Contemplation vs. Enjoyment

Al, Zach, John Luke, and Christian wrestle with why intimacy feels so difficult for American men—both with God and in marriage. Following along with C.S. Lewis’s Surprised by Joy, they explore how knowledge alone can’t produce real closeness, and why desire and longing shape the way men actually live. The guys challenge the idea that faith is about mastering concepts instead of participating in a relationship. They point toward a hopeful vision of intimacy that isn’t forced or performed, but rediscovered through joy, presence, and learning to live inside God’s story rather than observing it from a distance.

Today’s conversation is about Lesson 3-4 of C.S. Lewis on Christianity taught by visiting Hillsdale professor Michael Ward. Take the course with us at no cost to you! Sign up at http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/.

More about C.S. Lewis on Christianity:

Encounter the faith & wisdom of C.S. Lewis

C.S. Lewis’s writings bring the great questions of the Christian faith to life. Through his imaginative and invigorating style, Lewis answers these questions in ways that are compelling to those outside Christianity and energizing to those within the Christian faith.

In this free, seven-lecture course, Professor Michael Ward—a leading scholar of C.S. Lewis—will explore Lewis’s:

• argument for objective moral value in response to the rise of modern subjectivism;

• bittersweet path to conversion and the role of enjoyment in the Christian life;

• advice regarding the proper way to pray and read the Bible;

• teachings concerning the purpose of pain and how to confront suffering and loss;

• insights about the nature of heaven and hell.

This course examines these fundamental topics not only through his classic works—including Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and The Abolition of Man—but also through Lewis’s personal experiences with doubt, conversion, suffering, grief, and joy. Through this course, students will discover Lewis’s core lessons regarding the truth and goodness of the Christian faith and how to apply those lessons to one’s life. 

Join us today in discovering C.S. Lewis’s enduring lessons about the meaning and practice of Christianity. Sign up at ⁠http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/

Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts!

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Chapters:

00:00 Why This C.S. Lewis Lecture Is Tough

03:02 When the Philosophy Gets Heavy

06:42 The Inklings & Writing Under Critique

11:06 Why Lewis’s Conversion Feels Underwhelming

15:26 Conversion Isn’t Always a Moment

20:08 Why Desire Drives Our Actions

25:26 The Beam of Light Explained

31:12 Joy as Longing, Not Satisfaction

36:58 From Holding the Garden to Living in It

42:26 Conversion as Intimacy, Not Performance

47:12 Final Reflections on Living the Story

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