The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
Week 5: Letters 17–22 — Love, Sex, and Marriage
Read Letters 17–22 of The Screwtape Letters. Key passages: Genesis 2:24; 1 Corinthians 13:4–7; Ephesians 5:25–33
Previewing Week 5 of The Screwtape Letters
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 14-week guide when you’re ready.
The Patient falls in love with a Christian woman, and Screwtape is alarmed — love is dangerous territory for hell. These letters reveal Lewis at his most theologically rich, exploring the relationship between pleasure, romantic love, and the character of God.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.In Letter 17, Screwtape discusses the demonic strategy around gluttony — and surprises us by focusing not on gross excess but on what he calls 'the gluttony of Delicacy': the fussy, demanding, never-satisfied pickiness that is all about self rather than nourishment. Have you ever recognized gluttony in this more subtle form — in food, entertainment, comfort, or attention?
2.When the Patient falls in love with a Christian woman, Screwtape is deeply unsettled. He describes her as surrounded by 'a whole battalion of Enemy influences' — genuine prayer, practical charity, honest friendships. What does this portrait of a godly person suggest about what spiritual health actually looks like in practice?
3.In Letter 18, Screwtape gives a blistering analysis of how hell has corrupted the human experience of romantic love by encouraging people to conflate 'being in love' (an emotional state) with love itself (a commitment and a practice). He wants the Patient to believe that love is only real when it feels overwhelming.
a.How has modern culture — including much Christian culture — absorbed this demonic definition of love?
b.How does the biblical picture of love (1 Corinthians 13) stand as a corrective?