“[T]he relations which we now observe between [the] spirit and [body] are abnormal or pathological ones. At present spirit can retain its foothold against the incessant counter-attacks of Nature (both physiological and psychological)_ only by perpetual vigilance, and physiological Nature always defeats in the end. Sooner or later it becomes unable to resist the disintegrating processes at work in the body and death ensues. A little later the Nature organism (for it does not long enjoy its triumph) is similarly conquered by merely physical Nature and returns to the inorganic. But, on the Christian view, this was not always so. The spirit was once not a garrison, maintaining its post with difficulty in a hostile Nature, but was fully ‘at home’ with its organism, like a king in his own country or a rider on his own horse—or better still, as the human part of a Centaur was ‘at home’ with the equine part. Where spirit’s power over the organism was complete and unresisted, death would never occur. No doubt, spirit’s permanent triumph over natural forces which, if left to themselves, would kill the organism, would involve a continued miracle: but only the same sort of miracle which occurs every day—for whenever we think rationally we are, by direct spiritual power, forcing certain atoms in our brain and certain psychological tendencies in our natural soul to do what they would never have done if left to Nature. The Christian doctrine would be fantastic [i.e., unbelievable – ed.] only if the present frontier-situation between spirit and Nature in each human being were…self-explanatory. But is it?
In reality the frontier situation is so odd that nothing but custom could make it seem natural, and nothing but Christian doctrine can make it fully intelligible.”
-C. S. Lewis, Miracles
- Reblog
-
Subscribe
Subscribed
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
Full Contact Christianity 