That Hideous Strength: How the West Was Lost

by Melvin Tinker

C S Lewis readers will identify the main title of this new Melvin Tinker uses Lewis s prescient fiction work as a launchpad for a fascinating look at the rapidly changing worldview of Western civilization. Too often books dealing with these issues are academically inclined and not accessible by the ordinary that is not the case here. Based on a lecture delivered at GAFCON in June 2018, this book will stimulate thinking and open the eyes of Christians to the dangers of the worldview relentlessly promoted by the media.

Genres: Cultural, Christian, Philosophy, Nonfiction, Politics, Theology, Christianity

130 pages, Paperback

Published August 6, 2018

Reviews

[Bob O'Bannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tinker borrows from the story of Babel in Genesis 11 and CS Lewis’ book “That Hideous Strength” to make the case that the church today is involved in a spiritual battle of monumental proportion. The culprit is what Tinker calls “cultural Marxism,” which he says is seeking a “redefining and reconfiguring of reality” (62).

Many Christians today are dismissing the notion of a “culture war,” apparently because they don’t want the reputation of being people who are always looking for a fight, but through numerous examples, Tinker shows that a concentrated effort is afoot that is seeking to erect a new Babel through higher education, media, sitcoms, indoctrination of children, social media and advertising. Too many Christians, in a desire to “shun controversy” and maintain an “easy-going manner” (109), are shirking their responsibility to stand for truth, and the results will be catastrophic.

As Lewis says: “Emphasize only the natural fit between the Gospel and the spirit of the age and we will have an easy, comfortable gospel that is closer to our age then to the Gospel.” (101). Tinker says, “those in the past who have made the greatest impact for the cause of truth have also been those who have engaged with the culture, exposing and refuting it and being willing to pay the price in terms of attracting the culture’s reproach.” (104).

I agree with Tinker’s views and appreciate his willingness to call the church to get a backbone on these issues. However, this book is poorly edited (repeated punctuation errors) and it felt like he was trying to cover too many ideas in just 117 pages. The subtitle concerns “how the West was lost,” but zero attention was given to describing what “the west” (in contrast to the church) actually stands for. But it’s definitely a good primer on a very important and relevant topic.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

5 stars for the theme and concerns raised, which I agree with, but 2 or 3 stars for the presentation. So many typos and misplaced commas, so many quotes (I've read other books with lots of quotes, but somehow this one just felt like mostly quotes), and sometimes almost incoherent sentences. There were interesting spots, but sadly it just felt like a rehash of other books I've read that were better written (even though this one actually was published before some of them). I recommend two authors he quotes: Carl Trueman's The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self (although I'm only halfway through - or his shorter version Strange New World), and Rod Dreher's Benedict Option and especially his Live Not by Lies. Sorry for the negative review. :/

[Amanda Payne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read-aloud with my husband.

Wow. Wow. Wow!

Every Christian must read this book. And must read it asap. Talk about choosing the Red Pill….

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 - 5 Stars
Some favorite quotes:

"In the words of G.K. Chesterton, 'At least five times... the Faith has to all appearances gone to the dogs. In each of these five cases, it was the dog that died.'"

Pg 103 - "A dead thing can go with the stream, but only a living thing can go against it." G.K. Chesterton, The Everlasting Man

Pg 103 - In The Pastor as Public Theologian, Vanhoozer calls one of the major New Testament themes 'joyful endurance.' This was the characteristic of the early church when it stood against the world to save it, rather than go along with the world and be lost with it.

Pg 111 - This is God's battle and we are to employ God's methods of prayer, proclamation, persuasion and be willing to undergo pain in doing so. The result will be that whatever the particular outcome for Christians (such as martyrdom and estrangement), God's glory will be assured.

Pg 113 - By literacy I am referring to the ability to read things rightly which involves more than being able to pronounce words on a page or understand the meaning of a poster. It involves possessing basic information (knowledge), and knowing how to apply that information (wisdom) so we might thrive.

Pg 115 - Cultural literacy is the ability to 'read' or make sense of what is happening in our contemporary situation.

[Mystie Winckler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heard the author on the Mortification of Spin podcast discussing this book and Schole Sisters rea and discussed it as part of our Excellent Marxmanship mentorship.

Tinker demonstrates clearly and succinctly, without academia-speak, that cultural Marxism is, by its own definition, anti-gospel and therefore the battle ground of spiritual warfare today.

[Matt Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a helpful read for Christians trying to make sense of what’s going on in much of society today.
It’s well worth reading the updated 2020 edition (over the 2018 edition) even just for the added postscript on Black Lives Matter.

[Brittany Lindvall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many typos but this book still gets 5 stars for content. The call to recognize cultural Marxism and confront it with Truth is sobering but very, very needed in our age of everything being portrayed as political or unloving even by Christians or people who claim they are. We need to be brave enough to fight for Truth and make glorifying God our aim regardless of how the world may view us!

[Rachel Ramey · Rating 5 out of 5]

When C.R. Wiley was recently asked to summarize his book, In the House of Tom Bombadil, he said, "No. The book is the summary." I feel that way about That Hideous Strength: A Deeper Look at How the West Was Lost -- it's difficult to describe without simply sharing half the book because it is, in a very real sense, a summary.

The bulk of the book describes the current prevailing ideology of the West -- neo-Marxism or "cultural Marxism" -- and the history of how it came to be the prevailing ideology. If you've been paying close attention in recent decades, there may not be anything especially new to you here. There wasn't much that was entirely new to me.

But the summarizing quotes and the evidence that this has, in fact, been happening, and it isn't accidental, are powerful tools to have in your arsenal as you engage with others. Probably a solid third of the book is quotable!

The last bit of the book turns to what we ought to do about this issue. We, the Church, need to be aware, and we also need to be different, providing our own distinct culture that offers an alternative to the cultural swamp.

If you think you don't need this book because you're already aware of the problem, you'll probably want it as a tool for engagement and as encouragement that you're not alone. If you think you don't need this book because you think there isn't a problem, you need like a nearsighted person needs glasses. Basically, every Christian just ought to read this book. It's a pretty quick read, but a foundation-building one.

(Note: I haven't seen the earlier edition, but I understand it's not well-referenced and there's a good deal of new information in this one, so it's well worth reading this expanded edition if you have the choice.)

[Adam Thomas · Rating 1 out of 5]

Although this book comes highly commended, I remain skeptical of both the concept and the terminology of “cultural Marxism.” I was unpersuaded by Melvin Tinker’s narrative, especially the emphasis on the Frankfurt School and some of the sources used.

Among my most serious concerns, the bibliography contains a link to an article (cited approvingly) on the blatantly antisemitic website the Nationalist Archive, and the author cites others with associations with antisemitism and Holocaust denial. He is dismissive of the idea that “cultural Marxism” is in any way related to an antisemitic conspiracy theory, even though his link to the Nationalist Archive highlights that the phrase and Frankfurt School narrative are used to advance such a conspiracy theory.

When I raised these issue with the publishers, they promised to make some changes (which I am thankful for), but they also posted (without mentioning it to me) a Facebook post where they were dismissive of my concerns and refused to apologise for citing the Nationalist Archive or any offence caused by it.

But other people clearly liked the book, so maybe you will too.

(Note: I previously posted a shorter review while awaiting the publisher’s response to my concerns, and have now updated it in line with their public response)

[Barry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is excellent at delineating the rotting effects of cultural Marxism on the church and society at large, drawing a fascinating comparison to the story of the Tower of Babel. Unfortunately, while useful, the solutions section is a little light.

[Eric Durso · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating read in light of everything going on in our world.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as part of the Schole Sistership spring training. After I read the first chapter I decided to go and read C.S. Lewis Book That Hideous Strength which lead me to read the whole trilogy along with Deeper Heaven by Hale and Abolition of Man. Many more books have been added to my TBR pile too.

I do think that every Christian especially those in leadership should read this book along with the books mentioned above and Carl Trueman's book Strange New World or The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self. Also Cynical Theories by Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay.

From Pg 159-160
"One of the maxims of war is 'know your enemy' and presumably if one is to engage effectively, one must also 'know the territory' in which the fight is to take place. Not educating Christians about what is taking place in their society, (exposing the influence of the 'hideous strength') will be like sending a soldier out with 'the sword of the Spirit' (we have 'preached the Word' after all), without instructing them how to wield it and against whom...

Evangelical church leaders must get up to speed on what is happening to help those to whom it is happening...

all this amounts to is educating Christians concerning the social imaginaries held by many of their family and friends, and then constructing the alternative Scriptural imaginary, (which is actually reality). Church leaders who are culturally literate will be able to carry out the negative task of theology to critically reflect on how much the church has taken on broad the prevailing social imaginaries (including cultural Marxism). Also church leaders who are biblically literate will undertake the task of positive theology helping their congregation members to understand and inhabit (with mind and heart) the biblical imaginary: 'the true story of what the Triune God is doing in the world.'

... The people of Babel then and now live a lie, adopting beliefs and practices which are at odds with the reality as God created it. The people of the Bride are meant to be people who have 'got real' who know the reality in Christ and live according to it as they gather and as they go out into the world which Christ came to redeem. This also entails supporting those brother and sister who are seeking to refute the lie and promote the Truth."

[David Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short but stunning book....I cannot recommend it highly enough for the 21st Century Christian who is confused about how quickly the West is losing its Christian heritage and what we should do about it. As David Wells says "it is a very brave, fine book written with keen insight".

I wrote a four part review blog here - https://theweeflea.com/2018/11/20/tha...

Tinker, a biblical Anglican clergyman, uses C S Lewis's book of the same name, and the biblical story of the tower of Babel as the framework of his narrative. This works very well - a great deal is packed in to the 119 pages. My book of the year for 2018.

[Leinad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Made some good points, but it felt like there was a slight lack of cohesion (or perhaps a lack of clear signposting for his argument). Moreover, I felt that Tinker’s concerns were perhaps too focussed on trying to win people over by rational argument without at least acknowledging that in deeply personal matters (such as matters of sexuality), rational argument is going to be far from sufficient, and any preaching of biblical truth must be matched with the expression of Christlike love.

[Simon O'Mahony · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short and engaging critique of cultural Marxism, which also lays out the tactics they used to conquer Western culture.

I would have appreciated if he had disclosed his own view on 'Christ and culture,' or 'church/state relations.' In other words, we know Marxism and the LGBTQ agenda is antithetical to Christianity, but what does an ideal 'West' influenced by Christianity look like?

[Ethan Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Effective. Enlightening.

I read this because I just finished "That Hideous Strength" and "The Abolition of Man" by C.S. Lewis and this book aims at applying those books (mainly That Hideous Strength), along with Genesis 11, which is what Lewis based his novel on, to our times and giving us practical advice on what to do.

This book is effective in showing us how the Hideous Strength of the West (i.e., cultural marxism, transgenderism, the LGBTQ+, and critical theory) has crept into our society and rotted out not just our politics, but more importantly our institutions, our educational system, our media, and worst of all, our churches.

If any of this sounds intriguing to you I would highly recommend, for me personally, this was a helpful primer for another book I want to read in the future which expounds on all of this in further detail: The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self.

With all of this good however (and there really was a decent amount of it) there were a few quibbles and things I disagreed with. He leaves a lot untouched or unexplained. One example of this is when he explains how large critical theory and cultural marxism has grown and what it has impacted. One massive question I had during the section was, "this is all helpful, but how in the world did these people gain so much influence? And how did they do it so effectively?" I have my inclinations, but he never explains this in the book.

Another example is when he calls Jayne Ozanne a heretic both for denying original sin and claiming pelagianism for saying "The bible teaches us that we are each fearfully and wonderfully made, and that we should praise god's gift of our creation. Thus, our diversity as human beings, is a reflection of God's creativity and something to celebrate." (78). She said this to request the church to stop practicing deconversion therapy. Although I disagree with her, this isn't heresy. Applied wrong? Definitely. Heresy? I think not.

These are minor however and I would still heartily recommend this book. It does a great job at using historical research to show how the leftist and the cultural marxists from the Frankfurt school infested the church and state and spread like gangrene on a hot summer day in the ancient near east. Demons are at play and oftentimes (practically speaking) have a better eschatology than most modern evangelicals: they play the long game. But praise God that Christ is Lord and he already has won. May the Church gird its loins and trample the serpent under its feet just as our King Christ did!

[Jonathan Downing · Rating 3 out of 5]

A useful, if extremely one-sided, introduction to the influence of the Frankfurt School and CRT on western society today. It would've been so much better if Tinker had explored the moral failings of the church in the past 70 years.

Additionally, he treats "cultural marxists" essentially as a homogenous group of evildoers who 'infiltrated' academia in the 60s. This is an incredibly unhelpful way to view intellectual progression as it reduces our ability to evaluate each step and stokes Conservative Christian fears that the 'establishment' is run by people out to get us.

However, Tinker confines himself to 120 pages, and for such brevity I'll allow the shallowness of the critique. It's a helpful introduction.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very important, brave and insightful book which helps us to know the times in which we live. One of the best books I've read this year, and recent years.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enlightening and frightening. Important book.

[Amy T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had just finished reading the third book of the C.S. Lewis trilogy, also entitled That Hideous Strength, when I decided to do a Scholé Sisters seminar entitled “Excellent Marxmanship,” which includes this book by the same name.

In Lewis’s evil forces (disguised as a corporation called N.I.C.E.) change public opinion by infiltrating the media and educational institutions. Tinker compares this to the strategy proposed by the Frankfort School of 1923, which was where where today’s Critical Race Theory has its roots. The Frankfort school believed taking cultural Marxism on a “long march” through the institutions would eventually change public opinion. We are seeing the fruit of these efforts today. Group identity is king, and traditional, stabilizing institutions like church and family are viewed as oppressive.

I am new to studying Marxism and its modern iterations, and at times my brain gets tangled up, but I believe my efforts are not in vain.

This book was a little hard to follow. I understand the first version did not cite references or contain footnotes. This version cited references, but often it was a reference of another book citing a reference. This seems a little sloppy to me. Also, the writing wasn’t stellar. Example from p. 34: “throwing out the proverbial baby with the proverbial bathwater.”

But with that said, the more I read on this topic, the firmer these concepts gel in my mind.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m torn on this one. So many good things, but lacking some cohesion, especially considering the Lewis/Hideous Strength tie-in that’s supposed to guide the whole argument. But, some really great cultural insight all the same, and well-worth your time.

[Toby Neal · Rating 3 out of 5]

A politically and theologically conservative introduction to cultural Marxism.

The strength of the book is that Tinker summarizes and quotes helpful primary sources on Marxism and provides helpful analysis in quotations from others. I did find this made the book more difficult to read however. At many points I wanted Tinker to tell me what he thinks rather quoting yet another commentator. Also at some point I wished he had stopped analyzing what’s going on and spent more time sharing what Christians should be about.

The book is written in a tone and style that assumes the reader has the same worldview as the author. I thought this was a mistake. The book would have been more useful if it was written as an attempt to persuade those to see the world differently from a Christian worldview rather than the worldview served up by contemporary society. That way, I would more easily give this to progressive Christians in my church.

I would recommend the book for pastors who want a brief introduction to the topic.

[Griffin · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is plenty of good content in this book with regard to the underlying dangers of the secular world we find ourselves in. Unfortunately, this book is short on solutions. It reads more like a series of blog posts, sloppily written and unedited, without a unified argument. It’s commentary on political correctness and social justice was pretty facile, and lacked the complexity of the actual scene in today’s church. Because of the superficiality of the arguments, the solutions are made to match. While his conclusion that we need a praying church who knows the Bible and is willing to speak up is good, this book presents nothing especially helpful or new to today’s conversation. Unfortunately I’d have to say it is a good idea that was executed in a middling manner.

[Isaac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, especially Tinker's summary analysis of how we got to where we are in the west. A thought provoking and helpful conversation on how to respond also. If anything is lacking, I think that it's an overt discussion on the authority of God's Word - but Tinker appears to assume it, even if he doesn't discuss it as such.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an uncompromising call to action and courageous faith, highlighting Cultural Marxism as the cancer infecting both church and society. It’s clear and straightforward without over simplifying the issues.

[Timothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This seems like an important book. I still need some time to process some of the ideas.
But if he is right, and it seems like he is, the evangelical world is not ready and does not know it is not ready for what is coming and has already come, that is, cultural Marxism.

[Melanie Mead · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an insightful book, very eye-opening. May we as the church wake up from our slumber and start to see the cultural tsunami around us. May we hold our the gospel with courage and humility, with willingness to challenge the cultural lies that we are swimming in.

[Richard Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

How do the Tower of Babel and CS Lewis' space trilogy help us understand modern western culture?

snip... I've had second thoughts about the review I wrote here. I'm going to re-read this book and re-review it later - review removed for now

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extremely helpful introduction to cultural Marxism and its impact on Western Civilization. Highly recommended.

[Jesse Heasman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid exploration of cultural Marxism through the Christian lens