Chapter 1
Screwtape warns Wormwood not to use arguments to keep the patient away from God, since reasoning can backfire by awakening his mind. Instead, he should keep the patient preoccupied with ordinary life and mundane distractions.
Chapter 2
The patient becomes a Christian, but Screwtape reassures Wormwood: the patient’s perception of churchgoers’ flaws can make him disillusioned. Screwtape urges Wormwood to focus the man on the irritating people in church rather than on faith itself.
Chapter 3
Screwtape encourages Wormwood to exploit tensions between the patient and his mother, fueling mutual annoyance over petty habits. He advises Wormwood to keep the patient focused on his mother’s faults while ignoring his own.
Chapter 4
Screwtape addresses prayer, telling Wormwood to keep the patient’s prayers vague and self-focused. If the man must pray, he should direct prayers toward an imagined God, not God as He truly is.
Chapter 5
As war breaks out, Screwtape warns Wormwood not to assume war itself is always good for their side. Suffering can turn people toward God. The real opportunity is to exploit fear, hatred, and self-righteousness.
Chapter 6
Screwtape advises Wormwood to keep the patient anxious about the future—suspense and fear about what might happen are useful to distract him from the present and make him self-absorbed.
Chapter 7
Screwtape discusses whether Wormwood should reveal demons’ existence. He explains their current policy is to keep humans unaware of devils, as belief in demons can lead to belief in God. Screwtape also suggests using politics to make the patient confuse Christianity with an extreme political cause.
Chapter 8
Screwtape teaches Wormwood about the Law of Undulation: humans naturally experience spiritual highs and lows. God uses these “troughs” to form real faith; demons should exploit them to sow doubt.
Chapter 9
In times of spiritual dryness, Screwtape recommends tempting the patient with sensual pleasures or convincing him that his faith was just a temporary phase—leading him to despair or complacency.
Chapter 10
The patient meets new worldly friends. Screwtape encourages Wormwood to make the patient adopt their attitudes and hide his faith, fostering duplicity and hypocrisy.
Chapter 11
Screwtape discusses humor, suggesting Wormwood encourage flippancy—making serious things seem silly—to erode virtue. Flippancy can shield humans from shame or self-awareness.
Chapter 12
Screwtape urges Wormwood to keep the patient drifting gradually away from God. He recommends subtle temptations and small compromises, warning that no dramatic sin is needed—the “gentle slope” is best.
Chapter 13
Wormwood’s patient experiences a spiritual renewal. Screwtape laments that the man has found real pleasure (like reading or walks) instead of shallow indulgence. Screwtape warns against letting the patient enjoy innocent pleasures, as these reconnect him with God.
Chapter 14
Screwtape advises Wormwood to twist the patient’s humility into pride over being humble. If the patient notices his own humility and feels pleased about it, it becomes a source of spiritual danger.
Chapter 15
Screwtape explains how humans’ orientation to time can be exploited. God wants them focused on the present, but demons should make them dwell on the future (fear, ambition) or the past (regret, nostalgia), keeping them away from the present moment where they meet God.
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