C S Lewis: Doctrine as Devotion

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RamistThomist

Puritanboard Clerk
This is so true with me. 9/10 devotional works do nothing for me. But when I work through systematics or biblical theologies, I get more out of it. It seems that CS Lewis felt the same way.

"Now the layman or amateur needs to be instructed as well as to be exhorted. In this age his need for knowledge is particularly pressing. Nor would I admit any sharp division between the two kinds of book. For my own part I tend to find the doctrinal books often more helpful in devotion than the devotional books, and I rather suspect that the same experience may await many others. I believe that many who find that “nothing happens” when they sit down, or kneel down, to a book of devotion, would find that the heart sings unbidden while they are working their way through a tough bit of theology with a pipe in their teeth and a pencil in their hand."

"On the Reading of Old Books," Athanasius, On the Incarnation. St Vladimir's Seminary Press.
 
Agreed. The only devotional that I have even found remotely compelling is Mornings and Evenings by Spurgeon. Even then it is not near as engaging as when I am working my way through doctrine.
 
I agree with Lewis. At the same time, we should be careful about separating doctrine from devotion. The reason why most "devotional" works profit little is not that they are devotional but that they are not doctrinal. All devotion must be doctrinal, and all doctrine must be devotional.
 
I agree with Lewis. At the same time, we should be careful about separating doctrine from devotion. The reason why most "devotional" works profit little is not that they are devotional but that they are not doctrinal. All devotion must be doctrinal, and all doctrine must be devotional.
I agree with this also. What I meant is that my time studying doctrine tends to be more devotionally profitable.
 
I agree with this also. What I meant is that my time studying doctrine tends to be more devotionally profitable.
Of course, I understand. I meant to say that I wasn't trying to imply that Lewis or anyone in this thread was separating doctrine and devotion. I was simply offering two cents.
 
I suppose my main problem with devotional works is that most of them--and there are a few exceptions--are abstracted from their main purpose and bite-sized to get me a nice blessin' for the mornin', which does nothing for me.
 
I suppose my main problem with devotional works is that most of them--and there are a few exceptions--are abstracted from their main purpose and bite-sized to get me a nice blessin' for the mornin', which does nothing for me.
I agree with this. My current ministry context is exclusively with people who see little need for doctrine (besides my wife lol). They talk about growing in knowledge, but every time we enter a doctrinal conversation, and I work at a point of disagreement (they are also wesleyans), the result is ALWAYS “we can’t understand everything until we get to heaven” as a way to end the conversation. This usually happens when I am discussing something as foundational as justification by faith. There are a plethora of issues that come along with this that I don’t need to get into right now.

I think this stems from a radically different view of devotion in the Christian life, and this is evidenced by the types of books they read alongside the Bible (almost always the doctrinally shallow devotional books being discussed) and the way they read the Bible itself. The Bible tends to be yet another devo book, something to, as quoted above, “bless in the mornin.”

Me personally, I am working through the institutes along with my morning Bible reading and prayer.
 
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