Lesser-Known Lewis: Christian Reflections on C. S. Lewis's Essays and Short Works

Exploring C.S. Lewis’s 1941 article “Meditation on the Third Commandment” warning Christians of the dangers of labeling any political party as a “Christian” party. This article led us to reflect on the risks and rewards of how Christians can mix their faith and politics. It's rewarding when our faith shapes our politics, but the risk comes when it happens the other way around. We also found some possible applications to the post-Covid world about whether news channels can be Christian, and how we thought recent protests in Canada were a good illustration of confusing spiritual and political ideas, letting our politics shape and drive our faith. If you want to read or listen to C.S. Lewis' "Meditation on the Third Commandment" you can find links to it in print, online, and in audio format at pintswithjack.com/essays Find more Lesser-Known Lewis —  Online: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pintswithjack.com/lesser-known-lewis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/lesserknownlewis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@lesserknownlewis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lesser-Known Lewis Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: lesserknownlewis@gmail.com Graphic Design by Angus Crawford. Music by Jessica Syratt (Twitter: @jesssyratt).

Exploring C.S. Lewis’s 1940 article “Two Ways with the Self,” and his 1943 article “Equality”. We start out reflecting on how Lewis’ essay on “Equality” helps fill out his surprising statements about equality in the “Membership” episode. We find that the concerns he has about equality as an ultimate virtue are actually directly applicable not only to today’s world but to our personal lives. This leads us to consider his challenges in “Two Ways with the Self” about how to love and hate yourself properly. Simply put, if you demand equality out of insecurity and selfish reasons, perhaps that is one of the “Desires of the Flesh,” that Paul recommends putting to death. If you want to read or listen to C.S. Lewis' "Equality" or "Two Ways With the Self" you can find links to them in print, online, and in audio format at pintswithjack.com/essays Find more Lesser-Known Lewis —  Online: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pintswithjack.com/lesser-known-lewis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/lesserknownlewis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@lesserknownlewis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lesser-Known Lewis Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: lesserknownlewis@gmail.com Graphic Design by Angus Crawford. Music by Jessica Syratt (Twitter: @jesssyratt).

Exploring C.S. Lewis’s 1948 article, “On Living in an Atomic Age,” where Lewis challenges those who believe the natural realm is all there is to reality. If so, then nothing, not your joys, not your desires, says Lewis — not even the human race! — has any meaning or purpose. We reflect on how Lewis demonstrates the absurdity of this by using our anxiety over threats like nuclear war (or a pandemic?) to suggest that there must be more to reality than the natural world. We learn how Christians ought to view nature more soberly, as well as more hopefully!  Information and links on where to find C.S. Lewis' "On Living in an Atomic Age" in print, audio, and online can be found at pintswithjack.com/essays Find more Lesser-Known Lewis —  Online: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pintswithjack.com/lesser-known-lewis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/lesserknownlewis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@lesserknownlewis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lesser-Known Lewis Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: lesserknownlewis@gmail.com Graphic Design by Angus Crawford. Music by Jessica Syratt (Twitter: @jesssyratt).

Exploring C.S. Lewis’s 1940 speech, “Why I Am Not a Pacifist,” which he gave to a society of pacifists during WW2 — bold move, Jack! Lewis causes us to rethink our interpretation of “turn the other cheek,” and gives a strong case for when Christians may find it necessary to support a just war. Pacifism aside, the essay taught us an invaluable lesson on how to think and argue well, how to value facts, intuitions, and authority, and convinced us why it’s important for Christians not to jump straight to the Bible when forming an argument. If you want to read or listen to C.S. Lewis' "Why I Am Not a Pacifist" you can find links to it in print, online, and in audio format at pintswithjack.com/essays Find more Lesser-Known Lewis —  Online: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pintswithjack.com/lesser-known-lewis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/lesserknownlewis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@lesserknownlewis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lesser-Known Lewis Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: lesserknownlewis@gmail.com Graphic Design by Angus Crawford. Music by Jessica Syratt (Twitter: @jesssyratt).

The podcast explores C.S. Lewis's sermon on learning in war-time, reflecting on evangelism, finding purpose in everyday work, discerning God's calling, and the spiritual nature of everything. They discuss the value of being disciples of Jesus, surrendering oneself to causes, and how war can overwhelm life. They also delve into the desire for knowledge, pursuing godliness, embracing mortality, and living in the present.

The podcast explores C.S. Lewis's speech on membership in the Body of Christ, challenging collectivism and individualism. It discusses the impact of COVID-19 on church attendance and emphasizes the importance of physical gatherings. Lewis's perspective on collectivism is explored, highlighting the danger of prioritizing the collective over the individual. The concept of power and its perception in culture is examined using examples. The value of humans as given by God and the Christian mission to restore worth are discussed. The relationship between dignity and the upside-down kingdom is explored. The significance of membership, solitude, and the intrusion of technology in today's society is emphasized.

Join hosts Sean and Jordan as they explore the captivating relevance of CS Lewis' lesser-known essays, sharing their personal encounters and emotions surrounding his writings. They discuss their qualifications and motivation for creating the podcast, inviting listeners to join them in exploring Lewis' works and engaging in meaningful conversations.