The Weight of Glory and Other Addresses

The idea that religion is a private, individual affair is a modern one and contrary to the New Testament’s worldview. Ironically, this individualist view of religion has developed in an age in which collectivism is on the rise—including at the university. Lewis identifies a few “stratagems” of “the enemy” (i.e., the devil) at work here. First, by banishing religion to the private sphere and then banishing privacy, modern society is in effect making religion impossible to practice. Second, there is a danger that Christians may react to this strategy by importing collectivism into Christianity. Third, on some level, privatizing religion is a legitimate reaction on the part of Christians themselves to collectivism.

Lewis posits a solution. There is a hierarchy of values: The collective life is at the bottom, participation in the Body of Christ is at the top, and “personal and private life” is in the middle (161). Collective life exists not for its own sake but to protect personal and private life. However, Lewis argues that there is a general human tendency to mistake the means for the end, with disastrous consequences. This does not mean that the means can be eliminated: It is probable that collectivism is a necessary evil.