The Weight of Glory by C.S. Lewis
Week 4: "Transposition"
Read Essay 4: "Transposition" in The Weight of Glory. Key Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:9-14; Romans 8:26.
Previewing Week 4 of The Weight of Glory
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 10-week guide when you’re ready.
In one of the most philosophically subtle essays in the collection, Lewis tackles the problem of how a higher reality can express itself through a lower medium — and why the fact that spiritual experiences have physical correlates does not debunk them. This is Lewis the Christian apologist at his most careful and rewarding.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Lewis introduces the concept of "transposition" through the analogy of a rich musical score being reduced to a single-line instrument. What is the basic idea he is trying to capture with this image?
2.Lewis uses the example of a person who was born and raised in a dungeon seeing their first drawing of the outside world. They might reasonably conclude that the outside world is just pencil lines. How does this analogy illustrate the mistake made by those who say spiritual experience is "nothing but" neurological or emotional phenomena?
3.Lewis applies transposition to the relationship between Spirit and body — specifically to glossolalia (speaking in tongues) and to our physical responses to spiritual experience (tears, goosebumps, the "thrill" in worship). He argues that the presence of a physical response does not discredit the spiritual reality. Do you find this convincing? Have you ever had someone dismiss your spiritual experience this way?