Reflections on God … Man … Life
I don’t comment on my birthday every year, but I do want to take some time today to reflect on God’s blessings as I consider my 72nd birthday. First and foremost, I am grateful to the Lord for His unfailing love and compassion toward me. I have had highs and lows spiritually in my life, and at one time I almost succeeded in walking away from Him. Yet He never gave up on me. This particular Scripture rings true on… Read more »
Is the study of history an endangered species? We read about the sad state of affairs in higher education with respect to history programs. Many universities are either scaling back on the history major, combining it with something else, or removing it from their offerings entirely. The say, of course, that this is due to declining enrollments in history programs. They are correct in that assessment. And that is what is so sad about it all. The university where I… Read more »
C. S. Lewis in his autobiography, Surprised by Joy, made a statement that startled many when he said, “I do not much believe in the Renaissance as generally described by historians. The more I look into the evidence the less trace I find of that vernal rapture which is supposed to have swept Europe in the fifteenth century.” And in a letter to his friend Sister Penelope in 1952 he leaves no doubt with respect to his views of the… Read more »
Those of us who love reading and thinking about the writings of C. S. Lewis, J. R.R. Tolkien, and others who were part of their company don’t want to do all of our reading and thinking alone. We like to gather together as often as possible to share in this mutual affection for authors who have made an impact on our faith and imagination. We do so at conferences, but schedules, finances, and other impediments limit our attendance—we have to… Read more »
Readers of this blog know that I have been working (along with my co-author Jamin Metcalf) on a proposed book dealing with C. S. Lewis’s views on history. One begins researching and writing an academic book usually without any promise that it will see publication. We academics don’t normally receive any up front funding based on future royalties principally because royalties for such books are not equivalent to royalties earned by “popular” authors. We write from a deep desire to… Read more »
I have been blessed these last two years with opportunities to teach classes that are very near and dear to my heart. Those who follow my blog posts know that my research and writing focus on C. S. Lewis has been central to my teaching ministry. I just completed a semester at Southeastern University teaching my basic Lewis course, while simultaneously teaching a course on Lewis’s Ransom Trilogy at my church. While my next Lewis-centered course won’t be until the… Read more »
Last year’s major teaching project was the Ransom Trilogy. I’m now embarking on another one for the coming fall semester for my church’s Parish Academy program. I have no title for it yet, but the substance is set: an examination of key authors in C. S. Lewis’s life and circle. They are George MacDonald, G. K. Chesterton, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Dorothy L. Sayers. Lewis knew two of these writers by their works only; the other two he knew… Read more »