Outside Reading-Severe Mercy-Melissa Faller

Severe Mercy is an autobiography written by Sheldon Vanauken. In the book Sheldon struggles with the question of whether or not he wants to convert to Christianity. In the beginning of the story is a love story between Sheldon and Davy (his wife). Throughout the book Sheldon and his wife share their love for each as well as their struggles of whether or not God is true. Throughout their exploration of Christianity, C.S. Lewis helps them with there struggles. I find this book particularly interesting because it is rare that two people love each other as much as Sheldon and Davy did with the absence of Christ. In order to find the truth Sheldon and Davy must both have faith. Davy finds Christ first, but Sheldon still struggles with the concept of faith. He says that he cannot believe in Christ unless he has faith and he can’t have faith unless he believes. One of the most insightful quotes comes from C.S. Lewis he explains to Vanauken that “You can’t swim unless you can support yourself in water and you can’t support yourself in water unless you can swim…but in spite of this we do swim (93).” I felt that this concept was important because often in my ministry it is hard to explain to people belief. It is something that has to be felt and experienced through a specific individual, and unlike what most people think it cannot be forced. It has to be something that happens naturally. Later in the book, Sheldon uses C.S. Lewis’s advice and he becomes a Christian.