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A Cult of My Own: The Platypus Reads Part LI

Over the past few eeks, we've been re-reading Charles' Williams' "Descent Into Hell" in preparation for a high table meeting. I believe this is my third time through the book and a few new things are beginning to pop out at me. What I noticed most, however, was the absence of overt references to Christ. Though his presence and oblique references to Jesus fill the work, He is mentioned by name only once, and only in the context of saying that Pauline needn't bring him into it.

Now don't worry; I'm not trying to take on the big guy. Tolkien's references to Christ in "The Lord of the Rings" are even more indirect, and yet the presence of Jesus can be felt on every page. Instead, the presence of this immanent yet hidden Christ in "Descent Into Hell" makes me ask: "what is Charles Williams doing?"

I've heard the overall impact of William's novels described as making one feel what Christianity would look like if it were an obscure cult. Reflecting on that reminded me that there was quite a large amount of time when Christianity was just an obscure cult popular among the urban lower classes of the Roman empire. Then, Christians were careful about how they publicly mentioned or portrayed Jesus for fear of persecution. In urban England in the 1930s, Christianity was a well-known religion and its adherents faces a far less physical form of persecution.

All this set me to wondering if the hidden Christ of "Descent Into Hell" is an intentional attempt by Williams to get around his readers' negative biases and talk the realities of Christian doctrine and living. Given how Lewis and Tolkien's writings show a similar impulse, this seems to satisfy the question on at least a basic level. Knowing Williams, there's probably a deeper meaning behind his choice as well; though I'm not sure what it is.

What does Stanhope mean when he tells Pauline that she needn't bring Christ into it? Perhaps that Christ is already there if Pauline will see Him.
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