S7E18 – LL 2 – “Ut Omnes Unum Sint”

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Andrew, David, and Matt discuss the first seven “Latin Letters” of C. S. Lewis.

S7E18: “Ut Omnes Unum Sint” (Download)

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Show Notes

Introduction

Quote-of-the-week

Be assured that for me too Schism in the Body of Christ Is both a source of grief and a matter for prayers, Being a most serious stumbling block to those coming in And one which makes even the faithful weaker in repelling the common foe.

C. S. Lewis, The Latin Letters of C. S. Lewis (Letter #2)

Chit-Chat

Toast

Discussion

01. “Letter #1: Verona (1st September, 1947)”

  • The focus will be on the first seven extant letters, which were sent within the time span of around seven months. They were centered around Christian schism, and the hope for unity.
  • All but one of the letters discussed in this episode were written by Lewis; as listeners are aware, Lewis liked to burn letters after receiving them. The first letter discussed was written by St. Calabria, who was inspired to correspond with Lewis after reading The Screwtape Letters.

This is the sigh of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus manifested in that prayer of His to the Father before He suffered: “that they all may be one.”

St. Calabria, Letter to C. S. Lewis, September 1st, 1947
  • This was a reference to John 17, which contains the title of the episode, “that they may all be one.”

I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. The glory which thou hast given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and thou in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them even as thou hast loved me.

John 17:20-24
  • Don Giavani tells Lewis that he is praying for him in regard to unity.

Poor as I am, I promise to pray strenuously that God and our Lord Jesus Christ will see fit to illuminate and strengthen you that you may be able to perform something of greater moment in the Lord’s vineyard, so that at last it may be seen that “there is one fold and one Shepherd”.

I pray that you will pardon me for the liberty I have ventured to take with you. If indeed there is anything you would like to write to me, be assured that you would be doing something I should greatly welcome.

St. Calabria, Letter to C. S. Lewis, September 1st, 1947
  • A few years after Don Giovani’s encouragement to Lewis to increase Christian unity, Lewis compiled the excerpts that would become Mere Christianity.

I should be very glad if people would not draw fanciful inferences from my silence on certain disputed matters…There are questions at issue between Christians to which I do not think we have been told the answer…you cannot even conclude, from my silence on disputed points, either that I think them important or that I think them unimportant. For this is itself one of the disputed points…I have a reluctance to say much about temptations to which I myself am not exposed…

C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

02. “Letter #2: Oxford (6th September, 1947)”

  • Lewis replies to St. Calabria…

Thank you for your letter, full of love and goodwill. Be assured that for me too schism in the Body of Christ is both a source of grief and a matter for prayers, being a most serious stumbling block to those coming in and one which makes even the faithful weaker in repelling the common foe.

C. S. Lewis, Letter to St. Calabria, September 6th, 1947
  • Lewis downplays his apologetic abilities, appealing to the fact that he is a layman. But he explains to St. Calabria what he believes to be his calling regarding Christian unity…

I have tried to do the only thing that I think myself able to do: that is, to leave completely aside the subtler questions about which the Roman Church and Protestants disagree among themselves – things which are to be treated of by bishops and learned men – and in my own books to expound, rather those things which still, by God’s grace, after so many sins and errors, are shared by us.

C. S. Lewis, Letter to St. Calabria, September 6th, 1947
  • Areas of unity are far more plentiful than areas of disunity. David referenced JPII’s Ut Unum Sint.

This is what Pope John XXIII believed about the unity of the Church and how he saw full Christian unity. With regard to other Christians, to the great Christian family, he observed: “What unites us is much greater than what divides us”.

Pope John Paul II, Ut Unum Sint, May 25th, 1995
  • Lewis said that many Christians do not know what they share with other denominations. One example was a Protestant who believed that Catholics were not Trinitarian!
  • Jack offers a second work of his…

Over and above that work, it has always seemed to me that I should maintain as much fraternal intercourse as possible with all those who call themselves Christians. If all were actively to do this, might we not hope that this unity of love and action over many years would precede – not to say foster – an eventual re-unification of doctrines.

C. S. Lewis, Letter to St. Calabria, September 6th, 1947

Thirdly, there remain – what is most efficacious – prayers.

C. S. Lewis, Letter to St. Calabria, September 6th, 1947
  • David recanted his wish for both the Letters and The Abolition of Man to have footnotes rather than endnotes…but in the endnotes, the editor (Moynihan) quotes Lewis’ letter to Dom Bede Griffiths.

A united Christendom should be the answer to the new Paganism. But how reconciliation of the Churches as opposed to conversion of individuals from one Church to another is to come about I confess I cannot see. I am inclined to think that the immediate task is vigorous co-operation on the basis of what even now is common – combined of course with full admission of the differences. An experienced unity on some things night then prove the prelude to a confessional unity on all things. Nothing could give such strong support to the Papal claims as the spectacle of a Pope actually functioning as the head of Christenom.

C. S. Lewis, Letter to Dom Bede Griffiths, May 8th, 1939
  • In closing, Lewis asks Don Giovani’s forgiveness for not keeping up with his Latin writing, and closes with a line from Letters to an American Lady; “oremus pro invicem.”

Let us pray for each other. With all my heart I commend myself to your fatherly love in Our Lord.

C. S. Lewis, Letter to St. Calabria, September 6th, 1947

03. “Letter #3: Oxford (20th September, 1947)”

  • We don’t have St. Calabria’s letter (because Lewis burnt it), but he appeared to have called this point in history “Satan’s Hour.” Lewis agrees, but then says he sees “sparks of hope in the darkness.”

Common perils, common burdens, an almost universal hatred and contempt for the Flock of Christ can, by God’s Grace, contribute much to the healing of our divisions. For those who suffer the same things from the same people for the same Person can scarcely not love each other.

C. S. Lewis, Letter to St. Calabria, September 20th, 1947
  • Lewis suggests that this might be God’s intention, “since we have refused milder remedies, to compel us into unity”.

Satan is without doubt nothing else than a hammer in the hand of a benevolent and severe God. For all, either willingly or unwillingly, do the will of God: Judas and Satan as tools or instruments, John and Peter as sons.

C. S. Lewis, Letter to St. Calabria, September 20th, 1947
  • In this quote, we hear echos of J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion, where Illuvitar describes Melkor attempting to disrupt the music of Eru (God).

…no theme may be played that hath not its uttermost source in me, nor can any alter the music in my despite. For he that attempteth this shall prove but mine instrument in the devising of things more wonderful, which he himself hath not imagined.

J. R. R. Tolkien, Illuvitar, The Silmarillion
  • Andrew thought that people tend to let the negative crowd out the good in their minds, but with time, the negative things become proportionally smaller. Bad things could be preparation for the greater grace of God. The story of The Great Divorce is that the story of mankind is about always journeying to Heaven; likewise, if the destination is Hell, the story is about always journeying there.
  • On Christian unity, David noted the accomplishments within the recent centuries, particularly during the World Wars, as Christians banded together and died alongside one another, rather than fighting amongst themselves. Ecumenism comes through unity and martyrdom in the face of a common enemy: an ecumenism of blood.

Hitler, knowingly and unwillingly, greatly benefited the Church.

C. S. Lewis
  • Don Giovanni apparently sent books to Lewis. Lewis apologises that his works had not yet been translated into Italian. He ends the letter blaming the Renaissance for Latin’s fall from a spoken language, as vernacular languages ascended.

If it were not for that, we should then be able to correspond with the whole of Europe.

C. S. Lewis, Letter to St. Calabria, September 20th, 1947

04. “Letter #4: Oxford (3rd October, 1947)”

  • In this October letter, St. Calabria’s books have arrived, and Jack complains about the return of the undergraduates to the university, referencing the curse of Adam.

…we tutors experience the curse of our First Parent, in the sweat of thy face etc.!

C. S. Lewis, Letter to St. Calabria, October 3rd, 1947
  • Andrew was reminded of That Hideous Strength, where a professor runs from a student who wants him to read his tedious essay. Lewis, during this time, had been losing out on professorship positions, until Cambridge created a new professorship for him, combining the Medieval and Renaissance Literature departments.

05. “Letter #5: Oxford (25th November, 1947)”

  • Lewis begins this letter by saying he knows some Italian…of the 15-16th century variety, like that of Boiardo and Ariosto. He is praying for France, “lying in danger as she does”; the French government had fallen months earlier.
  • Jack also says that he had read Ut Omnes Unum Sint, an article by Don Giovanni. Lewis enjoyed the work, but because he knew that St. Calabria wanted to hear about areas of disagreement rather than unity, he says he will “write back briefly about these [things], with that filial liberty which I believe you wished me to exercise”.
  • Lewis’ first disagreement was on some aspects of the Omnipotence of God…

About the omnipotence of the Word of God who Himself is the Word: as far as it is a word of command, I agree. As far as it is a word of prayer, I hesitate. For it can be replied that He Himself in the Garden of Gethsemane entreated but did not obtain. Next, is it not a frightening truth that the free will of a bad man can resist the will of God? For He has, after a fashion, restricted His own Omnipotence by the very fact of creating free creatures; and we read that the Lord was not able to do miracles in some place because people’s faith was wanting.

C. S. Lewis, Letter to St. Calabria, November 25th, 1947
  • Matt questioned the influential nature of prayer, and Andrew referenced The Great Divorce:

There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, “Thy will be done,” and those to whom God says, in the end, “Thy will be done.” All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it.

C. S. Lewis, The Great Divorce
  • The second idea Lewis confronts is that the schism is due wholly to sin. Lewis does not believe that sin is the whole story, though it is a component of it. He points to “lost men” like Teztzel (a Catholic) and Henry VIII (a Protestant), potentially along with Pope Leo and Luther. Other figures complicate the narrative; Thomas More and William Tyndale. He says of these two:

Both of them seem to me most saintly men and to have loved God with their whole heart: I am not worthy to undo the shoes of either of them. Nevertheless they disagree and… their disagreement seems to me to spring not from their vices nor from their ignorance but rather from their virtues and the depths of their faith, so that the more they were at their best the more they were at variance.

C. S. Lewis, Letter to St. Calabria, November 25th, 1947
  • He ends by ultimately leaving judgement to God.

[Unity] will be neither disgusting nor unhallowed.

C. S. Lewis, Letters to Malcolm

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

1 Corinthians 3:10-15
  • The third and final point made by Jack is a contention with Don Giovanni’s statement that the Pope is “the point of meeting.” But he ends with the unity that they share.

[Christians should] oppose the common foe (or foes, their name is Legion) with the unity of Charity…Disputations do more to aggravate schism than to heal it: united action, prayer, fortitude and (should God so will) united deaths for Christ – these make us one.

By doing the truth which we already know, let us make progress towards the truth which as yet we are ignorant of. Then, without doubt, we shall be one: for truth is one.

C. S. Lewis, Letter to St. Calabria, November 25th, 1947

 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] There is no commandment greater than these.”

Mark 12:29-31

06. ” Letter #6: Oxford (13th January, 1948)”

  • Later in the year, Andrew notes, Lewis will begin writing The Chronicles of Narnia. Perhaps the gaiety he’s been experiencing influenced his storytelling!

07. “Letter #7: Oxford (27th March, 1948)”

  • Lewis references the Litany of Humility, sent to him by St. Calabria. Don Giovanni appears to have claimed once again that the world seems very dark, and Lewis reminds him of the words of St. Paul, to “rejoice,” like the world appears to with the coming of spring. He then offers some wise advice:

I believe that men of this age… think too much about the state of nations and the situation of the world. Does not the author of The Imitation warn us against involving ourselves too much with such things? We are not kings, we are not senators. Let us beware lest, while we torture ourselves in vain about the fate of Europe, we neglect either Venona or Oxford.
In the poor man who knocks at my door, in my ailing mother, in the young man who seeks my advice, the Lord Himself is present: therefore let us wash His feet.

C. S. Lewis, Letter to St. Calabria, March 27th, 1948
  • Andrew concluded that, “The goal of the world is to keep us from the two great commandments.” We must love our neighbours, especially if they are our adversaries.

If they are wrong they need your prayers all the more; and if they are your enemies, then you are under orders to pray for them. That is one of the rules common to the whole house.

C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
  • The letter is written on the Eve of Easter, and Lewis promises to remember Fr. Calabria at Holy Communion.

Away with tears and fears and troubles! United in wedlock with the eternal Godhead Itself, our nature ascends into the Heaven of Heavens. So it would be impious to call ourselves “miserable”,. On the contrary, Man is a creature whom the Angels – were they capable of envy – would envy. Let us lift up our hearts! “At some future time perhaps even these things it will be a joy to recall.”

C. S. Lewis, Letter to St. Calabria, March 27th, 1948
  • David points out how Lewis combines the Eucharistic liturgy – “let us lift up our hearts” – with the pagan Aeneid – “at some future time perhaps even these things it will be a joy to recall.” Andrew recalled a line from Surprised by Joy:

That is why I often find myself at such cross-purposes with the modern world: I have been a converted Pagan living among apostate Puritans.

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy, The Shape of My Early Life
  • The letter ends with the follow salutation:

Semper oremus pro invicem. Vale.
Translation: Let us pray for each other always. Farewell.

C. S. Lewis, Letter to St. Calabria, March 27th, 1948

Wrap-Up

Concluding Thoughts

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Posted in Andrew, David, Matt, Podcast Episode, Season 7, The Latin Letters of C. S. Lewis.

David

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After working as a Software Engineer in England for several years, David moved to the United States in 2008, where he settled in San Diego. Then, in 2020 he married his wife, Marie, and moved to La Crosse, Wisconsin. Together they have a son, Alexander, who is adamant that Narnia should be read publication order.