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

**SPOILER ALERT** Listen to this short story first here: ⁠"The Man Born Blind"⁠ Or find where you can read it at ⁠pintswithjack.com/essays⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this part of our conversation with Dr. Charlie W. Starr, we discuss one possible interpretation of "Light" as it pertains to "epistemology" or "how we come to know things". If this is the case, the short story helps us see how imagination and experiential knowing (which Lewis also calls "Looking Along") is as valid as rational "Looking At" ways of knowing.

**SPOILER ALERT** Because we are finally covering a short story by C. S. Lewis, we recommend to listen to this 11-minute short story first, becuase it has a twist ending we will spoil in the epiosde: Find it on YouTube here: "The Man Born Blind"

Or find where you can read it at pintswithjack.com/essays⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Lewis wrote two slightly different versions of this story, one goes by the title "Light" and the other "The Man Born Blind", but they are very similar and only have small changes to them. Dr. Charlie W. Starr, our guest in the episode, studied Lewis' handwriting to determine when Lewis wrote each version of the story. In this episode, Charlie recaps the story itself, tells us about his journey of working on the manuscript, and explains how the story could be an analogy of sorts to make his point against Owen Barfield in their "Great War".

In this 1944 essay "The Funeral of a Great Myth" C. S. Lewis continues the thought he began in "Is Theology Poetry?" about how the scientific theory of evolution has been hijacked by scientism to become an all-encompasing cosmic theory about improvement or development or progress. In Lewis' perspective, it is time to put this "mythic" to death. Dr. Bethany Sollereder, lecturer in Science & Religion, joins us to discuss how this myth is still prevalent in our world today and the differences between it and the "True Myth" of the Gospel of Christ.

Find more from ⁠Dr. Sollereder here⁠ or purchase her book ⁠"Why Is There Suffering?: Pick Your Own Theological Expedition"⁠

Arend Smilde's website, containing comprehensive notes on Lewis' essays.

C. S. Lewis' essays can be located at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pintswithjack.com/essays⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Online: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pintswithjack.com/lesser-known-lewis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/lesserknownlewis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Email: [email protected]

Graphic Design by Angus Crawford.

Music: Dream Cave / Crowned Kings / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com

In this 1944 essay "The Funeral of a Great Myth" C. S. Lewis continues the thought he began in "Is Theology Poetry?" about how the scientific theory of evolution has been hijacked by scientism to become an all-encompasing cosmic theory about improvement or development or progress. In Lewis' perspective, it is time to put this "mythic" to death. Dr. Bethany Sollereder, lecturer in Science & Religion, joins us to discuss how Lewis was right on the money — and where parts of his argument do not hold up.

Find more from Dr. Sollereder here or purchase her book "Why Is There Suffering?: Pick Your Own Theological Expedition"

C. S. Lewis' essays can be located at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pintswithjack.com/essays⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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: Dream Cave / Crowned Kings / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com

In Case You Missed It - Daniel and Phil invited us on The Lamp-Post Listener to talk about Chapter 7 of The Last Battle, "Mainly About Dwarves."

Check out the rest of their episodes on The Last Battle and the rest of the Narnian Chronicles at ⁠The Lamp-Post Listener Podcast⁠⁠ and online here at ⁠The Lamp-Post Listener.⁠

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: Dream Cave / Crowned Kings / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com

In Case You Missed It - We were recently guests on The Lamp-Post Listener with Daniel and Phil to talk about why we all love Lewis, especially his essay!

Check out The Lamp-Post Listener Podcast⁠ and online here at The Lamp-Post Listener.

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: Dream Cave / Crowned Kings / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com

In "G. A. L. Burgeon" C. S. Lewis reviews his friend and fellow Inkling Owen Barfield's book This Ever Diverse Pair. Joined by Barfield's grandson, also named Owen, here we encounter how Lewis applies some of his thinking on metaphor and imagination to a novel written by Owen Barfield - the friend from whom Lewis derived much of his thinking about thinking, imagination, and metaphor.

Find more on Owen Barfield at ⁠owenbarfield.org⁠

You may want to check out the entries that explain Barfield's thoughts on ⁠Metaphor⁠ or ⁠Metaphoric Internalization⁠ or ⁠The Metaphoric Period.⁠

C. S. Lewis' essays can be located at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pintswithjack.com/essays⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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: Dream Cave / Crowned Kings / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com

In "Who gaf me drink?" C. S. Lewis reviews his friend and fellow Inkling Owen Barfield's book Romanticism Comes of Age. Joined by Barfield's grandson, also named Owen, here we encounter how Lewis applies some of his thinking on metaphor and imagination to a book largely about imagination written by Owen Barfield - the friend from whom Lewis derived much of his thinking about thinking, imagination, and metaphor.

Find more on Owen Barfield at owenbarfield.org

You may want to check out the entries that explain Barfield's thoughts on Metaphor or Metaphoric Internalization or The Metaphoric Period.

C. S. Lewis' essays can be located at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pintswithjack.com/essays⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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: Dream Cave / Crowned Kings / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com

In the second part of his 1936 essay, "Bluspels and Flalansferes: A Semantic Nightmare" C. S. Lewis, once again, is defending metaphors as valid, useful, valuable, even necessary ways of speaking about reality. He concludes it is actually those who are best at creating metaphors who are "masters of meaning" rather than those who try to avoid metaphors and stick to the literal. We cannot have just one or the other for, while reason is the organ of truth, "imagination is the organ of meaning."

C. S. Lewis' essays can be located at ⁠⁠⁠⁠pintswithjack.com/essays⁠⁠⁠⁠

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: Dream Cave / Crowned Kings / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com

In his 1936 essay, "Bluspels and Flalansferes: A Semantic Nightmare" C. S. Lewis, once again, is defending metaphors as valid, useful, valuable, even necessary ways of speaking about reality. He introduces the idea of a "Master's Metaphor" and a "Pupils Metaphor" to explain how metaphors can be tied to our understanding of a concept, but that this is not always the case.

The Eudo Podcast: "Bluspels & Flalansferes"

C. S. Lewis' essays can be located at ⁠⁠⁠pintswithjack.com/essays⁠⁠⁠

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: Dream Cave / Crowned Kings / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com