The C.S. Lewis podcast

Today we are joined by Dr. Max Baker-Hytch, a tutorial fellow in Philosophy at Oxford University, to discuss Lewis and philosophy. Did C.S. Lewis consider himself a philosopher, and should we? What kind of philosophical training did he have, and which thinkers shaped his ideas? How do his arguments compare with other 20th-century philosophers, and why is he often overlooked in academic philosophy...

Ruth Jackson is joined by Traver Carlson, a PHD candidate in Philosophy at the Institute for Christian Studies, to discuss his paper from the 2024 Undiscovered CS Lewis Conference, titled Re-veiling the Secret: Reading The Ransom Trilogy as Spiritual Exercise. We then get to hear his paper from the conference, followed by some helpful clarifications and final thoughts from him. Other series to lis...

Ruth Jackson is joined by Traver Carlson, a PHD candidate in Philosophy at the Institute for Christian Studies, to discuss his paper from the 2024 Undiscovered CS Lewis Conference, which focuses on The Ransom Trilogy. They explore how Lewis uses space, language, and imagination to help us see the world in a new light. From medieval imagery to the idea of “heaven” versus “space,” the conversation l...

Ruth Jackson is joined by Traver Carlson, a PHD candidate in Philosophy at the Institute for Christian Studies, to discuss his paper from the 2024 Undiscovered CS Lewis Conference. He dives into his first discovery of Lewis, the impact he had on his faith and academic journey and his relevance to today, as well as much more. Other series to listen to: Out of the Silent planet: https://www.premieru...

In part two, Ruth Jackson and Alister McGrath explore how CS Lewis saw the links between science, philosophy, and faith. They discuss his view that science can point to deeper truths, his idea of Christianity as the “true myth,” and his belief that scientific theories aren’t final facts. The conversation touches on Lewis’s thoughts about the soul, the value of myth, and whether modern science miss...

Ruth Jackson speaks with Alister McGrath about CS Lewis’ final book, The Discarded Image, a reflection on the medieval view of the cosmos. Why did Lewis care so much about this old model of the universe, and what does it reveal about his views on science, imagination, and faith? They explore Lewis’s description of a geocentric, ordered world and how it contrasts with today’s scientific and secular...

Alister McGrath reflects on how Lewis’ ideas might speak into today’s rapidly advancing technologies. What would Lewis have thought about artificial intelligence, genetic modification, or even transhumanism? Would he see these developments as threats to human dignity or as opportunities that require moral and spiritual guidance? And as technology continues to reshape our world, does Lewis offer a...

In this episode, Ruth Jackson speaks with Alister McGrath about Lewis’ views on science, technology, and ethics. What concerns did Lewis raise about unchecked scientific progress in works like The Abolition of Man? Would he have seen developments in AI or genetic engineering as threats—or opportunities? They also explore whether Lewis thought science could ever replace belief in God, and how he mi...

Explore the depths of CS Lewis's thought and theology in our latest podcast episode with Dr. Nathan Fayard from Indiana Wesleyan University. Specialising in old English literature and medievalism, Dr. Fayard discusses his latest work, "The Recovered Images." We dive into his presentation from the 2024 Undiscovered CS Lewis Conference titled "Prometheus on Perrelandra: The Inversion of the Satanic...

Ruth Jackson speaks with Dr. Nathan Fayard, Assistant Professor of English at Indiana Wesleyan University about how Lewis engages with the idea of the romantic hero in Perelandra. Why does Lewis split heroic qualities between Ransom and the villain Weston? What can Byron’s Manfred and Shelley’s Prometheus Unbound teach us about Lewis’s theology? Fayard unpacks how Lewis “re-baptises” the romantic...

Ruth Jackson is joined again by Nathan Fayard, Assistant Professor of English at Indiana Wesleyan University, to explore how the poetry of John Milton and Percy Bysshe Shelley shaped C.S. Lewis’s imagination and theology. Focusing on Paradise Lost and Prometheus Unbound, they discuss how these epic works influenced Lewis’s thinking on redemption, paradise, and poetic vision - from his atheist year...

Ruth Jackson is joined by Nathan Fayard, an assistant professor of English at Indiana Wesleyan University, to discuss his paper from the 2024 Undiscovered CS Lewis conference held at George Fox University. How did Nathan first encountered Lewis? What impact has he had on his life and faith journey? He also gives a summary Perelandra as we prepare to dive into his paper. For more on Nathan: https:/...

Ruth Jackson is joined by Jacqueline Wilson, a student working towards her Master of Arts in cultural apologetics from Houston Christian University, to share her thoughts on Lewis' prayer life in the paper she presented at the 2024 Undiscovered CS Lewis conference, which was held at George Fox University. The title of her paper was "A very Ordinary Layman: C.S Lewis's Prayer Life in Historical Con...

Ruth Jackson is joined by Jacqueline Wilson, a student working towards her Master of Arts in cultural apologetics from Houston Christian University, to discuss her paper from the Undiscovered CS Lewis conference, and how she first encountered Lewis. They tackle questions surrounding Lewis' unusual prayer life, as well as his perception of and connection to Catholic practices. + For more shows, fre...

In this episode, Ruth Jackson speaks with Alister McGrath about Lewis’s views on evolution and science. What did Lewis believe about evolution, and how did he separate it from philosophical naturalism? Did he think evolution could explain things like morality and consciousness? They also explore his concerns about reducing human life to just material causes, and whether he saw a conflict between e...

In this episode, Alister McGrath reflects on what Lewis thought about miracles and science. Did he think miracles could make sense in a world ruled by natural laws? Can someone believe in both science and the supernatural? They also look at Lewis’s response to the ideas of HG Wells, who believed science and religion didn’t mix. Were Wells’ views common in Lewis’s time, and do we still see them tod...

In this second episode of our mini-series on CS Lewis and science, Ruth Jackson continues the conversation with Professor Alister McGrath. They explore how Lewis challenged the supposed conflict between science and religion, offering instead a richer vision where both disciplines illuminate reality. McGrath discusses Lewis’ evolving views, from early assumptions shaped by cultural narratives to a...

In part 1 of our new series on science, Ruth Jackson is joined by Alister McGrath to explore how CS Lewis approached the relationship between science and religion. A former atheist and Oxford-trained scientist, McGrath unpacks how Lewis combined reason and imagination to challenge scientific materialism while affirming science’s value within a broader vision of reality. From Mere Christianity to T...

Ahead of Tolkien Reading Day on 25th March, Dr Holly Ordway, author of Tolkien’s Faith, explores the contrasting spiritual journeys of J.R.R. Tolkien and CS Lewis—both of whom experienced the profound early loss of their mothers. While Tolkien’s faith deepened through suffering, Lewis famously declared that even amid the horrors of World War I, he "never sank so low as to pray." Dr Ordway reflects...

Ruth Jackson shares some of her favourite moments from the podcast to celebrate the 200th episode. We will be revisiting conversations with Alister McGrath discussing CS Lewis' relevance and mental health, hearing stories on how Lewis helped bring people to faith, his correspondence with Kathy Keller, and his impact on the creative works of film director Matthew Brown and singer songwriter Sarah H...

In this third and final episode with Michael Oppizzi, Ruth Jackson asks about his groundbreaking research on planetary symbolism in Till We Have Faces, CS Lewis’s final and often misunderstood novel. Did Lewis truly abandon his fascination with planetary imagery after The Chronicles of Narnia? How does medieval cosmology shape the novel’s themes of love, self-deception, and transformation? And why...

CS Lewis considered Till We Have Faces his best work, yet it remains one of his least understood. Why did he write it in the 1950s, and why does it still resonate today? In this episode, Ruth Jackson speaks with Michael Oppizzi about the novel’s historical and literary context, its deep psychological and spiritual themes, and how its exploration of self-deception, silence, and the search for truth...

In this episode, host Ruth Jackson speaks with Michael Oppizzi, an educator and cultural apologist, about the enduring relevance of CS Lewis. They discuss Lewis’s impact on faith, imagination, and intellect, with a deep dive into Till We Have Faces, the role of letters in shaping thought, and the significance of cultural apologetics today. From planetary imagery to organic farming, this conversati...

How did "great myths" shape Lewis' understanding of Christian truth? Dr Sarah Waters, assistant professor of language and literature at Stirling College, Kansas, continues to explore the intriguing intersection between Shakespeare's literary genius and CS Lewis' spiritual journey. Sarah recently presented this paper at the 2024 Undiscovered CS Lewis conference, which was held at George Fox Univers...

​How did William Shakespeare influence CS Lewis’ conversion to Christianity? Dr Sarah Waters, assistant professor of language and literature at Sterling College, Kansas, draws connections between Lewis’ faith journey and his engagement with Shakespeare’s works. How do Hamlet and The Winter’s Tale connect to his famous conversation with JRR Tolkien and Hugo Dyson? Were there particular insights Dys...