Lesser-Known Lewis: Christian Reflections on C. S. Lewis's Essays and Short Works

Exploring C.S. Lewis’s 1958 article “Religion and Rocketry” where Lewis considers the threat of Aliens! That is, if they turn out to be real, does that challenge our Christian faith? This thought experiment deepens our appreciation of Christ’s incarnation and redemption, of how great God's love is for us, and teaches us how to contextualize the gospel and be more humble when we share the good...

Exploring three of C.S. Lewis’s articles from 1944: “Blimpophobia,” “A Dream,” and “Private Bates.” In all of these Lewis voices his concerns over political leaders extending their emergency powers too far for too long at the end of WW2. Lewis explains why this may backfire and lead to worse circumstances the next time a world crisis happens and gives some warnings about what happens when the gene...

Exploring C.S. Lewis’s 1940 article “The Necessity of Chivalry” where Lewis defines and illustrates what the ideal for masculinity should be — a man who is not just a warrior, neither just a tame, civilized, and refined man, but a man who is "both to the nth". Lewis explains how when men are only allowed to be one or the other, it is a danger to all of society. It seems what Lewis writes...

Exploring C.S. Lewis’s 1941 article “Meditation on the Third Commandment” warning Christians of the dangers of labeling any political party as a “Christian” party. This article led us to reflect on the risks and rewards of how Christians can mix their faith and politics. It's rewarding when our faith shapes our politics, but the risk comes when it happens the other way around. We also found so...

Exploring C.S. Lewis’s 1940 article “Two Ways with the Self,” and his 1943 article “Equality”. We start out reflecting on how Lewis’ essay on “Equality” helps fill out his surprising statements about equality in the “Membership” episode. We find that the concerns he has about equality as an ultimate virtue are actually directly applicable not only to today’s world but to our personal lives. This l...

Exploring C.S. Lewis’s 1948 article, “On Living in an Atomic Age,” where Lewis challenges those who believe the natural realm is all there is to reality. If so, then nothing, not your joys, not your desires, says Lewis — not even the human race! — has any meaning or purpose. We reflect on how Lewis demonstrates the absurdity of this by using our anxiety over threats like nuclear war (or a pandemic...

Exploring C.S. Lewis’s 1940 speech, “Why I Am Not a Pacifist,” which he gave to a society of pacifists during WW2 — bold move, Jack! Lewis causes us to rethink our interpretation of “turn the other cheek,” and gives a strong case for when Christians may find it necessary to support a just war. Pacifism aside, the essay taught us an invaluable lesson on how to think and argue well, how to value fac...

Exploring C.S. Lewis’s 1941 sermon, “Learning in War-Time,” about how a war (or a pandemic?) can cause us to be better prepared for death and to better understand our reason and purpose for living. This sermon led us to reflect on evangelism, the value of everyday work, discerning God’s calling, how to stay calm and carry on, and the good news that everything and anything can be Spiritual — if don...

Exploring C.S. Lewis’s 1941 speech, “Membership,” on how Christians can only find their value, their purpose, and become who they were created to be through their participation as members in the Body of Christ. He challenges both collectivists and individualists to think differently about Church and calls our culture’s value for authenticity into question. We reflect on how this essay reminds us a...

Get to know hosts Sean and Jordan and why they think these "lesser-known" Lewis writings are worth getting to know! Find more Lesser-Known Lewis —  Online: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pintswithjack.com/lesser-known-lewis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/lesserknownlewis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@lesserknownlewis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lesser-Known Lewis Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: lesserknownlewis@gmail.com Mus...