Listen to as PODCAST: LM0035-Debating in Writing 

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C.S. Lewis was no stranger to debate, but did you know he encountered it at times when his essays were published?

In 1940 Lewis wrote an article entitled “Christianity and Culture” that was published in the March issue of the journal Theology.  Two months later S.L. Bethell and E.F. Carritt responded to what he said.

Then in June Lewis replied back, which lead to George Every joining in the discussion three month later. It all ended when Lewis closed out the year with his final reply in December. While the issue of the relationship between culture and Christianity can be complex, you can find the opinion Lewis held at the time in the essay collection Christian Reflections which was first published in 1967.

What is your favorite essay or essays by Lewis? Tell me by sharing your thoughts and leaving other comments or questions below.

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Learn More:

• Purchase Christian Reflections
• Detailed Summary of Each Essay in Christian Reflections
• Article by Will Vaus: CSL & The Arts

This week is a new interview with

Link to Interview with Dr. Christoper Mitchell

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Visit Wade Center

Purchase Mere Christianity DVD Study

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REMINDER:

Interviews and other audio specials, with some exceptions, have been MOVED to another site…All About Jack: A C.S. Lewis Podcast.

As noted previously, every Wednesday I will post a notice here even though the latest interview is put on that site on Mondays (two days earlier).

Also don’t forget that a new minute is posted each Monday AND Friday.

    Listen to as PODCAST: LM0034-Father Christmas Gifts 

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Everyone likes gifts at Christmas, but the Pevensie children didn’t know how useful certain presents would be.

In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Narnia is under a spell that makes it always winter, but never Christmas. Aslan’s appearance breaks the spell, but as this is happening Peter, Susan and Lucy become part of an unusual scene. Father Christmas shows up to greet them and provide gifts.

Peter is given a sword and shield, Susan a bow and arrows, along with a magical horn for requesting help, and Lucy gets a dagger along with a magic cordial with healing powers. While each uses them in that story, they also become of practical help in future adventures.

Do you remember why Edmund doesn’t get a gift? Tell me and leave other comments or questions below.

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Learn More:

• Purchase The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
• Pevensies on WikiNarnia

    Listen to as PODCAST: LM0033-Lewis at the BBC 

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Can you image what it was like to be C.S. Lewis preparing for and delivering his radio talks in the 1940’s?

As noted in a previous minute Lewis made his radio debut in August 1941. The result became four series of talks that eventually become known as Mere Christianity. Prior to Justin Phillips writing C.S. Lewis at the BBC there had not been any detailed account of the behind the scenes preparation before and between these historic broadcasts.

It’s important to note this book can also be found under the title C.S. Lewis in a Time of War. Whichever copy you pick up will provide a fascinating history of the things that lead up to Lewis going on the air and his process of writing these landmark talks.

What’s your favorite part of Mere Christianity? Let me know by leaving your comments or questions below.

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Learn More:

• Purchase C.S. Lewis at the BBC
• Purchase Mere Christianity

Interviews and other audio specials, with some exceptions, have been MOVED to another site…All About Jack: A C.S. Lewis Podcast.

As noted previously, every Wednesday I will post a notice here even though the latest interview is put on that site on Mondays (two days earlier).

Also don’t forget that a new minute is posted each Monday AND Friday.

This week is a new interview with Paul Martin, who is the founder and Webmaster of NarniaFans.com, a site that has been around since 2003. Paul talks about what you can find at the site today and how it all began, plus a summary of the current status of the Narnia movies. Paul is also involved in the promotion of The Lion Awakes, a movie in the works on the life of C.S.Lewis.

Link to Interview with Paul Martin

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Visit NarniaFans.com

Visit Lion Awakes Facebook Page or Lion Awakes on Twitter

Books mentioned:
Purchase  The Company They Keep
Purchase The Inklings of Oxford
Purchase Jack’s Life

    Listen to as PODCAST: LM0032-Apostle to the Skeptics 

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Can you believe there was a time when C.S. Lewis wasn’t well-known as the author of The Chronicles of Narnia?

It is difficult to image knowing an author without identifying him to his most famous work. Yet, if you were alive in 1949 you would have been witness to the release of the first biography on C.S. Lewis. That year Chad Walsh published C.S. Lewis: Apostle to the Skeptics.

 Even though Lewis had written six fictional works by this date he was recognized foremost as a defender of Christianity and one who could persuade others to believe it. In twenty-one short chapters C.S. Lewis: Apostle to the Skeptics provides an interesting picture of a man just a year prior to the release of the first ground breaking book about Narnia.

Have you read this or other biographies on Lewis? Tell me about it when you leave your comments or questions below.

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Learn More:

• Chad Walsh on Conservapedia
• Purchase C.S. Lewis: Apostle to the Skeptics

    Listen to as PODCAST: Screwtape at Demon-Chapel 

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Today marks the 70’s anniversary of The Screwtape Letters book being published. In celebration of this I offer the following recording (link above, text below) of Screwtape reflecting on the occasion.

My Fellow Junior Tempters,

As this semester at the Training College has gotten underway, Slubgob has asked me to close this morning’s demon-chapel. I come to you on a most delicate subject. As you know it was seventy years ago that some fool named C.S. Lewis released a book with my name on it. At the time I was not able to prevent this landmark event and have consistently tried to distant myself from it. However, I am here today to announce that I have been able to not only embrace the affair, but in some ways stand proud because of it!

      Sure, there have been some unfortunate things that happen as a result of the book. Because Lewis first had my letters printed over the course of thirty-one weeks in The Guardian he managed to grow enough interest for the first printing of 2,000 copies to sell before it was published. This was followed by it being reprinted eight times that year alone!  He gain such popularity from this that only helped gain him more listeners over the BBC where he shared what would become known as Mere Christianity.

     Allow me to explain why I have learned to embrace the whole matter…while it was unfortunate for us that Lewis got his hand on the letters to share some of our best secrets, I do essentially stand by what I wrote.  Why? Because it actually served as warning to other lazy tempters, like Wormwood was, to know the seriousness of their jobs. Our Father Below wants us to keep human souls from the hands of our enemy!

     I must be quick to say that I do distant myself from what Lewis said in his preface to the book. Especially the second preface from the early 60’s. Fortunately it is not too common for current editions of the book to contain this second preface. But, no matter, for those who happen to have that copy; for it has become the kind of book that many people buy and don’t read or give as gifts that gather dust on book shelves.

      Because I’ve only been given a short time to address you, I am not able to go through the many points you young fiends should be aware of. So all of you will get a special edition of The Screwtape Letters that I personally approved. Allow me a moment, however, to highlight something of special importance. First of all, I want to proclaim that we have nearly been able to create our greatest achievement…the Materialist Magician! People who worship forces yet they don’t believe in spirits!

     Next I must point out something that I came up with a new way of expressing the other day that you should find useful in you workings with human vermin; keep in mind that for many of them perception is 9/10^th of reality! That is, they often don’t see the obvious because of their own bias. This, of course, even affects Christians after their conversion to the Enemy’s camp because of the habits they developed when in our clutches. Thus, the person will fail to see something that might be plain to another because of having a warped perspective. It is especially useful when Christian argue among themselves…for example, should they change their service time when Christmas falls on Sunday or how about cancel Sunday night service when the Super Bowl is on?!  One group questions the other’s commitment while the world looks on and doesn’t want to belong to either party and becomes more securely ours!

     Finally, I’ve heard some of you ask about Lewis and whether or not those of his fans of him should take their worship of him all the way or not and start their own denomination.  After all, they have their own “C.S. Lewis Bible,” so why not have them start a church! I will have to quote myself by saying, “that is the sort of question one expects them to ask!”

Well…this concludes this morning demon-chapel…now go and have a rottenly productive day!

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Learn More:

• Free Study Guide to The Screwtape Letters
  (Above guide is from C.S. Lewis Institute)
  
• Purchase The Screwtape Letters
• Purchase C.S. Lewis Bible

    Listen to as PODCAST: LM0031-Foe or Friend? 

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When Lucy visits Narnia for the first time she meets someone who initially might be her enemy. Do you know who it is?

Lucy Pevensie is a very trusting little girl who finds her way into Narnia and meets Mr. Tumnus (in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe). Although he had orders to take any human to the White Witch, once he actually meets Lucy he realizes what a heartless thing it would be to turn her in.

Later, during the Golden Age of Narnia (as told in The Horse and His Boy), he presents a plan that enables those in trouble to escape. Finally, in The Last Battle he helps explain a mystery by saying “The inside is larger than the outside.”

 Do you know what the mystery was? Tell me and leave other comments or questions below.

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Learn More:

• Mr. Tumnus on Wikipedia
• Purchase The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
• Purchase The Horse and His Boy
• Purchase The Last Battle

So, the following link is for the interview with Darren Jacobs, where he talks about the upcoming movie and other things related to C.S. Lewis. He wasn’t able to talk about a lot of specifics for now, but what he does share is very interesting.

Plans are to create a FAQ page here about the movie that will be updated frequently and as soon as the new movie website becomes available I will announce it. In the mean time, be sure to like the film on their Facebook page.

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Listen to the Darren Jacobs Interview

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• #16: Cair Paravel:
  Text | Audio

• #17: Lewis the Letter Writer:
  Text | Audio

• #18: Which Caspian?:
  Text | Audio

• #19: The Abolition of Man:
  Text | Audio

• #20: Other Demons in Screwtape Letters:
  Text | Audio

• #21: Digory Kirke:
  Text | Audio

• #22: Lewis as Preacher:
  Text | Audio

• #23: Four Causes of Laughter:
  Text | Audio

• #24: Introducing The Inklings:
  Text | Audio

• #25: John in Regress:
  Text | Audio