Out of the Silent Planet is a great, quick read. I love the solar system that Lewis created and how he perfectly blends Christian theology with science fiction. The last section of the book completes the picture, with Oyarsa filling in the gaps about Thulcandra and the Bent One. The first time I read Out of the Silent Planet I was floored by how Lewis connected the fallen nature of our planet with alien races and other angelic beings.
Here are some other thoughts I had while finishing Out of the Silent Planet.
The Bent One
Satan sucks and I hate the influence he has in our world. Oyarsa also has no love for him, labeling him the Bent One and recounting all the damage he did before he was bound to Earth. The concept of other species and eldila looking out our silent planet and mourning its brokenness is fascinating. What would our bent world look like to someone who had no concept of sin? How would others view the brokenness of our world if theirs were still as God intended it? Reading about the Bent One and our bent world makes me long even more to see the new heaven and the new earth. I groan along with the whole of creation waiting for what’s been bent to be made straight.
Weston
Weston is a prime example of our bent world. His interaction with Oyarsa would have been hilarious if it wasn’t so cringe-worthy. Weston’s arrogance communicating with a “primitive” species brought to mind all of the worst examples of Americans in foreign cultures. His passionate belief that the propagation of the human species beyond Earth superseded any other interest was disgusting, but not all that surprising. Weston is just covering his selfishness with fake altruism. He doesn’t want to rescue humanity for the sake of rescuing humanity. He wants to rescue humanity so that he can be known as the man who rescued humanity. He’s selfish and I probably hate him so much because I see a little too much of myself in him.
Death
“Yes,” said Oyarsa, “but one thing we left behind us on the harandra: fear. And with fear, murder and rebellion. The weakest of my people does not fear death. It is the Bent One, the lord of your world, who wastes your lives and befouls them with flying from what you know will overtake you in the end. If you were subjects of Maleldil you would have peace.”
1 Corinthians 15:55 says, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” Because of Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection from the grave, death is powerless. In Christ death has no fear or grief because, in Christ, death isn’t the end. According to Oyarsa it is the Bent One who makes us run from death, as if we could. When we’re subjected to Christ, though, there’s no need to run from death. We know that Christ will take us when it is our time but, until that moment, we can serve him with all of our strength. When we fear death, our lives are merely focused on avoiding death at all costs. When we don’t fear death, life has the opportunity to take on so much more purpose and meaning.
Out of the Silent Planet is a great book and definitely stirred within me a desire to live the life for which I was created. We were meant for more than this bent life and the Holy Spirit enables us to live differently. We’re going to take a few weeks off before continuing with Perelandra, which will hopefully whet your appetite even more for The Space Trilogy.
What did you take away from the end of Out of the Silent Planet?
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