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The C.S. Lewis podcast

Religion & Spirituality Podcasts

A weekly podcast from Premier Unbelievable? with Professor Alister McGrath exploring C.S. Lewis’ thought, theology and teaching. C.S. Lewis is one of the most influential voices in modern Christianity. The 20th Century British writer and lay theologian has profoundly impacted Christians around the world and brought many atheists and agnostics to faith in Jesus. One person whose faith was greatly encouraged by the writings of C.S. Lewis is Professor Alister McGrath. Both men were raised in Northern Ireland, studied at Oxford University and went on to become professors there. They also both came to faith from atheism slightly later in life. Alister has written numerous books on C.S. Lewis, including a seminal biography C.S. Lewis – A Life. Every Monday, Ruth Jackson and Professor Alister McGrath will reflect on C.S. Lewis’ ideas, life and influence as well as trying to answer questions that impact culture today.

Location:

United Kingdom

Description:

A weekly podcast from Premier Unbelievable? with Professor Alister McGrath exploring C.S. Lewis’ thought, theology and teaching. C.S. Lewis is one of the most influential voices in modern Christianity. The 20th Century British writer and lay theologian has profoundly impacted Christians around the world and brought many atheists and agnostics to faith in Jesus. One person whose faith was greatly encouraged by the writings of C.S. Lewis is Professor Alister McGrath. Both men were raised in Northern Ireland, studied at Oxford University and went on to become professors there. They also both came to faith from atheism slightly later in life. Alister has written numerous books on C.S. Lewis, including a seminal biography C.S. Lewis – A Life. Every Monday, Ruth Jackson and Professor Alister McGrath will reflect on C.S. Lewis’ ideas, life and influence as well as trying to answer questions that impact culture today.

Language:

English


Episodes
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#171 Alister McGrath: Spiritual disciplines, young people and the academy

8/19/2024
Professor Alister McGrath continues to explore how we can use CS Lewis as a resource for our Christian life. How did Lewis' conversion change his life? What habits did he put in place to establish a rhythm of life for his faith? In what ways does Lewis speak to Christian academics? What inspiration can writers draw from Lewis? Does he offer any advice for young people living out their Christian faith today? + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/1560959545 + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website + For online learning https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training + For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events + Support the podcast from the USA + Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

Duration:00:20:04

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#170 Alister McGrath: Is Lewis a helpful spiritual mentor?

8/12/2024
How did CS Lewis live out his Christian faith? What practical tools or approaches can he offer to inform our spiritual practices? How can Lewis help us work out our vocation? Does he have any advice for those experiencing doubt? Professor Alister McGrath explores how we can use Lewis as a resource for our Christian life. + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/1560959545 + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website + For online learning https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training + For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events + Support the podcast from the USA + Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

Duration:00:17:55

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#169 James Emery White: Culture, translation and COVID-19

8/5/2024
How did CS Lewis translate Christianity for ordinary people? What would he say to our post-Christian culture? Can Lewis help with evangelism? In what ways did people apply his ideas to the COVID-19 pandemic? Pastor, author and theologian Dr James Emery White explores how we can draw on Lewis in our modern context. He references many of his works including 'Modern Man and his Categories of Thought' and 'On Living in an Atomic Age', as well as sharing stories from people who knew Lewis personally. For Dr James Emery White: https://www.churchandculture.org/jamesemerywhite + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/1560959545 + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website + For online learning https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training + For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events + Support the podcast from the USA + Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

Duration:00:20:43

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#168 Philip Tallon: What if God isn't good?

7/29/2024
Did Lewis want to rewrite some of his earlier work on suffering in light of his own experience of pain and loss? Did Lewis doubt the existence of God or question his character during these times? What words of encouragement would Lewis give to those in the throes of suffering? Dr Philip Tallon, Associate Professor of Theology and Dean of The School of Christian Thought at Houston Christian University, explores A Grief Observed and The Problem of Pain. He also shares how to help younger readers engage with Lewis. For Philip Tallon: https://hc.edu/contact/philip-tallon/ + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/1560959545 + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website + For online learning https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training + For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events + Support the podcast from the USA + Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

Duration:00:18:42

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#167 Philip Tallon: How do hell, the Fall and beauty fit into Lewis' theodicy?

7/22/2024
How does Lewis perceive the Fall? Is he able to reconcile it with an evolutionary model? Where does the cross feature in The Problem of Pain? What did Lewis think of hell? In what ways does Lewis help us to recognise beauty and aesthetics in our discussions around theodicy? We continue our conversation with Dr Philip Tallon, Associate Professor of Theology and Dean of The School of Christian Thought at Houston Christian University. For Rev Dr Michael Lloyd on why evil exists: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/unapologetic/unapologetic-107-michael-lloyd-why-does-evil-exist/17736.article For Philip Tallon: https://hc.edu/contact/philip-tallon/ + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/1560959545 + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website + For online learning https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training + For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events + Support the podcast from the USA + Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

Duration:00:24:49

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#166 Philip Tallon: Is pain a megaphone?

7/15/2024
Can pain ever be good for us? What about children with cancer? How do we account for animal suffering? Will our pets be in heaven? Does our theology of heaven impact our thoughts around suffering? Dr Philip Tallon, Associate Professor of Theology and Dean of The School of Christian Thought at Houston Christian University, shares his thoughts about Lewis' The Problem of Pain. + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/1560959545 + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website + For online learning https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training + For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events + Support the podcast from the USA + Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

Duration:00:21:17

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#165 Philip Tallon: Is pain a problem?

7/8/2024
Dr Philip Tallon, Associate Professor of Theology and Dean of The School of Christian Thought at Houston Christian University, unpacks one of Lewis' earliest work of apologetics The Problem of Pain. What are the critiques of this book and can any of these challenges be overcome? + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/1560959545 + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website + For online learning https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training + For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events + Support the podcast from the USA + Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

Duration:00:26:12

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#164 Johan Erasmus: Coming to faith via Richard Dawkins and CS Lewis

7/1/2024
Can Lewis still speak to us today? Following the death of his father as a child, Afrikaner pastor Johan Erasmus struggled to find a place where he could ask sceptical questions about faith, God and the Universe. During this time he discovered CS Lewis, but also Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens. You can hear more of his story in Coming To Faith Through Dawkins. To hear more of Johan's story, check out Unapologetic: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/shows/unapologetic + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/1560959545 + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website + For online learning https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training + For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events + Support the podcast from the USA + Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

Duration:00:34:46

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#163 Matthew Brown: What would Sigmund Freud and CS Lewis discuss?

6/24/2024
Hollywood director Matthew Brown, who directed and co-wrote Freud's Last Session, shares his thoughts on two of the greatest minds of the 20th Century. The film, which features Sir Anthony Hopkins, Matthew Goode and Liv Lisa Fries, raises questions about the existence of God, the prevalence of human suffering and the perceived conflict between religion and science. What would Freud and Lewis have spoken about if they had met? How can we model civil conversation with those we vehemently disagree with? What can we learn from Lewis and Freud in today's society? + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/1560959545 + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website + For online learning https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training + For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events + Support the podcast from the USA + Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

Duration:00:36:08

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#162 Alister McGrath: Is there still a place for Lewis in today’s society?

6/17/2024
We continue our conversation with Professor Alister McGrath answering live questions, including who influenced Lewis’ faith journey, whether there’s an expiry date on his relevance and how Lewis has impacted Alister’s own theology. + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/1560959545 + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website + For online learning https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training + For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events + Support the podcast from the USA + Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

Duration:00:15:16

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#161 Alister McGrath: Your questions answered

6/10/2024
Professor Alister McGrath joined Ruth Jackson for a webinar answering live questions about CS Lewis, including how Lewis used modern media, whether there is a "modern day Lewis" and how we navigate some of the potentially racist terms within his work. + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/1560959545 + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website + For online learning https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training + For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events + Support the podcast from the USA + Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

Duration:00:17:50

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#160 Malcolm Guite: Poetry and a baptised imagination

6/3/2024
In this third and final part, Rev Dr Malcolm Guite, Life Fellow of Girton College, Cambridge University answers questions about CS Lewis on Narnia, The Pilgrim's Regress and poetry. This is taken from the Q&A after his presentation ‘A Little Incarnation: CS Lewis and the poetry of embodiment’, which was given at a CS Lewis symposium called Now We Have Faces, hosted by The CS Lewis Group at Ulster University in coordination with English at Ulster. + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/1560959545 + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website + For online learning https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training + For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events + Support the podcast from the USA + Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

Duration:00:21:00

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159 Malcolm Guite: The true myth

5/27/2024
In the second part of his presentation, Rev Dr Malcolm Guite, Life Fellow of Girton College, Cambridge University shares his thoughts about Lewis' poem 'Reason', looking at his relationship with imagination and rationality. This talk was originally given at a CS Lewis symposium called Now We Have Faces, which was hosted by The CS Lewis Group at Ulster University in coordination with English at Ulster. The title of Malcolm's presentation was ‘A Little Incarnation: CS Lewis and the poetry of embodiment’. + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/1560959545 + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website + For online learning https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training + For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events + Support the podcast from the USA + Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

Duration:00:30:43

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#158 Malcolm Guite: Was Lewis a poet?

5/20/2024
Rev Dr Malcolm Guite, Life Fellow of Girton College, Cambridge University shares his thoughts about Lewis' imaginative vision as a writer. This talk was originally given at a CS Lewis symposium called Now We Have Faces, which was hosted by The CS Lewis Group at Ulster University in coordination with English at Ulster. The title of Malcolm's presentation was ‘A Little Incarnation: CS Lewis and the poetry of embodiment’ + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/1560959545 + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website + For online learning https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training + For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events + Support the podcast from the USA + Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

Duration:00:21:10

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#157 Kathy Keller: One of the last people to correspond with Lewis before his death

5/13/2024
As we approach the one year anniversary of apologist Tim Keller's death on May 19th, we caught up with his wife Kathy Keller who corresponded with CS Lewis as a child. Why did she write to Lewis? How did he respond? What are some of the stories he shared with her? What was it like meeting Warnie Lewis? Plus, we hear the impact of CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien on Tim Keller and she answers the question many have been asking: did they speak Elvish at home? For Kathy on Unapologetic: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/shows/unapologetic For Kathy on Unbelievable: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/shows/unbelievable + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/1560959545 + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website + For online learning https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training + For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events + Support the podcast from the USA + Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

Duration:00:21:12

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#156 Phil Knox: Lord All matey or Lord Almighty?

5/6/2024
Did Jesus have favourites? What does good friendship look like? Can we can call God friend? Why does Lewis consider friendship "the most spiritual of loves"? Is Christian frienship greater than non-Christian friendship? Phil Knox, author of The Best of Friends concludes his conversation on Lewis and friendship. For Phil Knox on Unapologetic: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/unapologetic/unapologetic-69-phil-knox-does-evangelism-matter/16302.article For Professor Alister McGrath on The Four Loves: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/the-cs-lewis-podcast/the-cs-lewis-podcast-53-the-four-loves/13005.article + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/1560959545 + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website + For online learning https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training + For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events + Support the podcast from the USA + Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

Duration:00:16:37

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#155 Phil Knox: Are we allowed favourite friends?

4/29/2024
Phil Knox, author of The Best of Friends, explores what Lewis said about friendship. Why have we neglected friendship? What lessons can we learn from Lewis? Should we treat all friends equally? For Phil Knox on Unapologetic: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/unapologetic/unapologetic-69-phil-knox-does-evangelism-matter/16302.article For Professor Alister McGrath on The Four Loves: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/the-cs-lewis-podcast/the-cs-lewis-podcast-53-the-four-loves/13005.article + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/1560959545 + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website + For online learning https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training + For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events + Support the podcast from the USA + Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

Duration:00:16:46

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#154 Lewis and Tolkien: The final years

4/22/2024
What were the significant points of contention between Lewis and Tolkien? Where did they differ on theology? How did they respond to each other's fame? What did Tolkien think of The Narnia Chronicles? Why was Lewis' Letters To Malcolm so "horrifying" to Tolkien? Did these two Inklings fall out at the end of Lewis' life? For Holly: https://hollyordway.com/ + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/1560959545 + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website + For online learning https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training + For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events + Support the podcast from the USA + Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

Duration:00:21:30

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#153 The poet and the philologist: Lewis and Tolkien's early years

4/15/2024
Dr Holly Ordway, author of Tolkien’s Faith explores what Lewis and Tolkien thought of each other when they first met. How did their friendship blossom? Why was their conversation in Addison's Walk so significant to Lewis' journey back to Christianity? What influence did the two men have on each other? For Holly: https://hollyordway.com/ + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/1560959545 + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website + For online learning https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training + For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events + Support the podcast from the USA + Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

Duration:00:19:42

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#152 Is ‘The Lord of the Rings’ a religious work?

4/8/2024
Dr Holly Ordway, author of Tolkien’s Faith explores what JRR Tolkien meant when he described The Lord of the Rings as a "fundamentally religious and Catholic work". Do we see any elements of his faith in the book? Is it possible to discern a theology? Are there any characters Tolkien identified with? plus, how does Leaf by Niggle relate to Tolkien's magnum opus? For Holly: https://hollyordway.com/ + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/1560959545 + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website + For online learning https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training + For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events + Support the podcast from the USA + Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

Duration:00:20:21