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 highlights Lewis’s deep admiration for Milton’s grandeur and Shelley’s lyrical power, showing how both helped Lewis and his readers engage with profound spiritual ideas. Ruth and Nathan both attended the 2024 Undiscovered C.S. Lewis conference at George Fox University.

For more on Nathan:

https://www.euppublishing.com/doi/abs/10.3366/ink.2023.0197

https://christandpopculture.com/finding-a-new-glorious-purpose-loki-and-the-failure-of-materialism/ 

+ Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/

+ For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website

+ For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events

+ Support the podcast from the USA

+ Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

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/10.3366/ink.2023.0197

https://christandpopculture.com/finding-a-new-glorious-purpose-loki-and-the-failure-of-materialism/

+ Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/

+ For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website

+ For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events

+ Support the podcast from the USA

+ Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

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 Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/

+ For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website

+ For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events

+ Support the podcast from the USA

+ Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

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 our new website

+ For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events

+ Support the podcast from the USA

+ Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

In this episode, Ruth Jackson speaks with Alister McGrath about Lewis’s views on evolution and science. What did Lewis believe about evolution, and how did he separate it from philosophical naturalism? Did he think evolution could explain things like morality and consciousness? They also explore his concerns about reducing human life to just material causes, and whether he saw a conflict between evolution and Christianity. Finally, they consider how Lewis’s ideas have been received—and whether they still influence thinkers today.

+ Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/

+ For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website

+ For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events

+ Support the podcast from the USA

+ Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

In this episode, Alister McGrath reflects on what Lewis thought about miracles and science. Did he think miracles could make sense in a world ruled by natural laws? Can someone believe in both science and the supernatural? They also look at Lewis’s response to the ideas of HG Wells, who believed science and religion didn’t mix. Were Wells’ views common in Lewis’s time, and do we still see them today? And how might Lewis’s ideas help us think about science and faith today?

+ Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/

+ For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website

+ For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events

+ Support the podcast from the USA

+ Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

In this second episode of our mini-series on CS Lewis and science, Ruth Jackson continues the conversation with Professor Alister McGrath. They explore how Lewis challenged the supposed conflict between science and religion, offering instead a richer vision where both disciplines illuminate reality. McGrath discusses Lewis’ evolving views, from early assumptions shaped by cultural narratives to a more mature integration of faith and scientific inquiry.

+ Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/1560959545

+ For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website

+ For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events

+ Support the podcast from the USA

+ Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

In part 1 of our new series on science, Ruth Jackson is joined by Alister McGrath to explore how CS Lewis approached the relationship between science and religion. A former atheist and Oxford-trained scientist, McGrath unpacks how Lewis combined reason and imagination to challenge scientific materialism while affirming science’s value within a broader vision of reality. From Mere Christianity to That Hideous Strength they discuss Lewis’s enduring relevance in today’s science-faith debates. McGrath also shares insights from his forthcoming OUP book on Lewis’s influence in this area.

+ Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/1560959545

+ For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website

+ For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events

+ Support the podcast from the USA

+ Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

Ahead of Tolkien Reading Day on 25th March, Dr Holly Ordway, author of Tolkien’s Faith, explores the contrasting spiritual journeys of J.R.R. Tolkien and CS Lewis—both of whom experienced the profound early loss of their mothers. While Tolkien’s faith deepened through suffering, Lewis famously declared that even amid the horrors of World War I, he "never sank so low as to pray." Dr Ordway reflects on Tolkien’s response to suffering, the problem of evil, and the role Lewis played in strengthening his faith.

Buy Holly Ordway's wonderful book on Tolkien's faith here https://amzn.to/43QhKoY

+ Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/1560959545

+ For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website

+ For online learning https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training

+ For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events

+ Support the podcast from the USA

+ Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

Ruth Jackson shares some of her favourite moments from the podcast to celebrate the 200th episode. We will be revisiting conversations with Alister McGrath discussing CS Lewis' relevance and mental health, hearing stories on how Lewis helped bring people to faith, his correspondence with Kathy Keller, and his impact on the creative works of film director Matthew Brown and singer songwriter Sarah Hawkyard.

For Carloyn Webber: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/the-cs-lewis-podcast/the-cs-lewis-podcast-129-dr-carolyn-weber-surprised-by-oxford/16637.article

For Kathy Keller: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/the-cs-lewis-podcast/the-cs-lewis-podcast-157-kathy-keller-one-of-the-last-people-to-correspond-with-lewis-before-his-death/17625.article

For Scott Tuohy: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/the-cs-lewis-podcast/the-cs-lewis-podcast-178-scott-tuohy-a-lewis-quotation-changed-my-life/18303.article

For Professor Alister McGrath (1): https://www.premierunbelievable.com/the-cs-lewis-podcast/the-cs-lewis-podcast-175-alister-mcgrath-what-would-lewis-think-of-jordan-peterson/18192.article

For Sarah Hawkyard: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/the-cs-lewis-podcast/the-cs-lewis-podcast-182-sarah-hawkyard-cs-lewis-changed-everything/18443.article

For Matthew Brown: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/the-cs-lewis-podcast/the-cs-lewis-podcast-163-matthew-brown-what-would-sigmund-freud-and-cs-lewis-discuss/17843.article

For Professor Alister McGrath (2): https://www.premierunbelievable.com/the-cs-lewis-podcast/the-cs-lewis-podcast-134-alister-mcgrath-is-there-an-expiry-date-on-lewis-relevance/16838.article

+ Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/1560959545

+ For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website

+ For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events

+ Support the podcast from the USA

+ Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world