Review article
https://doi.org/10.34075/cs.57.1.3
On Lewis' concept of hell
Damjan Kovač
; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Boris Vulić
orcid.org/0000-0002-3517-2502
; Catholic Faculty of Theology in Đakovo, J. J. Strossmayer University in Osijek, Đakovo, Croatia
Abstract
The article analyzes the concept of hell in the works of the English writer C. S. Lewis. The paper first addresses the issue of man's free will, and then further elaborates and critically considers Lewis' idea of hell, especially as it pertains to The Great Divorce. Hell is a necessary pre requirement for human freedom, whilst freedom is a requisite for the existence of hell. In his freedom, man turned away from God towards himself and into himself, thus damaging all of his relationships and allowing himself to be approached by evil. This opening makes man more susceptible and eviler that more difficult to resist. This opens the way to a state in which man reduces himself in such manner that he finally becomes nothing. That is why hell is meager, miserable and insignificant, and is a state which one simply cannot or does not want to leave.
Keywords
C. S. Lewis; hell; freedom; The Great Divorce
Hrčak ID:
276047
URI
Publication date:
19.5.2022.
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