REGENT COLLEGE

INDS 564: “UNDER THE MERCY”: THE LITERATURE AND THEOLOGY OF

CHARLES WILLIAMS

Dr. Loren Wilkinson

Spring School, 2005
May 30-June 3, 8:00-11:00 am
1 or 2 graduate credit hours
TA: Beth Stovell

Deadline for dropping the course with refund is 4:30 pm on May 30 (100% refund) or 4:30 pm
on May 31 (75% refund). Deadline for dropping the course, changing the number of credits or
for changing from credit to audit is 4:30 pm on June 3 (no refunds).

This is a literature-based course and it will be assumed from the first day of class
that students already have some degree of familiarity with the primary texts listed
for each day. All students are strongly urged to read (or re-read) these works in
anticipation of this week-long course. In particular, the works scheduled for
discussion must, of course, be read closely prior to class.

Course Description
The British writer Charles Williams, a close friend of and deep influence on C.S. Lewis, was
perhaps the more profound thinker of the two. But neither his art nor his theology is as accessible
as were Lewis’s works, and they deserve to be much better-known. In this course we will use
three of Williams’s novels (The Greater Trumps, The Place of the Lion and Descent into Hell) as
an introduction to some key themes in Williams’ thought. Among those themes are
“coinherence” and “substituted love” (the way we live our lives in and through each other); the
tension and complementarity of the “way of affirmation” (which says “yes” to things and images
as a way of knowing God) and the “way of negation” (which says “no” to them); and the false
distinctions we draw between the “natural” and the “supernatural”―all our existence being in
fact “under the mercy.” Though our focus will be on these novels, we will draw also on Williams
criticism (especially The Figure of Beatrice), his theology (especially Descent of the Dove and
He Came Down from Heaven), and his poetry (Taliessin through Logres and The Region of
Summer Stars), in an attempt to give a good overview of his thought.

Class Outline NOTE: The readings listed below are meant to be read in advance, in
preparation for each class.
Mon., May 30 Introduction: Charles Williams and his Friends
Required Reading: The Greater Trumps
Suggested Reading: T.S. Eliot, Introduction to All Hallows’ Eve;
C.S. Lewis, “Preface” to Essays Presented to Charles Williams

INDS 564 – WILKINSON – Page 1 of 3 Copyright © 2005 Regent College

Tues., May 31 Williams the Theologian
Suggested reading: ch. 1, The Figure of Beatrice; ch. 1, The Descent of the
Dove; and “The Redeemed City”, “Natural Goodness”, and “The
Cross” from The Image of the City

Wed., June 1 Williams the Novelist

Required reading: The Place of the Lion

Thurs., June 2 Williams the Poet

Suggested reading: “Seed of Adam” from Collected Plays; and “Bors to
Elayne on the Kings Coins” from Taliessin through Logres and
The Region of Summer Stars

Fri., June 3 The Way of Exchange

Required reading: Descent into Hell

Academic Requirements and Time Investment

1 cr hr 2 cr hrs
Lectures / discussion 15 hrs 15 hrs
Reading 14 hrs 43 hrs
Evaluative Response(s) 4 hrs (500 wds) 8 hrs (2 @ 500 wds)
Paper 12 hrs (1500 wds) 24 hrs (3000 wds)
TOTAL 45 hrs 90 hrs

Assignments:
1. Reading.
All students are expected to have read the works assigned for the course before they are
discussed in class. It is highly recommended that the three assigned novels be read (or re-
read) before the course begins.

2. Evaluative Response(s).
Students taking the course for one credit should submit one 500-word evaluative response
(based on reading, lectures and student’s own reflection) to one of the assigned novels. This
is due by 4:30 p.m. on the last day of class. Due: by 4:30 p.m. on Fri., June 3, 2005
Students taking the course for two credits should submit two 500-word evaluative responses
(based on reading, lectures and student’s own reflection), one each to two of the novels, or to
one novel and the play, “Seed of Adam”.
Due: the first is due by 4:30 p.m. on Wed., June 1, 2005
the second is due by 4:30 p.m. on Fri., June 3, 2005

INDS 564 – WILKINSON – Page 2 of 3 Copyright © 2005 Regent College

3. Paper.
Students taking the course for one credit should submit a 1500-word paper discussing one of
Williams’s novels in the light of Williams’s thought as it has been illuminated through the
course and the other readings.

Students taking the course for two credits should submit a 3000-word paper on a significant
aspect of Williams’s thought (topic should be arrived at in consultation with the instructor).
Due: (Postmarked by) Mon., July 18, 2005

Extensions will be granted only in cases of demonstrated and unforeseen emergency and
may be subject to a grade penalty. The extension policy and application forms may be
found at Reception or on the College website <www.regent-college.edu/students>: click
on Schedules & Forms. The deadline for applying for an extension for assignments due
after the end of classes is the due date of those assignments. Extensions for
assignments due before the end of classes must be arranged with the instructor.

Evaluation
1 cr hr 2 cr hrs
Evaluative Response(s) 34 % 34 %
Paper 66 % 66 %

Bibliography
Required Reading:
We will discuss all of the works listed below, but students are expected to read in entirety only
the first three.
The Greater Trumps, reprinted 2003, Regent College Publishing.
The Place of the Lion, reprinted 2003, Regent College Publishing.
Descent into Hell, reprinted 2002, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

War in Heaven
Many Dimensions
All Hallows’ Eve (reprinted by Regent College Publishing)
The Figure of Beatrice
Descent of the Dove (reprinted by Regent College Publishing)
The Forgiveness of Sins and He Came Down from Heaven
Taliessin through Logres and The Region of Summer Stars
Collected Plays
The Image of the City and Other Essays

(Other assigned shorter works—as listed in the Class Outline—will be available on reserve, and
in a photo-copyable form in the library)

INDS 564 – WILKINSON – Page 3 of 3 Copyright © 2005 Regent College