One summer, in between college semesters, I read a book that recommended by my friends: A Severe Mercy, about a married couple who knew CS Lewis at Oxford.
While reading this book, I was gripped by logos, ethos and pathos.
Written by Van (Sheldon Vanauken) about the love of his life, Davy (Jean Vanauken), the author poignantly shared their story.
Deeply moved, I’ve kept that book, which I recently reread while on a deep dive of CS Lewis study.
As the author described how they met, fell in love, and drew extremely close, he described how they ran away to get married, how they were both in Hawaii during Pearl Harbor, how they wanted to live forever on boats…
To pay for whatever they needed while living on a boat, they’d pull ashore where Van typed something up for a publisher, then collect his pay.
Eventually they went to Oxford where they fell in love with all things English…and met CS Lewis.
Recalling that the author’s location is detailed in the back, I curiously turned there and gasped:
Sheldon Vanauken is a professor at Lynchburg College, Lynchburg, Virginia.
I forgot that much of this book occurred in Lynchburg, Virginia, only a few hours from my present home!
While planning our trip to see the Lafayette/Jefferson program in Lynchburg, I suggested we look for the A Severe Mercy sites while out there.
MGS
En route to Lynchburg on Rte 29, several MGs passed us, which reminded me of Van’s car in which he drove Davey and their dog to all the places all the time in the Lynchburg area.
CROSS
Soon after we arrived in Lynchburg, we stopped at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, on former Poplar Forest land.
While taking many of their country drives in the MG, they happened past this spot, that so intrigued Davey, she asked to stop to investigate.
She loved all the flowers…
…especially the azaleas…
…then she found this cross, which says at the bottom: Simply to thy Cross I Cling
Like Davey, I also prayed as I knelt at this cross…
On their many drives, they often came here so Davey could worship at the cross…
LYNCHBURG COLLEGE
Meanwhile, Van taught at Lynchburg College, now the University of Lynchburg, where his students greatly admired him.
Although Van arranged to leave Lynchburg College to teach elsewhere, Davey was suddenly admitted to the hospital with a rare illness.
Not wanting to leave her, Van asked Lynchburg College if they could take him back.
In appreciation for all Van had done for the college, the college did hire him back, although they had already hired someone else.
VIRGINIA BAPTIST HOSPITAL
While Davey was hospitalized at Virginia Baptist Hospital, Van drove their dog in the MG, leaving him there, so Davey could see him outside the window.
On Christmas, when she was too sick to go to the window, Van arranged with the nurses to let the dog come to her.
SPOILER ALERT
For months she stayed at the hospital, walking from patient to patient at night to pray for them.
Eventually, she could no longer leave her bed.
When she passed away, the hospital cleared the bill.
No money owed…out of appreciation for all that Davey gave to them.
As agreed upon, Van scattered some of her ashes at the cross at St. Stephens Church, then arranged for the rest of the ashes to be scattered at Oxford, where she first came to know Christ.
While he grieved, Van wrote many letters to CS Lewis, who was also grieving the recent death of his own wife.
Their many letters are recorded in this book.
Lewis helped Van learn hard lessons through this time of grief.
A phrase used by CS Lewis in their correspondence became the title of this book: It was a severe mercy.
Continuing to teach at Lynchburg College, Van found a small home near campus to stay, with a detached garage for his MG.
A simple internet search brings amazing stories of many students, proud to have called Professor Vanauken their teacher.
Not aware his story, they knew something was going on…and sometimes discovered his book, which explained his heart.
Famed for his classical methods of teaching with real books instead of textbooks, Van was also known for giving oral exams.
Tough as he was as a teacher, students sought to study under him, willingly submitting to his unique (Classical) methods…many proclaim this on the internet.
When Van passed away in 1996, his ashes were scattered atop Davey’s at been strewn…at the cross at St. Stephens Church in Lynchburg, Virginia and in Oxford, England.
Driving about on the lovely twisty turny roads of Lynchburg in the Blue Ridge Mountains helped me feel closer to Davey and Van…who left valuable lessons in their book for us to learn.
