Bishop Barron on C.S. Lewis' “The Great Divorce”
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 มิ.ย. 2016
- C.S. Lewis was that rare sort of genius, able to combine high theological insight with vivid imagination, and it is precisely this coming-together that makes his writing so memorable--especially his classic fantasy book, “The Great Divorce.” Learn more at wordonfire.org!
George MacDonald, G. K. Chesterton, and C. S. Lewis - it is these three holy souls that brought me into the Catholic Church, the Home of humanity. I can’t thank them enough.
I am 23 and it's been almost one year I decided to look for God. The videos you make help out alot, they feed my soul and give me knowledge that keeps my faith growing. Thanks Father Barron God bless you.
Alex1993 wait did you find God yet? Definitely different concept once you find your soul.
I highly recommend you look into Michael Chriswell's channel. I can relate to your statement, but "finding God" intellectually is entirely different than being filled with the Holy Spirit. Choose the narrow path, brother!
To Alex 1993. I agree Bishop Barrons videos are excellent. God bless you and keep praying and go to church as well. God bless
@@adammeade2300 you can also come to God through reason. The Holy Spirit reveals himself in various ways and one of those can be to enlighten our mind.
I hope you've moved past religion.
I'm not a catholic, but I love listening to bishop Barron, a true man of God.
This book actually blew my mind, I'm a graduate Biblical Studies & Theology major, and a professor recommended two books for my research on eschatology - Surprised by Hope and The Great Divorce. When I looked it up, I said "what kind of professor would recommend a novel for eschatology research?"
I left asking "how much was I meant to take serious, what was I supposed to gain?" But, as I continued to reflect on it, I realized that the images alone had changed my views, and in some ways were even more powerful than scholarly articles. I loved Bishop Barron's review of the book, God bless.
This is one of my favorite works by C.S. Lewis. So happy to see Bishop Barron do a video on it.
Apart from the narnia series the screwtape letters is one of my faves but I’ve been meaning to look into his apologetics works there’s many great ones amongst this is one of them then there’s the abolition of man , the problem of pain and the four loves , the allegory of love , a grief observed is another
I have listened to “the great divorce” many times on Audio Books also. I call them books on tape too🤪. I love it. Also all of C.S. Lewis’s works. Just WONDERFUL!
I remember this was the first book I read as I started at university, and The Screwtape Letters was the first book I read after my confirmation. They are, collectively, my favourite works of Lewis, because they both deal so well with the ways we deceive ourselves, and yet present such a clear possibility of salvation.
First time I ever heard this book was on a silent retreat. During mealtime the priest leading the retreat read us this book and within a weekend we had finished it. I absolutely loved it and it was a huge part of what I pondered that retreat. Thanks for answering some of the questions I had Bishop Barron about this book.
One of my favorite books. The factory owner who encounters his former employee, the murderer, in heaven and wants no part of a place that would let “fellows like him in” was for me a transformative character. And there are so many more. I often call this little book the thickest book I have ever read.
That’s a good one. Deep works but
Hell looks disturbingly similar to Brooklyn.
It does not require psychic powers to comprehend an enthymeme or humor. The point is if Brooklyn looks like hell, perhaps it is.
I disagree. I remember the old Italian neighborhood on 18th Avenue. You could have a nice house with a yard. There were plenty of kids to play with. Great parks, ocean beaches. The schools were good. The mothers and grandmothers made a great Sunday dinner after church. And the grandparents after a hard week's work and a terrific dinner looked at their spouse, children and grandchildren considered their life's work and said, "Whose better than me?". We need the old Brooklyn back and it would be more like heaven than hell.
I also remember the Brooklyn neighborhood on and near 18th Avenue. It was a community rather than simply strangers occupying the same stage.
My thoughts of Bell turn to Bosch's "Garden of Earthly Delights". It looked so modern to me yet was painted in the Medieval period.
I listen to that "book on tape" often. One of my favorites. Still brings me to tears each time.
The first C.S Lewis book I've read and I feel so blessed to have invested my time here.
Finally the church has a very good missionary and explainer and helper in Bishop Barron , please keep going !
Why "finally"?
This book is what brought me to listen to you in these videos. I have read/listened(audiobooks) about six of Lewis's books and other essays. I am fascinated by him. I plan to listen to more. Next one is "Surprised by Joy".
Am 23 years old it's been about a year I decided to look for God. The videos you make have help out alot, they feed my spirit and give me knowledge. Thanks father Barron
I just finished the screw tape letters. CSL can really write a book!
Ultimately, the main reason a lot of us (including myself) are looking for treasures on earth is because we doubt the existence of heaven, therefore we think that if we let go of our egoistic quest, we will end up with nothing. Isn't it what the culture tells us?
I never thought that it was culture but rather ourselves to be quite honest.
***** Yes ;)
good point....
+Anjelus Most of us could do with a bit more making money, spending money, and being liked. What's wrong with that? Seems to me that it's largely lack of these things that makes our lives a hell on earth. Isitnotso? And isn't wealth/pleasure/praise the definition of Heaven? It is written that there are many mansions in heaven and the streets are paved with gold.
Tin Man Or maybe it is obsessing about getting more money, pleasure and honor that makes our life hell.
I've read it many times already and will no doubt go through it again.
If Bishop Barron gave more book reports, it would be lovely to help people like me understand C.L. Lewis.
Bishop, there is no end to your imagination, a gift from God that reveals so much Truth! Sorely needed in our world, truth with no apologies. Thankyou and you are in my prayers.
I just finished reading this book last night. I did not anticipate the ending. I thought it was really interesting how the soul chooses and hangs on to what it knows on earth. If you were resentful on earth you wear it like a shield even in Hell. The ‘Solid People’ or Spirits from heaven try to use reason, love, anything they can but (most of the time) the people chose to not let go of what’s holding them back. It’s deep. Definitely recommend
I just read The Great Divorce for the first time a couple of months ago so I was very excited to watch your commentary. Thanks for doing these videos!
Thanks for sharing Bishop Barron! I had the ebook Kindle version of it for the longest but never got to read it. I do much better with audio books, so I went ahead and purchased the Audible version. I am now looking forward to listening/reading the book! Looking forward to all your videos!
Got the book because of this video and finished it. It's amazing.
I must admit, those pictures in between greatly helped in tying his comments and make it all coherent...
He's better known for other books but where the rubber meets the road, I've always felt that The Great Divorce and The Problem of Pain were his most inspired works.
Loved it!! Thank You! Bishop Barron!
“The field of battle between God and Satan is the human soul. It is in the soul that the battle rages every moment of life.” 😇 Padre Pio 🙏🏻4us
I just reread The Great Divorce a few months ago with my teens. What an amazing book! Thank you for your great insights. If you want a suggestion for a great audio book, I am currently listening to The Life of Samuel Johnson by James Boswell. This isn't a great theological work, but it is a fascinating glimpse into another time period, very erudite and at the same time really fun. Lots of Latin and French passages as well as English. And the reader, Bernard Mayes, does a masterful job! This book is huge and will keep you entertained for thousands of miles! It's on Audible.
Thanks for the recommendation Bishop Barron! Loving the book! Finishing it up tonight! :)
I love this book. It was my first audio-book I ever listened to.
I had not read this book of C.S. Lewis, my favorite Christian writer. Thanks for doing a book review about it for us.
hahah i LOVE the crack in the ground part. Also going to tell my guardian angel to kill "it" soon. "no it's sarah smith" hahah. thank YOU Bishop
Excellent summation of a very dense and profound work. Lewis led me to the hallway of Mere Christianity, and although I knocked on the door of a different faith tradition, I recognize the truth of our Creed, that all who profess Jesus as Lord are part of the one holy, catholic and apostolic church. Blessings.
Great video, this is just what I needed to see and hear! Thank you Bishop Barron!
I loved the blades of glass imagery.
reading it now. it's dope
I listened to the audio of it as well. C S Lewis was something else. Enjoyed your review.
I've read a lot of C.S. Lewis, but not the Great Divorce. God willing, I will soon remedy that lack. Thank you, Bishop Baron, for pointing me to it.
Funny, I just bought and listed to this audio book too. The narrator was a fine actor; great voice.
Where did he find these illustrations? They're great
I really loved your insights. I never saw all of that in reading the book but did get the "main theme" behind it. I'll have to re-read it now. Thank you!
Evey202 j
Thanks for the analysis, -I plan to check out the audio-book version from the public library.
One of my favourite books, extemely entertaining.
I finished reading The Great Divorce earlier this summer. It really is a great book.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Divorce
@@SuperGreatSphinx
Try reading it, not simply the 'wiki cliff notes.'
Great little summary!
I feel that the disparity between Hraven and Hell being portrayed as a difference of scale rather than location is a sort of spoiler, but an even greater spoiler would have been discussing the chessboard. I prefer to discuss the portrayal of heavenly objects being superlatively more 'weighty' than the sprawling shantytown Hell is portrayed as, an idea which Lewis credits to a fellow writer.
Came here on a recommendation while watching "C.S. Lewis Doodles".
im not gonna lie, im here for a homework xd
I really appreciate these videos.
Thank you for your analysis! I’m currently reading it.
Thanks for this beautiful review of this book and invitation to read it.
Great perspectives Bishop 🙏🙏🙏
Wow! Thank you for sharing
Yes Bishop Barron please do more of these book reviews, a movie I can watch but a book not much so.
I actually just finished listening to "Mere Christianity" on Audible and I'll certainly start on "The Great Divorce" in the near future. Speaking of which, is there any way we can have some more of your books on Audible for sale, Bishop? :)
So good, thank you! I'm reading it.
I read this book on audio and it blew me into the heavens
Thanks bishop Barron. Very helpful!
wasn't this episode posted already like a month ago? repost?
Thank You Father B
Lewis gets (and not unfairly) a lot of credit for his Narnia books but I think its in his other less thought of works that he truly shines both as an author and a Christian. Great Divorce (and The Screwtape Letters) are in my oppinion finer works of fiction (granted for an older audiences) then Narnia. His view of Hell as something so petty and tiny compared to Heaven seems dead on to me. Satan for all his chest thumping and declarations of his own importance for all his power is still just a child throwing a temper tantrum for not getting his way (the most dangerous child in the universe but still) not some great mighty foe of God.
The space trilogy is amazing.
I somewhat agree with what you said. But I really would take extreme care not to trivialize Satan. While he is certainly no match whatsoever for God, so it wouldn't be far off to say he's not a mighty foe of God, he most certainly is a very capable and effective foe of man. And that is absolutely nothing to trivialize.
@@demetriusmiddleton1246
In Lewis' own words; "...we are ill-advised to underestimate him. The devil has powers as far above your or mine as we have powers beyond that of a chimpanzee."
"... but lo, his doom is sure
one little word shall fell him."
Yet we must not forget that that word
['Tetelestai' ? ]
'Proceeds forth from the mouth of God', not from any mortal lips.
I just ordered this juicy book and will be devouring it.
Just got the book. Thank you
Your Excellency, I still like to read books the Old fashioned way. I have a very difficult time reading on my phone or using a tablet. Listening to a short story, fine. But a book. I don't think I could. I actually have The Great Divorce but I haven't read it yet (I have a LOT of C.S. Lewis)
Pick it up, you won't regret it! You can actually read it in one afternoon, but it takes a while to really digest it in any sort of full way.
Always interesting to listen to.
What a great video commentary
Great explanation thanks.
Loved that book. It does take a bit to sit down and analyze it but its worth it.
Father it's called "audiobook" :p
tomas penpen don’t call anyone father, but me.
Fascinating
No, It is Houston after Hurricane Harvey.
Great insights!
居然的這樣一本書, 我錯過了, 趕緊找來看看
Thanks much for this video.
Why nothing on Orlando????????
I love this book even better than the Screwtape letters. I reread this every Lent and always get more insights about it.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Screwtape_Letters
Does anyone know what the painting pictured at 1:40 is?
Hi!
It's 'The Pilgrim of the Cross at the End of His Journey', by Thomas Cole
Bishop Barron, thank you for your excellent commentaries. Could you do a video discussing C.S. Lewis' The Last Battle, specifically how Aslan pardons the Calormene Emeth saying that all the works he did for the false god Tash were really done for Aslan [Jesus]? It has intrigued me and I wonder about its implications from a Catholic perspective, since Lewis was not Catholic, but essentially was (seemingly not wishing to swim the Tiber after already walking the Canterbury Trail and alienating his family).
THANK YOU, BISHOP BARRON.
I read TGD twenty years ago and loved it! However, it has taken me that long to pin down its short comings and I am working on publishing a book which, among other things, addresses them.
I would like to see it when it is done. Thanks.
I hope you are aware that, as a personal reflection and not a strict theological work, it is bound to have shortcomings; and Lewis was likely aware of this, and published it anyway, as it were 'unadorned.' Two other works of his that could be described this way are _Reflections on the Psalms_ and, in all its raw self-honesty, _A Grief Observed._
I'm not suggesting that it needs no improvement in theology; but any such improvement will likely not be a work of same kind, but a work of proper theology; which I will be most eager to read. Good fortune and Godspeed.
Pretty good video!
Love this book.
Great video! I have a question: what are your thoughts on the Eastern Orthodox traditions?
Rich and densely textured; to steal a phrase from Bishop Barron. Read Pope Leo XIII's "Orientale Dignitas", the Second Vatican Council's "Unitatis Redintegratio", the Catechism of the Catholic Church on the Eastern Orthodox, and St. John Paul II's 'Orientale Lumen".
I am awaiting the book version of The Great Divorce's arrival from Amazon.com, paid about six bucks for it. Recommended to me by a fellow member of my Catholic Men's Group. Should be great. My first CS Lewis book was the CD version of the Screwtape Letters. It was done like a theatrical show, truly wonderful.
C.S. Lewis is probably my favourite Protestant writer. God rest his soul. My connection here is not great, so it may be a while before I get to watch this video. Anyway, thanks Your Excellency.
thank you
I'm intrigued by the bishop's statement about "erotic desire" that becomes a mighty stallion. Are there references that anyone can point to for additional reading on classical Christian thought on this point (church fathers, encyclicals, etc.)?
Thanks bishop.
“Aye, but ye misunderstand me. The question is whether she is a grumbler, or only a grumble...If there’s one wee spark under all those ashes, we’ll blow it till the whole pile is red and clear. But if there’s nothing but ashes we’ll not go on blowing them in our own eyes forever. They must be swept up.”
This was a most brilliant point in The Great Divorce that impacted me dramatically. As long as there’s something left to save God will save it.
Read it at least once a year.
He didn’t mention my favorite part: The domineering wife from Hell demanding to see her husband in heaven.
it's been awhile since I've read it, but yes that is something I remember
It was a mother/son relationship, if I remember correctly.
@@Ehennings10 That was ANOTHER one ALSO.
@@Ehennings10 in
Thanks father.
You should review "No man is an island" by Thomas Merton :)
I'm surprised you didn't mention Lewis including his own 'spiritual mentor' in the book, George MacDonald.
MacDonald was magnificent! Very strong influence on Narnia and Alice in Wonderland.
I recently came across this book and ready it again. The lizard creature was freaky. I loved Sarah Smith’s portrayal in the book reminded me of a rich man from the Gospel that dies and ends up in hell and is asking an angel to warn his brother who is still alive. Great book!
CS Lewis, genius!
The Great divorce is certainly one of my favourites.
I want to be like Sarah Smith!
To me, one of the amazing insights of this book is that the torments of hell come from within the person. He speaks of Napoleon, far out in the frontiers of hell, pacing in an air-castle before a heatless fire, declaring over and over that it was all Josephine's fault.
What a picture of the pettiness of Hell! And of the torments we heap upon ourselves when we refuse to simply forgive -- to exercise Grace, the antidote of Sin.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empress_Jos%C3%A9phine
@@SuperGreatSphinx Interesting but how would that be relevant to Napoleon, in hell, blaming her (rather than himself) for all of his failures? The picture here is the inward turning of the mind, and the obsession with one's shortcomings -- self-torment, in other words, as the chief terror of hell.
The Grandeur of Heavens... that is what matters... thanks Bishop.
Beautiful
I have been brought up a prostestant in faith. Biship Barron really is luring me to the Catholicism.
Catholics believe in faith and reason. You don't have to leave your brain at the door to become a Catholic, in fact the Catholic church has a 2,000 year old intellectual tradition. Intellect infused with the love of the Holy Spirit is powerful and beautiful.
4:56
Wow
This is a coincidence, because I just started reading this book today.