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We’ve dealt with Lewis view of myth and its relation to historical fact. This leads us directly into our next connection; C.S. Lewis’s idea of myth and its relation to Scripture.

Does Scripture Contain Myth?

It’s important to understand that Lewis was not a professional theologian, nor did he claim to be one. He had extensive philosophical training, but dealt primarily with works of literature. It is from this point of view that Lewis approaches Scripture.

With this in mind, Lewis sees Scripture as containing myth. Some examples of this might be the stories of creation, the Fall, Job, and Jonah. From Lewis’s notion of myth we are to understand these stories as providing us with an experience of reality from an abstract idea. He is not suggesting that there is no historical basis for these stories, nor is he suggesting that there is historical basis. He seems to separate historical fact and truth.

In terms of biblical interpretation, Lewis lies somewhere between the neoorthodox and liberal theologian of his day. To the neoorthodox theologian he suggests that the experience of reality through the story is intimately tied to the words on the page (myth can not be lifted from the words to communicate anything). To the liberal theologian attempting to demythologize Scripture he suggests that the experience of reality is more than an abstract understanding its words (demythologizing simply creates a poorer myth).

What does all of this mean?

If we accept that Scripture contains myth, and we accept Lewis’s notion of myth, then Scripture presents a great myth that transpositions a concrete experience of reality to us from an abstract idea (truth). Scripture is truth in this sense with or without historical fact.

So Lewis’s notion of myth connects to Scripture by showing how the story of the Bible brings us an experience of reality beyond what a simple understanding of an abstract idea can give. The experience is intimately tied to the words and at the same time more than just an understanding of their literal meaning.

Controversy

All this immediately brings up issues with regards to literal truth of Scripture, infallibility, inspiration, historical and scientific accuracy, and so on. Again, its important to note that Lewis was not a professional theologian, and consistently made statements to the affect that these were his tentative thoughts and he’d leave the final say up to the professionals. I can’t comment on Lewis’s exact position with regard to these controversies, nor is that my intent. Neither is it my intent to speak my own position. I am simply hoping to trace some connections between Lewis’s notion of myth and Scripture because I believe it is important to all those trying to understand the Bible. While I’ve tried my best in such a short space, it is necessarily limited and fallible. Hopefully, though, it will spur us on to understanding this connection better. For further insight into Lewis’s thoughts see the books listed below.

It’s your turn. What do you think?

This post is part of a series of posts on C.S. Lewis and his idea of Myth

• Part One – C.S. Lewis and Myth
• Part Two – C.S. Lewis, Myth, and Historical Fact
• Part Three – C.S. Lewis, Myth, and Scripture
• Part Five – C.S. Lewis, Myth, and Christ

Books I Directly Used (they go into more depth):

I am a father of four young children from six years down to seven weeks.  I have no nerves left.  The last one packed up and left town about a couple weeks ago.  Being only six years into this job, I’m hoping they’ll return (or new ones will grow back), but if nerves are like hair, my chances are not good. So without nerves I’m forced to find alternatives to maintain any semblance of sanity – and mind you, it is all outward appearance; if my nerves left town a couple weeks ago it was because they could follow the worn path of my sanity.

Tonight my youngest decided to force my hand by screaming (the red face, eyes clamped, extremities flailing, tongue curling kind) for about 45 minutes straight (yes, he’s got a changed diaper and a full belly).  A few minutes into the screaming I went to my work area, grabbed my earplugs, and returned to snatch him from my weary wife.  After four, you’ve learned a few tricks, and I tried them all – rock, bounce, hold tight, hold loose, wrapped in blanket, unwrapped from blanket, gently stroke the temples, talk softly, hum, sing, sit, stand, lay him down, pick him up, take off anything that might appear tight, pacifier in, pacifier out, walk around, be still – to no avail.  Weak, worn-out, and without nerves I was surely sunk, but earplugs saved my life.  I managed to maintain my semblance without nerves.

Earplugs are great.  You can hold a screaming baby and since you can’t hear them nerves aren’t required for sanity.  Since I work at home, I’d wear them all the time, but my wife take issue with that.  I tried it once and it didn’t work too well for me.  But tonight, I was rescued by my earplugs.  So, in cases of dire need, maybe they can help you too.

Children are a gift from God, so they tell me. The Bible describes them as quivers in my arrow holder thingy. Some days though it doesn’t feel like a gift, and I’m the one left quivering. Challenges abound in a household of four young children. Challenges like eating lunch without falling out of your chair, walking quietly by your sister’s bedroom door when she is sleeping, sharing your favorite car (wait, was my favorite one the blue one or the red one… maybe it was the black one, I forget) with your brother, standing while drinking instead of hopping, and ..ahem.. bathroom aiming. With all these challenges it is easy to get frustrated and expect a four year old to act like he’s ten. But we have to force ourselves to stop and remember that this young life has been placed into our care and we can’t take that for granted.

So, the next time you deal with the challenges of your children and begin to quiver, remember that a fragile life is placed in your hands, and you’ve been given the privilege and responsibility to guide and instruct that one as patiently and lovingly as you can.