2 CS Lewis questions

[Thomas_Jennings]

1. Time in Heaven- (See ‘Letters To Malcolm’) CS lewis said, because mankind is by definition finite, that we shall always be in a situation of successive time, with the present becoming past. In ‘The Problem Of Pain’ he says that time in Heaven may not be so much like a linear line but have thickness like a plain as well. I’m a bit confused by that analogy as that still (name removed by moderator)lies length…Does he mean that ‘we’ll fit more in’ to our time there or, literally, a different kind of time?
2. He saw Heaven as being way more happy than anything we can experience here, yes? And continued to believe so despite the tragedy of his wife dying…I know this, though I’m not ENTIRELY sure how…what ‘quotes’ from his material am I half remembering here?

 

[Peter_Plato]

1. Time in Heaven- (See ‘Letters To Malcolm’) CS lewis said, because mankind is by definition finite, that we shall always be in a situation of successive time, with the present becoming past. In ‘The Problem Of Pain’ he says that time in Heaven may not be so much like a linear line but have thickness like a plain as well. I’m a bit confused by that analogy as that still (name removed by moderator)lies length…Does he mean that ‘we’ll fit more in’ to our time there or, literally, a different kind of time?
2. He saw Heaven as being way more happy than anything we can experience here, yes? And continued to believe so despite the tragedy of his wife dying…I know this, though I’m not ENTIRELY sure how…what ‘quotes’ from his material am I half remembering here?

Welcome Thomas!

The way I read Lewis on time having “thickness” is as his attempt to clarify the idea of eternity not being so much “without” time or lacking time, but more as the fullness of time. In a sense, being in linear time it is we who are constricted to moving forward, in a “linear” sense from the past to the future. To us, this is the only sense of time that we experience so we take it as the only possible way that time can be.

By suggesting that time has “thickness,” Lewis was figuratively “opening” up the present moment so rather than it merely having a fleeting duration - as it does for us - he imagined the present as potentially infinite in duration “upwards.” The idea of time having “thickness” encapsulates this. In fact, all moments - past, present and future ones - for God could have eternal duration, which is to say all moments are present and available to God always.

By another analogy, it would be like “reading a book” for us. We have full access to the entire story in the book at any time, so if one particular line or “moment” in the story captivates us, we could spend as much time on it as we want any time we want. God would have a similar sort of access to all times and all places as he chooses “at any time” he wills, so to speak.

I hope that helps.

 

[Aloysium]

It sounds like he did mean something having to do with opening ourselves up to the eternity of the moment.
With respect to the impact of his wife’s death, I cannot recall anything he wrote about it. Such matters tend to be too personal. Generally speaking, where there is faith, the death of loved ones usually brings us closer to God, in Whom we can truly find consolation. This world also tends to be diminished, less interesting. There is a feeling of having been left behind; you want to join the party. If he was less prolific afterwards, that is how I would understand it.

 

[Della]

1. He saw Heaven as being way more happy than anything we can experience here, yes? And continued to believe so despite the tragedy of his wife dying…I know this, though I’m not ENTIRELY sure how…what ‘quotes’ from his material am I half remembering here?

You may wish to read his “A Grief Observed” which he wrote after his wife Joy died.

One of his more famous quotes about the joy of heaven is: “Joy is the serious business of heaven”.

 

[bmonk]

1. C.S.Lewis is struggling with a concept that is enormously hard to understand–time and eternity. Some of his examples may well be off the mark. Further, he does have a great deal of logical rigor and persuasive personal authority–but no official authority. If his examples help, good. If not, you need not accept his interpretation.
2. A teacher once mentioned that there is a big difference between pleasure (temporary, very subject to what we feel, such as pain), happiness (also temporary, but more internal, less subject to outside influences) and joy (internal and spiritual, usually lasting). The example was a cancer patient, struggling and accepting pain (no pleasure) for the joy of seeing a child graduate. Pain and pleasure are usually incompatible. Happiness and grief are likewise incompatible. But joy can fill us regardless of what emotions are running through us.