A dogmatic belief in objective value is necessary to the very idea of a rule which is not tyranny or an obedience which is not slavery.
C. S. LewisRead
The value of the Old Testament may be dependant on what seems its imperfection. It may repel one use in order that we may be forced to use it in another way-to find the Word in it...to re-live, while we read, the whole Jewish experience of God's gradual and graded self-revelation, to feel the very contentions between the Word and the human material through which it works.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The Old Testament's imperfections may lead to deeper understanding and spiritual growth.
C. S. Lewis suggests that the perceived imperfections of the Old Testament might actually enhance its value, prompting us to engage with it more critically and thoughtfully. By confronting these flaws, we can discover deeper truths and insights about the nature of God and the human experience, allowing us to access the rich and complex history of Jewish spirituality and revelation.
Themes
Old TestamentImperfectionRevelationSpiritualityUnderstanding
In practice
Example use cases
During a religious study group, you could quote Lewis to discuss the complexities of scripture interpretation.
More from C. S. Lewis
All quotes →I enjoyed my breakfast this morning, and I think that was a good thing and do not think it was condemned by God. But I do not think myself a good man for enjoying it.
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Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.
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Forgiving and being forgiven are two names for the same thing. The important thing is that a discord has been resolved.
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I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. It doesn't change God - it changes me.
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The instrument through which you see God is your whole self. And if a man's self is not kept clean and bright, his glimpse of God will be blurred
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