The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
Week 13: Screwtape and Scripture — A Comparative Study
Select 4–5 letters from The Screwtape Letters alongside corresponding Scripture passages. Suggested pairings included below. Key passages: James 1:13–15; 1 Peter 5:6–11; Galatians 5:16–26.
This week we set Lewis's imaginative portrait of temptation alongside the biblical witness, asking how Screwtape's tactics are described, diagnosed, and addressed in Scripture — and whether Lewis adds anything to our understanding of the biblical text.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.James 1:13–15 describes the anatomy of temptation: desire, enticement, sin, death. How does Screwtape's model of temptation — working through distraction, ambient atmosphere, and the corruption of good desires — map onto James's account? Where do they align and where does Lewis go further?
2.1 Peter 5:8 describes the devil as a 'roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.' Lewis's Screwtape is almost the opposite — not roaring but whispering, not dramatic but bureaucratic. Do these two images of the enemy contradict each other, or do they describe different aspects of the same reality?
a.What kinds of attacks does the 'roaring lion' image prepare us for?
b.What kinds of attacks does Screwtape's 'quiet tempter' image prepare us for?
3.Galatians 5:16–26 contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit. Look at the specific 'works of the flesh' Paul lists. Which of these does Screwtape most actively try to cultivate in the Patient — and which does he try to prevent? Does any of Paul's list surprise you in this context?
Closing Prayer
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