The C.S. Lewis podcast

The C.S. Lewis podcast

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.

Episodes

September 1, 2025 24 mins

Paul Anderson, a Professor of Biblical and Quaker Studies at George Fox Uni­versity in Oregon, is back to discuss C.S. Lewis’ approach to the Bible and theology. They explore how Lewis read and interpreted Scripture, how his literary background shaped his perspective, and how he balanced critical scholarship with personal devotion. What can we learn from Lewis about holding faith and reason together? They also consider Lewis’s infl...

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Ruth Jackson is joined again by Dr Paul Anderson, Professor of Biblical and Quaker Studies at George Fox University. Paul, a prolific scholar and founding member of the "John, Jesus and History" project, shares insights from his paper presented at the 2024 conference at George Fox University. Together, Ruth and Paul explore Lewis’ classic essay "Fern-seeds and Elephants", in which Lewis critiques biblical scholarship with his memor...

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Ruth Jackson is joined with Paul Anderson, a Professor of Biblical and Quaker Studies at George Fox Uni­versity in Oregon. Paul speaks on his first encounter with C.S. Lewis and the role Lewis’ works have played in his own life, ministry, and scholarship. They discuss Lewis’ views on the Bible, how his literary approach to Scripture compares with that of a biblical scholar, and whether he showed a preference for particular Gospels....

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Today we are joined by Dr. Max Baker-Hytch, a tutorial fellow in Philosophy at Oxford University, to discuss Lewis and the argument from desire. Covering topics such as whether our deepest longings point to the existence of another world, how naturalists might respond, and whether such desires could have evolutionary origins. The conversation also looks at critiques of Lewis’ view, how it compares to other arguments for God, and wh...

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Today we are joined by Dr. Max Baker-Hytch, a tutorial fellow in Philosophy at Oxford University, to discuss Lewis and Lewis' argument from reason, as explored in Miracles and beyond. They explore Lewis’ claim that if our thoughts are just the result of natural processes, we have no reason to trust them. Can reason really come from something non-rational? They also discuss how this idea challenges naturalism, what it means for scie...

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Today we are joined by Dr. Max Baker-Hytch, a tutorial fellow in Philosophy at Oxford University, to discuss Lewis and the moral argument for God's existence. What did Lewis mean by a universal moral law, and why did he think it pointed to something beyond nature? They explore the foundations of this argument, its philosophical roots, and the critiques it has faced. Does morality require a Moral Lawgiver? Can natural selection or s...

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Today we are joined by Dr. Max Baker-Hytch, a tutorial fellow in Philosophy at Oxford University, to discuss Lewis and philosophy. Did C.S. Lewis consider himself a philosopher, and should we? What kind of philosophical training did he have, and which thinkers shaped his ideas? How do his arguments compare with other 20th-century philosophers, and why is he often overlooked in academic philosophy today? They also explore whether Le...

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Ruth Jackson is joined by Traver Carlson, a PHD candidate in Philosophy at the Institute for Christian Studies, to discuss his paper from the 2024 Undiscovered CS Lewis Conference, titled Re-veiling the Secret: Reading The Ransom Trilogy as Spiritual Exercise. We then get to hear his paper from the conference, followed by some helpful clarifications and final thoughts from him.

Other series to listen to: Out of the Silent plane...

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Ruth Jackson is joined by Traver Carlson, a PHD candidate in Philosophy at the Institute for Christian Studies, to discuss his paper from the 2024 Undiscovered CS Lewis Conference, which focuses on The Ransom Trilogy. They explore how Lewis uses space, language, and imagination to help us see the world in a new light. From medieval imagery to the idea of “heaven” versus “space,” the conversation looks at how these stories can shape...

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Ruth Jackson is joined by Traver Carlson, a PHD candidate in Philosophy at the Institute for Christian Studies, to discuss his paper from the 2024 Undiscovered CS Lewis Conference. He dives into his first discovery of Lewis, the impact he had on his faith and academic journey and his relevance to today, as well as much more.

Other series to listen to: Out of the Silent planet: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/the-cs-lewis-...

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In part two, Ruth Jackson and Alister McGrath explore how CS Lewis saw the links between science, philosophy, and faith. They discuss his view that science can point to deeper truths, his idea of Christianity as the “true myth,” and his belief that scientific theories aren’t final facts. The conversation touches on Lewis’s thoughts about the soul, the value of myth, and whether modern science misses something older worldviews grasp...

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Ruth Jackson speaks with Alister McGrath about CS Lewis’ final book, The Discarded Image, a reflection on the medieval view of the cosmos. Why did Lewis care so much about this old model of the universe, and what does it reveal about his views on science, imagination, and faith? They explore Lewis’s description of a geocentric, ordered world and how it contrasts with today’s scientific and secular worldview. Could this older pictur...
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Alister McGrath reflects on how Lewis’ ideas might speak into today’s rapidly advancing technologies. What would Lewis have thought about artificial intelligence, genetic modification, or even transhumanism? Would he see these developments as threats to human dignity or as opportunities that require moral and spiritual guidance? And as technology continues to reshape our world, does Lewis offer a framework for thinking wisely about...
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In this episode, Ruth Jackson speaks with Alister McGrath about Lewis’ views on science, technology, and ethics. What concerns did Lewis raise about unchecked scientific progress in works like The Abolition of Man? Would he have seen developments in AI or genetic engineering as threats—or opportunities? They also explore whether Lewis thought science could ever replace belief in God, and how he might respond to the ethical challeng...
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Explore the depths of CS Lewis's thought and theology in our latest podcast episode with Dr. Nathan Fayard from Indiana Wesleyan University. Specialising in old English literature and medievalism, Dr. Fayard discusses his latest work, "The Recovered Images." We dive into his presentation from the 2024 Undiscovered CS Lewis Conference titled "Prometheus on Perrelandra: The Inversion of the Satanic Hero in CS Lewis's Perelandra." Di...
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Ruth Jackson speaks with Dr. Nathan Fayard, Assistant Professor of English at Indiana Wesleyan University about how Lewis engages with the idea of the romantic hero in Perelandra. Why does Lewis split heroic qualities between Ransom and the villain Weston? What can Byron’s Manfred and Shelley’s Prometheus Unbound teach us about Lewis’s theology? Fayard unpacks how Lewis “re-baptises” the romantic ideal, transforming the satanic...
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Ruth Jackson is joined again by Nathan Fayard, Assistant Professor of English at Indiana Wesleyan University, to explore how the poetry of John Milton and Percy Bysshe Shelley shaped C.S. Lewis’s imagination and theology. Focusing on Paradise Lost and Prometheus Unbound, they discuss how these epic works influenced Lewis’s thinking on redemption, paradise, and poetic vision - from his atheist years to his Christian faith. Fayard hi...
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Ruth Jackson is joined by Nathan Fayard, an assistant professor of English at Indiana Wesleyan University, to discuss his paper from the 2024 Undiscovered CS Lewis conference held at George Fox University. How did Nathan first encountered Lewis? What impact has he had on his life and faith journey? He also gives a summary Perelandra as we prepare to dive into his paper. For more on Nathan: https://www.euppublishing.com/doi/abs/...
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Ruth Jackson is joined by Jacqueline Wilson, a student working towards her Master of Arts in cultural apologetics from Houston Christian University, to share her thoughts on Lewis' prayer life in the paper she presented at the 2024 Undiscovered CS Lewis conference, which was held at George Fox University. The title of her paper was "A very Ordinary Layman: C.S Lewis's Prayer Life in Historical Context" + Subscribe to The CS Lewi...
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Ruth Jackson is joined by Jacqueline Wilson, a student working towards her Master of Arts in cultural apologetics from Houston Christian University, to discuss her paper from the Undiscovered CS Lewis conference, and how she first encountered Lewis. They tackle questions surrounding Lewis' unusual prayer life, as well as his perception of and connection to Catholic practices. + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit ou...
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