The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis
Week 2: Likings and Loves for the Sub-Human — Love of Nature and Love of Country
Read Chapter 1 of The Four Loves by C. S. Lewis ("Likings and Loves for the Sub-Human").
Previewing Week 2 of The Four Loves
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 8-week guide when you’re ready.
Before Lewis turns to the four loves themselves, he pauses to consider our loves for things below the human level — nature, country, and the familiar. These loves may seem simpler, but Lewis finds in them seeds of both beauty and danger worth examining carefully.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Lewis discusses our love of nature and warns against what he calls the 'nature mystic' who begins to treat nature as a route to the divine in itself. What is the genuine good in loving nature, and where does it go wrong?
2.He distinguishes between the 'country' as a place of personal memory and 'the nation' as a political abstraction. Why does this distinction matter morally and spiritually?
3.Lewis describes a healthy patriotism as a love for the familiar — the particular sights, smells, tastes, and customs of one's home — rather than pride in national superiority. How does that definition of patriotism strike you? Is it adequate?
a.Can you think of examples where love of country has remained in this healthy form?
b.Can you think of examples where it has crossed into something darker?