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

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: [email protected]

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: [email protected]

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: [email protected]

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: [email protected]

Graphic Design by Angus Crawford.

Music by Jessica Syratt (Twitter: @jesssyratt).

Exploring the second part of C.S. Lewis' 1959 article "The Efficacy of Prayer" where Lewis questions if there is a way we can find out if prayer really works. Like the last essay, this leads Lewis to exploring what prayer is and is not. It is first a request to a person. But prayer is more than a form of communication, it is a form of connection, a mode of relating to a person. Not surprisingly it is only through connecting with God that we can find any answer to the initial question because "What he does is learned from what he is." Lewis also begs us to consider whether those who seem to get their prayers answered by God frequently are truly as favoured by God as they seem.

If you want to read or listen to C.S. Lewis' "The Efficacy of Prayer" you can find links to it in print, online, and in audio format at pintswithjack.com/essays

Find out more about Lesser Known Lewis, their episodes, and how you can support them, at their webpage pintswithjack.com/lesser-known-lewis

Find more Lesser-Known Lewis — 

Online: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pintswithjack.com/lesser-known-lewis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/lesserknownlewis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@lesserknownlewis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lesser-Known Lewis Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Email: [email protected]

Graphic Design by Angus Crawford.

Music by Jessica Syratt (Twitter: @jesssyratt).

Exploring the first part of C.S. Lewis' 1959 article "The Efficacy of Prayer" where Lewis questions if there is a way we can find out if prayer really works. Like the last essay, this leads Lewis to exploring what prayer is and is not. It is first a request to a person. But prayer is more than a form of communication, it is a form of connection, a mode of relating to a person. Not surprisingly it is only through connecting with God that we can find any answer to the initial question because "What he does is learned from what he is." Lewis also begs us to consider whether those who seem to get their prayers answered by God frequently are truly as favoured by God as they seem.

If you want to read or listen to C.S. Lewis' "The Efficacy of Prayer" 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: [email protected]

Graphic Design by Angus Crawford.

Music by Jessica Syratt (Twitter: @jesssyratt).

Exploring the second part of C.S. Lewis' 1945 article "Work and Prayer" where he asks the question "If God is all-wise… doesn’t he know what is best? And if he is all-good, won’t He do it whether you pray or not?" This question leads Lewis to consider whether petitionary prayer - asking God for things - is a lower form of prayer, and form some conclusions about what prayer is and what it isn't. Here Lewis introduces us to the awe-inspiring concept that God (as Blaise Pascal puts it) gives to us "the dignity of causality.” That is, how God has allowed us to participate with him in affecting the world through both work and prayer.

If you want to read or listen to C.S. Lewis' "Work and Prayer" 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: [email protected]

Graphic Design by Angus Crawford.

Music by Jessica Syratt (Twitter: @jesssyratt).

Exploring the first part of C.S. Lewis' 1945 article "Work and Prayer" where he asks the question "If God is all-wise… doesn’t he know what is best? And if he is all-good, won’t He do it whether you pray or not?" This question leads Lewis to consider whether petitionary prayer - asking God for things - is a lower form of prayer, and form some conclusions about what prayer is and what it isn't. Here Lewis introduces us to the awe-inspiring concept that God (as Blaise Pascal puts it) gives to us "the dignity of causality.” That is, how God has allowed us to participate with him in affecting the world through both work and prayer. 

If you want to read or listen to C.S. Lewis' "Work and Prayer" 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: [email protected]

Graphic Design by Angus Crawford.

Music by Jessica Syratt (Twitter: @jesssyratt).

All of Season 1 we have been drawing connections from what C.S. Lewis wrote about the crises in his world to the crises in ours. In this episode, we take a moment to recap and reflect, but then to make a more important connection between what Lewis wrote in these essays to what is written in scripture. Of course, we find Lewis to be a biblically faithful writer, but now we ask, specifically, which scriptures would fit well with the topics, themes, and truths Lewis taught us in Season 1. 

Find more Lesser-Known Lewis — 

Online: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pintswithjack.com/lesser-known-lewis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/lesserknownlewis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@lesserknownlewis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lesser-Known Lewis Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Email: [email protected]

Graphic Design by Angus Crawford.

Music by Jessica Syratt (@jesssyratt on Twitter)

Exploring a published letter that Lewis wrote in 1939, titled "Conditions for a Just War," where he challenges the usefulness of the well-known "conditions" that theologians often use to evaluate whether a war is just or not. Lewis points out that the conditions were originally meant to be employed by princes who were the only people who had the right or responsibility of choosing to go to war. Therefore, for Lewis, the average citizen in a democracy does not bear the moral responsibility of what their nation decides to do as a nation. This leads us to question whether, and to what degree, Lewis is right and begin to consider what role citizens have in ensuring their governments are not corrupt. We end by considering what would be the best way to witness to the Gospel when our nation joins a war (or does anything) that seems unjust.

If you want to read or listen to C.S. Lewis' "Conditions for a Just War" 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: [email protected]

Graphic Design by Angus Crawford.

Music by Jessica Syratt (Twitter: @jesssyratt).