Generations of Christians have been captivated by C.S. Lewis’ “The Screwtape Letters,” a work of fiction that gives insight into the temptations that humans face through imaginary letters from Screwtape, a senior demon, to his nephew, who has been given his first assignment: a young man who he must inspire to reject God and choose eternal damnation. Within its pages, the reader is confronted with the realities of the depth of evil and human weakness, as well as the relentless pursuit of God’s love.
In her latest book, Emily Wilson Hussem uses the same style to warn the women of today of the insidious ways the Evil One can influence them to stray from the path of love and mercy that God desires for them. “Sincerely, Stoneheart” is likely to resonate with women who find their struggles chronicled within the letters from the imaginary demon Stoneheart to her protégé, Belphegora.
The subject that Stoneheart and Belphegora are working to lure into rejecting God’s love is a young woman who came to commit her life to Jesus on a retreat. The key tactic the demons use is to have the woman doubt that she is beloved by God, making her become obsessed with her lovability and acceptance by others.
Unsurprisingly, one of the main themes in “Sincerely, Stoneheart” is the way that smartphones, the internet and social media provide a gateway to being influenced in mind and heart by voices that do not come from a loving God.
Addressing the battle between good and evil
Whether it is through distraction, comparison, gossip, shopping addiction, a fear of missing out or even the ubiquity of new age practices online, there are many avenues the Evil One can use to tempt people into distrusting God. In the letters, it is almost as though the way to hell is paved with smartphones and tablets.
Whereas the original “Screwtape Letters” focuses heavily on evil and the demonic by emphasizing the hatred its main characters have for “the Enemy,” or God Himself, Hussem’s version is more of a commentary on modern society. The issues Stoneheart discusses in her letters cover everything from being obsessed with social media followers to breastfeeding and gender dysphoria.
For the reader, it seems as though the demons don’t have to work very hard to pull their subjects’ attention away from God — it happens naturally with the human desire to avoid pain. It just so happens that binge-watching shows and too many drinks at brunch have become socially acceptable ways to quiet the human conscience and the heart’s longing for God.
In a time when evil forces at work in our world seem undeniable, Emily Wilson Hussem has given a gift to women of today with “Sincerely, Stoneheart,” inviting them to look inward to address the battle between good and evil in their own hearts and lives. But women have nothing to fear — the reality of evil is always outdone by the fierce love of God, who will not let his little ones be wrenched from his grasp.
