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

This week during Ordinary Time, we are privileged to hear a conversation with one of C. S. Lewis' Neighbours from the 1940's and 50's — Terry Legg, who grew up in Oxford, just around the corner from Lewis as a young man. In this episode, Terry reflects on what the neighbourhood was like that he shared with C. S., and the trouble he would get in as a young boy on the Lewis property. Terry's unique connection to Lewis transports us back to the special place that birthed Narnia, but it also reminds us of just how special neighbourhoods — and neighbours! — are in the teachings of Lewis, and Jesus. 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: Ludvig Moulin / Shady Neighbourhood / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com The Flax / Whisky on the Rocks / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com

This week's episode is a sermon Jordan preached at his home church on Jan 6, 2023 for their Epiphany Service. The sermon is on Isaiah 60:1–9, which begins "Arise, Shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you." Finding much overlap between this passage and C. S. Lewis' sermon "The Weight of Glory" (which we just covered in Advent!), we thought we would include it in our feed this season. We hope it blesses you as we head into Ordinary Time. If you would prefer, you can watch the service here.  If you would like to find out more about the Church Calendar, the podcast episode Jordan is on is from "Missionary District."  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' 1948 article "Some Thoughts" where he explores the Christian paradox — that we sometimes affirm this present world and sometimes deny it as we look forward to a better, resurrected world. In this episode, we focus on the half of the paradox that is grounded in the Good News of Jesus' incarnation (that God became man). Here we let Lewis be our guide to see why Christmas is such good news for this present world and how we can celebrate it well! (We’ll save the other half of the paradox for Lent).   NOTE: Our second part of this essay is found a few episodes later ⁠S2E15 Lent — "Some Thoughts" (Part 2) Here's a link to Bishop Robert Barron's episode on "Stoicism and Christianity" that we mentioned. Camille Parkman's song, "Deliverer / O Come O Come Emmanuel" can be found on Spotify and other music platforms for purchase or streaming. If you want to read or listen to C.S. Lewis' "Some Thoughts" 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 a few short scraps written by C. S. Lewis in 1945, in a piece now appropriately titled “Scraps," while reflecting on their connection to Christmas and the good news of the Incarnation. In "Scraps," Lewis shares four different, interesting, short, and to-the-point thoughts that illustrate some of the reasons we celebrate that God has become Man in the birth of Jesus; that God affirms the goodness of both the physical and spiritual realms and longs to reunite them; that he affirms the goodness of humanity; and that humans were created to be, in the words of Screwtape, "amphibians...half spirit and half animal." We found lots to reflect on for Christmas in what is possibly Lewis' shortest work.  We also find ourselves returning back to Lewis' essays on prayers briefly, rethinking Lewis' "Problem of Prayer" between the A Pattern and B Pattern prayers and wondering what Jesus knew when he prayed "Thy will be done" in the Garden of Gethsemane.  The podcast episode Jordan referred to can be found at this link to their show called "Word and Table" . Camille Parkman's song, "Deliverer / O Come O Come Emmanuel" can be found on Spotify and other music platforms for purchase or streaming. If you want to read or listen to C.S. Lewis' "Scraps" 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).

Reflecting on the final part of C. S. Lewis' most famous sermon "The Weight of Glory," from 1941. Sean and Jordan, together with their first guest and long-time friend Rev. Dr. Dean Pinter, reflect on the ways Lewis' legendary sermon helps us learn to "wait for the weight of glory" during the season of Advent. In this episode, we consider why it is good news that we are burdened with God's glory, and draw from Lewis' life-changing practical ethic of loving your neighbour as the "holiest object" you have seen, because, as he wrote, "There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal." To purchase Dean Pinter's books, look for "Acts" in Zondervan's Story of God Commentary series. Camille Parkman's song, "Deliverer / O Come O Come Emmanuel" can be found on Spotify and other music platforms for purchase or streaming. If you want to read or listen to C. S. Lewis' "The Weight of Glory," 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.

Reflecting on the third part of C. S. Lewis' most famous sermon "The Weight of Glory," from 1941. Sean and Jordan, together with their first guest and long-time friend Dr. Dean Pinter, reflect on the ways Lewis' legendary sermon helps us learn to "wait for the weight of glory" during the season of Advent. In this episode, we look at the section where Lewis explores the variety of images scripture uses of Heaven, and why we need variety in the images that draw us on and keep us desiring for that future glory where we will be with Jesus.  To purchase Dean Pinter's books, look for "Acts" in Zondervan's Story of God Commentary series. Camille Parkman's song, "Deliverer / O Come O Come Emmanuel" can be found on Spotify and other music platforms for purchase or streaming. If you want to read or listen to C. S. Lewis' "The Weight of Glory," 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.

Reflecting on the second part of C. S. Lewis' most famous sermon "The Weight of Glory," from 1941. Here Lewis reminds us that our desires for this world are not enough, as they were meant as pointers beyond this world to another world.  Sean and Jordan, together with their first guest and long-time friend Dr. Dean Pinter, reflect on the ways Lewis' legendary sermon helps us learn to "wait for the weight of glory" during the season of Advent. To purchase Dean Pinter's books, look for "Acts" in Zondervan's Story of God Commentary series. Camille Parkman's song, "Deliverer / O Come O Come Emmanuel" can be found on Spotify and other music platforms for purchase or streaming. William O'Flaherty's podcast is All About Jack, and the episode where he gave his teaching on "The Weight of Glory" and C. S. Lewis' other sermons is found here. All of William's books and many other Lewis endeavours can be found at his website EssentialCSLewis.com.  R. S. Thomas reads his poem "The Bright Field," here.  If you want to read or listen to C. S. Lewis' "The Weight of Glory," 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.

Reflecting on the first part of C. S. Lewis' most famous sermon "The Weight of Glory," from 1941. Here Lewis makes the famous quote that, "Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."  Sean and Jordan, together with their first guest and long-time friend Dr. Dean Pinter, reflect on the ways Lewis' legendary sermon helps us learn to "wait for the weight of glory" during the season of Advent.  To purchase Dean Pinter's books, look for "Acts" in Zondervan's Story of God Commentary series. Also, see his contributions to "Jesus is Lord, Caesar is Not" (IVP Academic, 2012), and "Reading Romans in Context," (Zondervan, 2015).  Camille Parkman's song, "Deliverer / O Come O Come Emmanuel" can be found on Spotify and other music platforms for purchase or streaming.  The book Jordan mentioned that explores the theme of desire in C. S. Lewis' writings is "Pursuing an Earthly Spirituality," by Gary S. Selby. If you want to read or listen to C. S. Lewis' "The Weight of Glory" 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.

Exploring the second part of C. S. Lewis' 1953 speech “Petitionary Prayer: A Problem Without an Answer" where Lewis wrestles through the two seemingly incompatible ways Jesus teaches us to pray. First, submitting our requests to God's possible refusal (e.g. “thy will be done”).  Second, with the certain faith we shall get the specific thing we ask. Sean and Jordan push back and forth on this one, as Lewis does in the essay. But, also like Lewis, we find no clear answer to the problem. Still, after the wrestle, we find ourselves having learned a lot more about prayer than we knew before, and we learn about the nature of faith along the way. We also find ourselves taking a dip into letter 11 of "Letters to Malcolm," Lewis' last published book. And though he does not have an answer in the essay or the book, what Lewis does have is a beautiful picture of two ways of praying that Jesus gives as gifts to his disciples. If you want to read or listen to C.S. Lewis' “Petitionary Prayer: A Problem Without an Answer" 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 the first part of C. S. Lewis' 1953 speech “Petitionary Prayer: A Problem Without an Answer" where Lewis wrestles through the two seemingly incompatible ways Jesus teaches us to pray. First, submitting our requests to God's possible refusal (e.g. “thy will be done”).  Second, with the certain faith we shall get the specific thing we ask. Sean and Jordan push back and forth on this one, as Lewis does in the essay. But, also like Lewis, we find no clear answer to the problem. Still, after the wrestle, we find ourselves having learned a lot more about prayer than we knew before, and we learn about the nature of faith along the way. We also find ourselves taking a dip into letter 11 of "Letters to Malcolm," Lewis' last published book. And though he does not have an answer in the essay or the book, what Lewis does have is a beautiful picture of two ways of praying that Jesus gives as gifts to his disciples. If you want to read or listen to C.S. Lewis' “Petitionary Prayer: A Problem Without an Answer" 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).