All People & Influential Figures articles – Page 2
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ArticleHow should we respond to church scandal?
In light of recent events in the Church of England, culminating in Archbishop Justin Welby’s resignation, Drew Cordell looks at whether there is any hope
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ShowsThe CS Lewis Podcast #183 Dan Barker and Carolyn Weber: Is CS Lewis still relevant?
On November 22nd 1963, Clive Staples Lewis – Jack to his friends – died in Oxford, England. However, 61 years after his death, is CS Lewis still relevant? We hear from former pastor-turned atheist, Dan Barker, who suggests that many of Lewis’ arguments are fundamentally flawed. Literature professor, Dr Carolyn Weber, highlights where she disagrees with Dan and shares some of her story about coming to faith at Oxford University, in part through CS Lewis.
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ArticleChristopher Hitchens was a ‘heretic’ of the New Atheist cause
Contrary to perception and to the opinions of many of his fellow atheists, the late writer perceived aspects of religion to be positive and did not want it to be eradicated – just sidelined
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ShowsThe CS Lewis Podcast #182 Sarah Hawkyard: CS Lewis changed everything
Ruth Jackson spoke to singer-songwriter Sarah Hawkyard who describes Mere Christianity as a “game changer”, which “hooked” her onto Christianity. Lewis played an integral role in Sarah coming to faith, challenging, inspiring and providing her with profound knowledge.
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ShowsThe CS Lewis Podcast #181 Curtis White: What did TS Eliot and Lewis think of each other?
Dr Curtis White’s PhD focuses on the relationship, work and theology of CS Lewis and TS Eliot. Here, he highlights some of his thoughts on this topic as well as sharing how Lewis was integral to his own faith journey. White also talks about the upcoming CS Lewis Symposium in Belfast, which John Brown University is providing financial support for.
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ShowsThe CS Lewis Podcast #180 David Clare: Ecstatic experience
How did Lewis approach ecstatic experiences, particularly in light of his Ulster Protestant background? Dr David Clare of Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick continues his talk given at the C.S. Lewis Group at Ulster’s spring mini symposium. He also answers questions from the live audience. The event was entitled ‘C.S. Lewis and the Land of His Birth: Re-rooting Lewis in Ulster & the Island of Ireland’. The title of Dr Clare’s talk was ‘“Lit Up Inside”: C.S. Lewis’s Joy & Ulster Protestant Ecstasy’.
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ArticleThe P Diddy charges are awful. But can we really judge who is “good” and who is “bad”?
When terrible stories of abuse hit the headlines, many people are happy to reject the perpetrators as “bad” and happy to consider themselves as “good”. But is it really that simple to make these moral categories of human beings?
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ShowsThe CS Lewis Podcast #177 Alister McGrath: Emotions, sentimentality and rational truth
Would Lewis have any advice for anyone struggling to make sense of their emotions? How do we respond to a culture or a generation who often prioritise emotional truth over rational truth? How do we avoid sentimentality? Are there any ways that Lewis has been particularly powerful spiritual mentor for you personally? How can Lewis’ lived out faith be helpful for us?
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ShowsThe CS Lewis Podcast #176 Alister McGrath: Feelings, desire and religious experience
Why are we often hesitant to talk about our feelings? What did Lewis mean by “joy” and how did he search for it? Can our feelings help us to find God or to grow in our faith? How did Lewis view aesthetics? What should we do when our feelings seem opposed to our faith? How important was religious experience for Lewis? Professor Alister McGrath continues to explore how we can use Lewis as a resource for the Christian life.
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ArticleCould Christianity be good for society even if it’s not true?
Recently a number of public intellectuals have praised the faith for its positive effects on society – yet denied the truth of its teaching. Can this contradiction be reconciled?
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ShowsThe CS Lewis Podcast #175 Alister McGrath: What would Lewis think of Jordan Peterson?
How does having a better understanding of a “big picture” give us hope, particularly in the midst of mental health struggles? How can we hold different aspects of our life together? Which travelling companions would Lewis recommend? What would Lewis make of public figures such as Tom Holland, Jordan Peterson and Douglas Murray, who speak about the coherence and positive impact of Christianity? Professor Alister McGrath explores Lewis as a spiritual mentor.
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ShowsThe CS Lewis Podcast #171 Alister McGrath: Spiritual disciplines, young people and the academy
Professor Alister McGrath continues to explore how we can use CS Lewis as a resource for our Christian life. How did Lewis’ conversion change his life? What habits did he put in place to establish a rhythm of life for his faith? In what ways does Lewis speak to Christian academics? What inspiration can writers draw from Lewis? Does he offer any advice for young people living out their Christian faith today?
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ShowsThe CS Lewis Podcast #170 Alister McGrath: Is Lewis a helpful spiritual mentor?
How did CS Lewis live out his Christian faith? What practical tools or approaches can he offer to inform our spiritual practices? How can Lewis help us work out our vocation? Does he have any advice for those experiencing doubt? Professor Alister McGrath explores how we can use Lewis as a resource for our Christian life.
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ArticleJulian Assange, whistleblowers, and the Christian case for journalism
Hero journalist or irresponsible Russian stooge? Julian Assange, finally free after twelve years of detention, raises complicated questions about what journalism is, but fundamentally falls short of a truly Christian vision for accountability via the press, says journalist Tim Wyatt
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ShowsThe CS Lewis Podcast #165 Philip Tallon: Is pain a problem?
Dr Philip Tallon, Associate Professor of Theology and Dean of The School of Christian Thought at Houston Christian University, unpacks one of Lewis’ earliest work of apologetics The Problem of Pain. What are the critiques of this book and can any of these challenges be overcome?
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ShowsUnapologetic #110 Johan Erasmus: Were the New Atheists right?
Following the death of his father as a child, Afrikaner pastor Johan Erasmus struggled to find a place where he could ask sceptical questions about faith, God and the Universe. During this time he discovered CS Lewis, but also Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens.
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ShowsThe CS Lewis Podcast #163 Matthew Brown: What would Sigmund Freud and CS Lewis discuss?
Hollywood director Matthew Brown, who directed and co-wrote Freud’s Last Session, shares his thoughts on two of the greatest minds of the 20th Century.
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ShowsThe CS Lewis Podcast #162 Alister McGrath: Is there still a place for Lewis in today’s society?
We continue our conversation with Professor Alister McGrath answering live questions, including who influenced Lewis’ faith journey, whether there’s an expiry date on his relevance and how Lewis has impacted Alister’s own theology.
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ArticleDr Michael Mosley (1957 – 2024): A life of service to all
Author Drew Cordell reflects on the death of British celebrity doctor and looks at what we can learn from his life
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ShowsThe CS Lewis Podcast #159 Malcolm Guite: The true myth
In the second part of his presentation, Rev Dr Malcolm Guite, Life Fellow of Girton College, Cambridge University shares his thoughts about Lewis’ poem ‘Reason’, looking at his relationship with imagination and rationality. This talk was originally given at a CS Lewis symposium called Now We Have Faces, which was hosted by The CS Lewis Group at Ulster University in coordination with English at Ulster. The title of Malcolm’s presentation was ‘A Little Incarnation: CS Lewis and the poetry of embodiment’.
