From: jmb5b@faraday.clas.Virginia.EDU (John M. Bozeman)
Subject: C.S. Lewis and Universalism-I'm confused!
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 23:09:00 GMT


Hi, list-users! I'm fairly new to this list, and might I say it's great finding such a great Christian list!  Oh well, to my question:
 I have recently been getting into a repeated disagreement with a frien o mine regarding a passage from C.S. Lewis' _The Last Battle_ and some verses from Romans 2.  My friend is using the passages to justify his belief in something
that sounds a little universalist to me, even though he keeps insisting that
he's not a universalist. 
  The Lewis passage, in _The Last Battle_ (last of the _Narnia_) series, deals
with a fellow from Calormen (a country that was invading Narnia) who
worshiped a god called Tash.  He was a respectful soldier who had loved and
served Tash all his life, and longed to see his face just once.  The
other Calormenes, however, had fallen in with this bad crowd led by an Ape
who'd dressed a donkey up as a lion and told them that Tash and Aslan were one
and the same.  This young warrior, named Emeth, was offened by that and insisted upon going into the stable where the donkey had been kept to look for Tash.
Well, Tash eventually did show up, and he was a baddie, killing
anyone who came in through the door, except those who were protecte by Aslan.
I think Tash represents Satan.
Anyway, when all the Narnians and the children from England who love Aslan are all in Aslan's lan on the other side of the door, they look around and find Emeth, who had apparently been rescueed by Aslan along ith the Narnians.  When
Emeth tells Aslan that he'd served Tash all his life and was taught to hate
the name of Aslan, Aslan tells him that, since he is goo and Tash is bad, all truly goo service is really done to Aslan, while all bad service is service of Tash.  Basically, since Emeth had been a *good* follower of Tash, his service was
credited to Aslan, and so he gets rescued with the others an gets to spend eternity with Aslan.
  This story sounds kind of universalist to me, but a friend of mine cites
Romans 2:14-15, which talks about the Gentiles obeying the law even though they are without the law, as evidence of his idea that, if someone follows the truth the best way he knows how, he'll end up saved.  If this is true, why did
Jeus tell us to evangelize?  It seems to me, that in the context of the passage, Paul is showing the Jews how pointless it is to rely on the law for 
salvation, since even the Gentiles do things that the law requires when they haven't even heard the law.  My friend keeps telling me he's not a universalist,
and neither was C.S. Lewis, but does anybody out there have any explanation of these passages.  What does Lewis mean if he's not talking about universalism.  
I always thought his doctrine was sound, so this really confuses me.
Jesus said he is the only way, so how can people just slip by and get saved by just being good? Or am I misreading my passage.  Also, about Romans, my study Bible (NIV Study BIble) basically agreed with my interpreation of the passage, so if my friendis wrong, how do I talk to him about it.  
I would really appreciate posted replies to this, since I've been kind of confused about this.  I've talked to other Christians about the Lewis passage,
and nobody else seems to understand it either.  Oh well, I've been very long-
winded about this.  I would really appreciate it if people would tell me what
 they
think, and let me now what other Bible verses deal with this.
Thanks a lot.
In Christ,
Michelle Carpick


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