CS Lewis Podcast

Mondays from 6pm and Sundays from 7:30pm

#203 Alister McGrath: How CS Lewis bridged the gap between faith and scientific understanding

31 Mar 2025
00:20:38

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...

#202 Alister McGrath: What did CS Lewis think of science? Part 1

24 Mar 2025
00:14:42

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 reas...

#201 Holly Ordway: Tolkien, suffering and the problem of evil

17 Mar 2025
00:31:08

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 fait...

#200 Ruth Jackson: 200th Episode Special

10 Mar 2025
00:29:40

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 pe...

#199 Michael Oppizzi: Why Till We Have Faces Still Speaks to Us Today

3 Mar 2025
00:30:06

In this third and final episode with Michael Oppizzi, Ruth Jackson asks about his groundbreaking research on planetary symbolism in Till We Have Faces, CS Lewis’s final and often misunderstood novel. Did Lewis truly abandon his fascination with pla...

#198 CS Lewis’ Final Novel: Ancient Myth and Modern Relevance

24 Feb 2025
00:19:44

CS Lewis considered Till We Have Faces his best work, yet it remains one of his least understood. Why did he write it in the 1950s, and why does it still resonate today? In this episode, Ruth Jackson speaks with Michael Oppizzi about the novel’s hist...

#197 The Many Faces of CS Lewis: A Conversation with Michael Oppizzi

17 Feb 2025
00:19:51

In this episode, host Ruth Jackson speaks with Michael Oppizzi, an educator and cultural apologist, about the enduring relevance of CS Lewis. They discuss Lewis’s impact on faith, imagination, and intellect, with a deep dive into Till We Have Faces,...

#196 How did Shakespeare influence Lewis' exploration of death, resurrection and the human condition?

10 Feb 2025
00:28:07

How did "great myths" shape Lewis' understanding of Christian truth? Dr Sarah Waters, assistant professor of language and literature at Stirling College, Kansas, continues to explore the intriguing intersection between Shakespeare's literary genius a...

#195 Sarah Waters: Did Shakespeare play a role in Lewis' conversion?

3 Feb 2025
00:33:22

​How did William Shakespeare influence CS Lewis’ conversion to Christianity? Dr Sarah Waters, assistant professor of language and literature at Sterling College, Kansas, draws connections between Lewis’ faith journey and his engagement with Shakespea...

#194 Sarah Waters: How Lewis grew to love Shakespeare

27 Jan 2025
00:27:21

What was Lewis' favourite Shakespeare play? Dr Sarah Waters, assistant professor of language and literature at Sterling College, Kansas, delves into Lewis' literary accessibility and theological insights, uncovering the timeless relevance of his work...

#193 Leprechauns, fairies and the Holy Ghost

20 Jan 2025
00:33:09

What did Warnie and Lewis get up to while holidaying in County Louth? How did he encounter leprechauns, fairies and the Holy Ghost? Plus, we hear about some of the key women in Lewis' life: Mrs Moore, Joy and their housekeeper Vera Henry. Rev Paul Cl...

#192 Warnie, alcoholism and Country Louth

13 Jan 2025
00:25:55

Lewis' life was not a bed of roses. However, he was still able to find joy in dark situations. For example, discovering beauty and friendship in Ireland's Country Louth while his brother Warnie was being nursed there for alcohol addiction. Rev Paul C...

#191 New Atheism, Sigmund Freud and Narnia: Does CS Lewis still matter?

6 Jan 2025
00:20:03

Is CS Lewis relevant today? Can he speak to a post-Christian culture? We hear from Meg Thomson, producer of Freud’s Last Session, a film starring Anthony Hopkins as Sigmund Freud and Matthew Goode as CS Lewis, Dr Jem Bloomfield, an assistant professo...

#190 Holly Ordway: Tolkien's Father Christmas letters

30 Dec 2024
00:23:58

For 23 years JRR Tolkien wrote to his four children as Father Christmas. Dr Holly Ordway, author of Tolkien’s Faith, explores Tolkien's creative, humorous writing around Father Christmas and his companions, including his Polar bear assistant, snow-el...

#189 Holly Ordway: What did Christmas mean to JRR Tolkien?

23 Dec 2024
00:27:45

How integral was the incarnation for JRR Tolkien? Does Christmas feature in The Lord of the Rings legendarium? How did the Tolkien family celebrate Christmas? Dr Holly Ordway, author of Tolkien’s Faith, shares her thoughts on what Christmas meant to...