Great idea, A#minor
Dear Mr. Lewis,
I am a great fan of your work, even though we are not of the same faith. I enjoyed
The Chronicles of Narnia and loved
The Screwtape Letters. I find that you don't need to be a Christian to take lessons from either!
I've also enjoyed your apologetics. One line, in particular, made a big difference in my life--although it did not make a Christian of me.
You use the line more than once. It goes something like this: There are really only two religions a mature adult should consider--Christianity and Hinduism. Islam is only the greatest Christian heresy; Buddhism is only the greatest Hindu heresy. And everything that was worthwhile about Platonism and Judaism survive in Christianity.
First I researched Hinduism after reading that quote. I read like crazy, attended Hindu festivals and learned about performing daily 'puja' and such. In the end, I discovered that while I'm most likely a monist theologically, Hinduism isn't my home. It's a religion I admire as a neighbor.
Then I looked at Buddhism. It's not a Hindu heresy--a 'Hindu heresy' is almost an oxymoron. Far from rejecting Buddhism, many Hindus regard the Buddha as one of the incarnations of Vishnu. I also discovered that Buddhism has its own stengths and teachings--you shouldn't lump it with Hinduism.
At about the same time, I started taking classes in Plato. I adore him! I don't always agree with him, of course, but I'll go a long ways with him. I think I devoured every one of his dialogues and even puzzled through some of the Greek. I'm pretty sure that your constant references to Plato spurred me to do that, so I owe you one.
However, while Christianity owes a tremendous debt to Plato (as does all of Western culture) no one should assume that everything worthwhile about Platonism survives in Christianity! I hope they have enough sense to go to his dialogues and make their own judgments.
I haven't studied Islam in the same depth as Hinduism, Buddhism or Platonism--but the little I have studied convinces me that you should not dismiss it as a 'Christian heresy.'
Shortly after the Plato courses, I started to learn about Judaism. I don't know if that was due to your comment or to a brilliant instructor in the Religion department at my college. Or it might have been due to the fact that Judaism is in my family--although I wasn't myself born a Jew.
It didn't take me long to see how far off the mark your comment was. Judaism is no mere predecessor to Christianity. No serious student of religion should ignore it, content to glean facts about it from Christians! I'm speaking with a special passion here, because it turned out that Judaism is my home.
I hope you've had the chance to sit down at a Sabbath dinner, to learn the blessings and to sing the Psalms in Hebrew. I hope you've participated in the Seder, celebrating freedom and liberation and, at the same time, our duty to serve God. I don't think any of this is unlikely, since I remember that you had an observant Jewish stepson.
I also hope that you've touched your hand to a
mezuzah and then to your lips, internalizing the words of the Torah. And I hope you've studied Torah and Talmud. I hope you've listened to Reform, Conservative and Orthodox Jews wrangle over the Law--and of how we should best glorify God in our lives. I hope you've seen how the notion of
tikkun olam--'heal the world'--is central to Judaism. And I hope you've seen both what Judaism and Christianity share and how the two faiths differ.
I don't say any of the above to convert you. I only want you to realize that you can't dismiss Judaism--or Buddhism or Islam--as unworthy of consideration compared to Christianity and Hinduism. These are living, breathing faiths, Mr. Lewis. You slight them and yourself by sweeping them under the table. The honest seeker needs to research each on its own terms.
Now that I've gotten that off my chest, please accept my gratitude for all your writings. You've always had the ability to get me thinking.
Shalom,
Rosemary