Faith, Fantasy, & Philosophy: Plenary & Parallel Speakers

“Myth, Morals – and – Joy:  C. S. Lewis, the Consensus Gentium, and Post-Modern Thought”

Post-modern thought has two major characteristics:  it calls into question the ability of humans to discern truth (in particular by means of reason and the empirical method), and rejects the possibility of there being any single, foundational, overarching story, or meta-narrative, which makes sense of all human life.  C. S. Lewis died before post-modernism became a clearly recognizable movement, yet he was remarkably prescient about its two defining characteristics.

A major theme in Lewis’s writings is that there is a consensus gentium – consensus of humanity – underlying which is the very widely held conviction that there is a transcendent reality, an authority external to humanity, which defines what is good, right, and beautiful.  If such an authority exists, it means that it is is not, necessarily, just merely personal preference or opinion, or an attempt to impose one group’s view on others, to claim that something is good or bad, right or wrong, beautiful or ugly.  Rather, such a claim may well be expressing objective truth in line with that transcendent authority.  Moreover, if such an authority exists, meta-narrative is entirely possible.

Lewis provided three lines of evidence that the consensus gentium was a reality.  Two of these – very widespread belief, seen in the great “myths” that there was an external reality which impacted human life and defined truth, and a widespread commonality about what constituted morally right behaviour – are well known, and are reviewed in this paper.  However, Lewis’ writings provide a third line of evidence that the consensus exists.  This is the experience of “joy,” a term which Lewis used to describe a deep, desirable, but unfulfilled sensation of haunted yearning for something beyond current experience.  For reasons which are not clear, Lewis did not employ “joy” as fully as he did the other two lines of evidence to demonstrate the reality of the consensus.  This paper will argue that there is a plenitude of evidence that the experience of “joy” is extremely widespread across multiple cultures and eras, even among the most secular of our contemporaries, and that this longing, as much as the commonalities Lewis found in mythology and morality, is also “a clue to the meaning of the universe.”

Rev. Paul Robinson: “Consider the Narnian Birds: Song as Sacrament in the Chronicles of Narnia”

The Chronicles of Narnia

In The Magician’s Nephew, Aslan sings the world of Narnia into existence. In this paper I argue that throughout C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia song is represented as a sacrament—an echo of Aslan’s song of creation and a sign that Aslan (or Aslan’s country) is near. I draw attention to notable examples of hearing and/or singing the sacrament of song: the cabby in The Magician’s Nephew, Reepicheep, the stars, and the birds. After demonstrating how song functions sacramentally in Narnia, I consider more closely the role of birdsong. In Narnia birds are messengers—liminal creatures between earth and heaven—who carry Aslan’s song in their own voices. Birdsong is a sign that Aslan is near and an invitation to draw near to him. I conclude by suggesting that we all might benefit from understanding song—and birdsong specifically—as a sacramental reality, following Lewis’s Narnian example.

Dr. Stanley E. Porter: “What Kind of a Scholar was C. S. Lewis?”

Literature

C. S. Lewis is mostly known today as a writer of very popular “children’s literature” or popular Christian apologetics—and rightly so, since his writings in these areas have had a tremendous influence in popular literature and Christian lay theology. However, producing such writings was not Lewis’s regular job. In fact,  in his day Lewis was from the start of his career until his death known as a major scholar of medieval and Renaissance literature, first at Oxford and then Cambridge universities. In this paper, I will examine some of Lewis’s major works of literary history, theory, and criticism (according to one author’s tripartite division) and make some evaluations of the contributions that he made—and even controversial stances that he took. Many of his ideas have stood the test of time, while others are far more controversial or even disputed in contemporary literary criticism.

Dr. David I. Yoon: “Letters to Bradus”

Apologetics

In the spirit of The Screwtape Letters, I will read portions of a book I am in the process of writing, tentatively entitled Letters to Bradus (this could even change by the time of the gathering). Bradus is a newly promoted angel with his first assignment as sole guardian angel to guide a new convert, referred to simply as the Principal. These letters, written by an experienced guardian angel, Peacewrest, are meant to help Bradus in his first assignment as sole guardian angel–if such a thing should exist.

Rev. Tanya Yuen: “Imagination, Maturity, and Spiritual Formation: Navigating the Tension Between C.S. Lewis, Paul, and Learning to Listen for God’s Voice”

The Chronicles of Narnia

In Christian spiritual formation, theological instruction serves as a foundational element, yet true effectiveness lies in engaging the heart and imagination, particularly for children. This paper explores C.S. Lewis’s framework for integrating imagination and maturity in spiritual growth alongside Paul’s call for believers to pursue maturity. Through an examination of Lewis’s work, I will demonstrate how imagination transforms the conveyance of theological truths and fosters a posture of listening. Drawing on David Lyle Jeffrey’s assertion that Lewis’s narratives “awaken moral and spiritual reflection” and Jerry Root’s insight that Lewis’s fantasy opens “possibilities that reason alone cannot reach,” this study highlights storytelling as a means for intergenerational relational engagement. By harmonizing Lewis’s emphasis on childlike wonder with Paul’s call for maturity, this exploration advocates an approach that nurtures resilient faith inviting children and adults to embark on deeper spiritual journeys, reflecting Lewis’s vision of faith as an imaginative and communal experience.

Aaron Jung: “C.S. Lewis and the Art of Criticism”

Literature

This discussion explores the nature of criticism in Biblical Studies, as an art form, and considers ways to deepen its implications and enhance its significance by drawing on the insights of C.S. Lewis. In An Experiment in Criticism, he contends that readers should wholly immerse themselves in the text, yield to the authorial intention, and critically reflect on their own attitude toward the work, engaging in repeated contemplation. His guidance invites us to examine the parallels and distinctions between reading as an artistic experience and reading as a critical work, offering valuable insights into how biblical criticism today might be practiced with greater depth and richness. In conclusion, I argue that biblical criticism must reclaim its character as an artistic practice—one that calls for humble observation and aesthetic appreciation. This practice requires attention not only to the artificial elements, such as authorial intent and ideology, but also to the natural substance realized in the form of language, embracing its logical, truthful, and even erroneous expressions.

Jason Vander Horst: “The ‘Pick Your Poison’ Problem: A Modern Psychological Critique of Moral Relativism”

Apologetics

In The Abolition of Man, C.S. Lewis warned that the rise of moral relativism brings the risk of becoming “men without chests”—individuals who have lost the capacity for true moral conviction. Today, this warning is more relevant than ever. In education, students are often encouraged to adopt whichever moral framework makes the easiest argument, regardless of their personal beliefs. This is what I call the “pick your poison” problem: the tendency for individuals to treat moral frameworks like weapons in an arsenal, choosing the one that best suits their immediate interest, often reflecting self-serving biases rather than timeless moral values.

In this paper, I will validate and bolster Lewis’s arguments from The Abolition of Man, drawing from contemporary psychology and neuroscience to illustrate the tangible harms of moral relativism. Additionally, I will explore how these harms may be exacerbated with the rise of artificial intelligence—machines programmed to reinforce human biases and gratify desires.

Dr. Seán McGuire: “Playing with a Lion: Christian Leadership According to the Chronicles of Narnia”

The Chronicles of Narnia

After his resurrection in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Aslan approaches Susan and Lucy and, after some conversation, gives them an unexpected instruction: “catch me if you can!” Such is the character of Aslan throughout the series: wild, but playful. Such playfulness marks various elements of the Chronicles of Narnia, and is regularly juxtaposed with practicality as an outward indication of inward corruption (even evil). In contemporary discussions within the field of practical theology, practicality is increasingly viewed with suspicion, especially as related to Christian leadership. In this paper, I will reflect on the importance of play in the Chronicles of Narnia and develop a practical theological vision for Christian leadership whereby leaders are encouraged to stray away from practicality and, instead, chase after the wild and playful Living God.

Dawn Berkelaar: “Doings, Readings, Thinkings: C.S. Lewis on the Discipline and Reward of Personal Correspondence”

Literature

C.S. Lewis is known for writing books that spanned fantasy, theology, philosophy, and more. He is less known for his letters, and yet he wrote thousands of letters over the course of his lifetime. The bulk of these were published in 2004 in three large volumes, together titled “The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis.” In a letter written to his friend Arthur as a teenager, Lewis commented that “a letter should tell of doings, readings, thinkings” (TCLoCSL, I.103). This paper will investigate what else Lewis had to say in his own letters about the practice–the discipline–of personal correspondence. What can we learn from the way Lewis approached the practice of writing letters?