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A weekly podcast from Premier Unbelievable? with Professor Alister McGrath exploring C.S. Lewis’ thought, theology and teaching.

C.S. Lewis is one of the most influential voices in modern Christianity. The 20th Century British writer and lay theologian has profoundly impacted Christians around the world and brought many atheists and agnostics to faith in Jesus.

One person whose faith was greatly encouraged by the writings of C.S. Lewis is Professor Alister McGrath. Both men were raised in Northern Ireland, studied at Oxford University and went on to become professors there. They also both came to faith from atheism slightly later in life. Alister has written numerous books on C.S. Lewis, including a seminal biography C.S. Lewis – A Life.

Every Monday, Ruth Jackson and Professor Alister McGrath will reflect on C.S. Lewis’ ideas, life and influence as well as trying to answer questions that impact culture today.

The C.S. Lewis podcast

In this episode of The CS Lewis Podcast, Ruth Jackson is joined by Charlie Reeder, a recent Oxford graduate whose award-winning research explores the theme of longing in the work of CS Lewis. Drawing on his dissertation and a paper presented at the 2024 Undiscovered CS Lewis Conference, Charlie unpacks Lewis’s early poetry collection 'Spirits in Bondage' and its surprising connections to Lewis’s later Christian vision.

The conversation explores the idea of Sehnsucht that deep, aching desire for something beyond this world and how Lewis wrestled with it long before his conversion. From the Marion E. Wade Center archives to 'The Pilgrim’s Regress' and 'The Weight of Glory', this episode reveals how longing for the “hidden country” runs like a golden thread through Lewis’s life, faith, and imagination.

For Charlie's Substack: https://theoxfordreeder.substack.com/

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#241 Charlie Reeder: Longing for the Hidden Country: CS Lewis, Sehnsucht, and Spirits in Bondage

Ruth Jackson is joined by theologian and Lewis scholar Stefan Knibbe to explore “revolutions” in CS Lewis’ thinking about freedom, suffering and hell. Drawing on 'The Problem of Pain', 'Surprised by Joy' and 'Till We Have Faces', Stefan traces how Lewis moves from a focus on free will as the right to accept or reject God, towards freedom as liberation from sin by God’s grace. He shows how George MacDonald’s vision of God’s relentless love and even his view of hell helped reshape Lewis’ later work, and why encountering God himself rather than neat arguments becomes Lewis’ deepest answer to the problem of evil. Recorded at the 2024 “Undiscovered CS Lewis” conference at George Fox University, this episode will send you back to Lewis with fresh eyes again.

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#240 Stefan Knibbe: Lewis’s Shifting Views on Freedom, Suffering, and Hell in Till We Have Faces

Stefan Knibbe joins to share how his studies led him to focus on the works of CS Lewis and how Lewis has shaped his thinking and faith. He speaks about his paper, “Freedom, Suffering, and Hell in Till We Have Faces: Lewis’ Shifting Views,” and why Lewis’ ideas on freedom shifted over time. Stefan also discusses the influence of George MacDonald and why the connection between freedom, suffering, and hell is so central to Lewis’ theology.

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+ Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://www.premier.plus/cs-lewis-podcast 
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#239 Stefan Knibbe: CS Lewis on Freedom, Suffering, and Hell

Ruth Jackson is joined by Joseph Weigel, firefighter and podcast host, for the final episode of this series. Joseph gives insight into his paper, titled 'Dr. Dimble's Neutrals', that he presented at the 2024 Undiscovered CS Lewis Conference. We then get to hear his paper live from the conference, which was held at Geroge Fox University. 

'Men with Chests' podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6otTZ3UJZONxUQVCONKHko

+ Support us here: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate 
+ Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://www.premier.plus/cs-lewis-podcast 
+ For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our website: https://premierunbelievable.com/

#238 Joseph Weigel: A paper on Dr. Dimble's Neutrals

Ruth Jackson is joined by Joseph Weigel, a firefighter and host of the podcast "Men with Chests". They explore Dr Dimble’s role in 'That Hideous Strength' and his intriguing idea of “neutral” spiritual beings. They discuss how these neutrals draw on medieval thought, whether Lewis intended readers to take them seriously, and what this reveals about his wider views on the supernatural. Their conversation also touches on Merlin’s place in the story and how Lewis blends ancient magic with Christian themes. Finally, they consider why Lewis’ ideas about spiritual beings still matter today and how might speak into modern questions about technology, ethics, and even AI.

'Men with Chests' podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6otTZ3UJZONxUQVCONKHko

+ Support us here: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate 
+ Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://www.premier.plus/cs-lewis-podcast 
+ For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our website: https://premierunbelievable.com/

#237 Joseph Weigel: CS Lewis, Dr Dimble, and the Mystery of the “Neutral” Beings

Firefighter and podcaster Joseph Weigel joins Ruth Jackson to explore the “fairy tale for grown-ups” that is 'That Hideous Strength' part of CS Lewis's Space Trilogy. Joseph shares why Lewis’ dystopian thriller is his favourite of the Space Trilogy, unpacks the marriage of Mark and Jane, and examines the unsettling ambitions of the N.I.C.E. They discuss Lewis’ provocative claim that magic and modern science are “twin” quests for power, how Merlin functions in the story, and what this all means for Christians today. 

'Men with Chests' podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6otTZ3UJZONxUQVCONKHko

+ Support us here: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate 
+ Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://www.premier.plus/cs-lewis-podcast 
+ For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our website: https://premierunbelievable.com/

#236 Joseph Weigel: The fairytale of That Hideous Strength

Ruth Jackson talks with firefighter and podcast host Joseph Weigel about CS Lewis’ "The Abolition of Man" and why its insights into truth, morality, and modern culture still matter today. They explore how Lewis’ ideas about courage, sacrifice, and integrity resonate in everyday life and ask whether these themes have any relevance to the challenges faced by first responders. Ruth also invites reflection on how, if at all, faith shapes the way we approach demanding or high-stress situations.

'Men with Chests' podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6otTZ3UJZONxUQVCONKHko

+ Support us here: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate 
+ Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://www.premier.plus/cs-lewis-podcast 
+ For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our website: https://premierunbelievable.com/

#235 Joseph Weigel: A Firefighter on Faith, Courage, and The Abolition of Man

Ruth Jackson speaks with Lilian Lindén, who has a degree in philosophy of religion, about her paper from the 2024 Undiscovered CS Lewis Conference held at George Fox University. Her paper was titled "Did Lewis credit Barfield for what he learned from Steiner?". We then get to hear her paper live from the conference.

Lilian's PhD: https://doria.fi/handle/10024/189132?locale=len

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#234 Lilian Lindén: Did Lewis credit Barfield for what he learned from Steiner?

Ruth Jackson speaks with Lilian Lindén about CS Lewis’ early philosophical development and his long-running debate with his friend Owen Barfield, the so-called “Great War.” They unpack Lewis’s shift from realism to idealism, explore Barfield’s influence through anthroposophy, and consider how figures like Rudolf Steiner shaped their discussions. The conversation also looks at Lewis’ rejection of materialism, why these philosophical questions still matter, and how his early intellectual battles continue to speak into today’s sceptical and materialist culture.

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+ For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our website

#233 Lilian Lindén: CS Lewis, Owen Barfield, and the Great War

Ruth Jackson speaks with Lilian Lindén, who has a degree in philosophy of religion, about how CS Lewis continues to shape faith and thought today. They discuss how she first encountered Lewis, the impact his writings have had on her life, and why his ideas remain so compelling more than 60 years after his death. Lilian also presented a paper at the 2024 Undiscovered CS Lewis Conference, titled "Did Lewis Credit Barfield for What He Learned from Steiner?" which we will be hearing in an upcoming episode.

For the Paul Anderson episodes:
https://www.premierunbelievable.com/the-cs-lewis-podcast/the-cs-lewis-podcast-223-paul-anderson-cs-lewis-and-the-gospel-of-john/19932.article 

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#232 Lilian Lindén: The influence and relevance of CS Lewis today

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 on Tolkien’s response to suffering, the problem of evil, and the role Lewis played in strengthening his faith.

Buy Holly Ordway's wonderful book on Tolkien's faith here https://amzn.to/43QhKoY

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#201 Holly Ordway: Tolkien, suffering and the problem of evil

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