend under their feet: even the dew drops were not disturbed.”

This detail is of central importance. Heaven serves as the ultimate, permanent, and eternal reality. Those from below are living in the shadowland. They themselves are exposed in this country due to their corrupted nature. They can barely walk on the blades of grass—it actually causes them pain. A raindrop falling from the sky would rip holes through their shadowy bodies. The land is not safe for them—they will need to be transformed to experience its fullness and beauty. I suspect that as Lewis penned this narrative he had 2 Corinthians 3:18 in mind: “And we all, with unveiled faces, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.”

What does this transformation from “one degree of glory to another” require?” This is the question that is answered through the rest of the story. We walk with the narrator, listening in on the dialogues between the ghostly shadowy people and the bright, solid people. We learn that the real, solid humans have journeyed far from deep within the mountains where they have been experiencing the fullness and beauty of Christ. The aim of their quest is to reveal this beauty, to draw the voyagers in so they can witness it for themselves.

Interesting enough, you will notice the people that travel up from the abyss are not the devilish monsters you might expect. No, instead, Lewis writes in characters that are much more relatable. A mother that (while alive) held too tight of a grip on her son, a wife who did the same to her husband, a renowned artist that was passionate about his profession, and highly respected business people and academics who chased status, just to name a few. It is through these ordinary people that Lewis reveals the dividing line, or great divorce, between truth and fiction, life and death, Heaven and Hell.

Becoming Like Christ

So what is it that these shadow people need to do to become citizens of this high country? “And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23

As you read through these conversations you will see that the heavenly people, like Jesus, are calling for the visitors to deny themselves. Full surrender of self, and all desires, will lead to regeneration. Beholding Christ for His own sake and repentance can cure the ghosts, making them bright and solid. But pride stands in the way, keeping many from accepting the offer to be made new. You’ll see these ghostly people have desires that are ostensibly good, but without regeneration these passions are unfit for the Holy land they occupy. Lewis writes, “Every natural love will rise again and live forever in this country: but none will rise again until it has been buried.” (105).

Death to self is the precondition to breathe the sweet air, to drink the cool water, to become solid enough to summit the mountain where every satisfaction is met. It was for the joy set before Him that Jesus endured his sufferings (Hebrews 12:1-2), and it is that same joy that is offered to these disoriented souls. Too many of them, tragically, have been numbed by a lifetime of self-centered actions and superficial choices—settling for the copy when they could have the original, mistaking the sign for the thing signified. One of the solid people tries to explain this to a stubborn ghost who is shut in by his curiosity, unwilling to accept that there is an answer to all his questions: “It’s all true you know. He is in me, for you, with that power. And–I have come a long journey to meet you. You have seen Hell: you are in sight of Heaven. Will you, even now, repent and believe?” (39)

The Great Divorce is a short book, jam packed with goodness. Lewis has an uncanny ability to awaken the imagination to add clarity to the most difficult questions in life. May it encourage you in your journey to the mountains!