Hopefully, you’ve been through the first two segments of this Screwtape Letters Study Guide. It will really help you with using it. I’ve used a combination of color coding and different fonts to aid in identifying what’s going on. There’s also some help with getting started, either in a group or by yourself.
How to use the Screwtape Letters Study Guide is article #2 in the series: Screwtape Letters.Click button to view titles for entire series
I realize there are some potential issues with color coding and people with different types of colorblindness.
To some extent, that’s difficult to completely avoid, since many Bibles have the convention of using red text when Jesus speaks.
In the first version of this series, I also used green for my comments in certain places. This time, I’m going to switch that to both a different font and make them brown. As far as I know, brown isn’t generally a problem.
Some people have a problem differentiating blue and purple. Since I used both of them, I going to try blue and pink/purple. Since I’ve never used them before, I have to try it to see what happens.
If you are colorblind, and have trouble with this series, please let me know. I’m not sure I can resolve every issue, but I’m willing to have a go at trying to make this is usable as possible. Previously, most of the colors were hard-coded. In this version, I’m going to give them all names, with the ability to change the red-green-blue components of each of them on the fly.
Please note – the color changes will be implemented immediately across the entire guide.
Determining the context of what you are reading
There’s a lot of material to present here, so I’m going to try to arrange it in a useful way. Part of that will involve color coding the text as well as different fonts and using italics.
Letter groupings
There are 31 letters/chapters in the book.
For each letter, I have two documents. The first is the one with the questions. The second has the questions, and with each question some discussion guide notes on the kinds of things that might help with your study sessions. More on that later.
There are two ways on this site to get to the study guide.
One is the menu page. It has a simple grid with each segment of the guide. By default, it comes up in random order. You have the option to sort it either ascending or descending order. Ascending may be more useful at the start of your study – and descending later on.
The second way to get to the study guide is the first post in the series. There are logical groupings for the letters in the book. You’ll see that as you read it. If you didn’t notice before, the first post does have all the letters, with the view broken out by those logical groupings. Part of the reason I point this out us that a single study, potentially lasting 31 weeks, is a long time. Those logical groupings will help you find good break points to take some time off without being too disruptive.
In any case, you can use either method, or both. Whatever works for you.
Color Coding and Fonts
● My comments will be in brown text like this.
● Text from the book will be in pink, like this. I will be including only enough to show you the beginning and ending segments which are relevant to each question, as the book is still under Copyright.
● The questions will be in a plain, pink/purple font like this.
● When you get to the answer pages, Bible text will be in a plain black font, like this. There will also be links to Biblia.com for each set of verses for your reference. Unless otherwise noted – I use the NIV – generally 1984.
● Where I have included a section heading from the NIV – it will be in bold text like this. These are links to pages where you’ll find other posts containing the selected passage.
● Where Jesus speaks – His words will be in red like this.
● References from other sources will be in blue italics like this.
Definitions
Depending on the words used in each letter, there may be a vocabulary section at the end of the question section for that letter. Without going overboard, I’ve tried to include words I think are likely to now be well known outside of the UK.
Study methodology
As far as how to use the guide, feel free to adopt your own method, but here’s what we did.
- The questions page was distributed to everyone in the group at least a week before we met to go over each chapter.
- In general, we did one chapter each week, meeting once a week in the evening. That gave plenty of time for discussion and other questions that came up.
- We went around the table, each person in turn reading the section from the book ,the question(s) for that section, and answering the question. Sometimes answering it would also include more questions.
- After that it was open for the rest of the group to talk further, ask more questions, whatever, until everyone had a chance to say what they wanted for each one.
- Depending on how the discussion went there were different possibilities for what to do with the answer portion of the guide:
- Sometimes it wasn’t needed at all, since the discussion already covered everything.
- Sometimes it was used to just close out/summarize the discussion.
- It rarely happened, but if needed, it was available to be used to start a discussion.
Can I study in a group of one?
ou may be asking – “Can I study alone – by myself – a group of one? Well – the short answer is yes. But there are “three others” that would love to join you. They are asking to join you. All you have to do is invite them.
1. God – the Father – who you will see in the very first letter asks all of us to (Isaiah 1:18) “Come now, and let us reason together…”
2. God – The Son – who was sent by the Father – (John 3:16) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. and who is asking you to let Him into your life – (Rev 3:20) Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
3. God – the Holy Spirit – who Jesus asked the Father to leave with us to be with us – (Jn 14:26) But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
So yes, you could study by yourself, in a group of one. But it’d be much better in a group of at least four (you and the three just mentioned). Invite them into your group (whether you are one or ten together). They are waiting.
Go to the Screwtape Letter Study Guide
Feedback!
I really hope this is of value to you and / or your group as you study this book.
Contact me – I’d love to hear back on how you’re doing with it – if you have any comments or suggestions.
Enjoy – and learn!