Screwtape's Master Plan: A Satirical Take on Christianity and Culture

Synopsis: Hes baaack! That infernal demon Screwtape from C. S. Lewiss classic book The Screwtape Letters has returned. Screwtape is armed with a Master Plan designed to acidify and ultimately destroy the cultural tapestries of a critical region of the world and the humans therein. In a series of lectures delivered to a legion of demons Screwtape highlights key principles and tactics for twisting human thinking and behavior in the areas of materialism sexuality intergroup relationships self-actualization work and vocation and understandings of Jesus. Screwtapes ultimate objective is to snuff out Gods light in the region by encouraging Christians to assimilate to prevailing cultural norms or withdraw into their own cultural bubbles rather than faithfully integrate into the cultures around them. Through a process known as the Amishification of the Church Screwtape expects the Christian church to become a minor backwater institution in the region by the end of the twenty-first century. Endorsement: By redeploying C. S. Lewiss Screwtape character in a contemporary context Anderton reminds us that the subliminal battle to undermine Gods plan for humanity is still raging. This book helps identify tactics to counter cultural demise by reimagining how the church integrates with culture. --Linda Bourie Missionary Artist Through careful observation and analysis and by borrowing the approach of C. S. Lewis Anderton shows us why the church in the U.S. is having only marginal influence on our culture. As I read I repented of my complacency and resolved to engage my world with greater humility intentionality and grace. --Lou Soiles Associate Pastor Trinitarian Congregational Church Andertons concept of swollenness and segmentation provokes new thought and ideas for countering the spiritual forces of darkness around us. Using a kind of reverse engineering Anderton takes our current situation and reduces it to smaller components that can be effectively managed and addressed. --Joe Shea Campus Missionary and Area Director Campus Ambassadors Deftly skewering the fallacies that underlie our tired dichotomies of conservative and progressive scientific and spiritual Andertons devilish protagonist challenges us to remember what is basic and bold about Christianity. From divine delight in the material world to the key role of women in Gods mission Screwtapes Master Plan is a booster shot for the churchs subversive culture-transforming potential. The return of Lewiss demon has given me a lot to think and preach about. --Lisa Green Rector Saint Johns Episcopal Church Charles Anderton has written a courageous book. He has dared to take C. S. Lewiss classic and extend its downside-up perspective to see what the devil might be doing with todays materialism and many polarizations. He has done it well and has written a challenging and helpful book. --Dick Keyes Director of the LAbri Fellowship Southborough Massachusetts Author Biography: Charles H. Anderton is Professor of Economics at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester MA. He is the author or coauthor of articles published in scholarly journals on the economics of conflict and a coauthor with John R. Carter of Principles of Conflict Economics (2009).