Issue: Winter 2014 | Posted: January 27, 2014

Union marks C.S. Lewis anniversary

C.S. Lewis, the British author and Christian apologist, died on Nov. 22, 1963, the same day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. On that terrible day, most Americans were focused on the public murder of their president.

But the impact of C.S. Lewis on American Evangelicalism is profound, even 50 years after his death. At Union University, the anniversary year of Lewis' passing was marked by extensive lectures, writings and travel.

Town and Gown Series

Jennifer Gruenke, professor of biology and director of the Hammons Center for Scientific Studies, delivers a lecture entitled, "What would C.S. Lewis think about the ID movement and BioLogos?: An analysis of a debate on Lewis' view of science."

Russ Howell, professor of mathematics at Westmont College, delivers a lecture entitled, "The Lewis-Anscombe Debate: Milieu, Mutations, and Mathematics."

"The life and thought of C.S. Lewis" was the title for a five-week Town and Gown series in October and November. As with all Town and Gown presentations, the classes were free and open to the public.

Opening sessions included "C.S. Lewis and Imagination," with Hal Poe, Charles Colson Professor of Faith and Culture at Union, followed by "C.S. Lewis and Literature: Why Reading Broadly Matters," with Gene Fant, executive vice president for academic administration.

On week two, Jennifer Gruenke, professor of biology, examined Lewis' view of science and what he would think about the intelligent design movement, followed by "C.S. Lewis and the Recovery of True Education," with Brad Green, associate professor of Christian thought and tradition.

The third week, a presentation entitled "Bridges and Fords: Lewis on History," with David Thomas, professor of history, was followed by "Watchful Dragons and the Baptized Imagination," with Micah Watson, associate professor of political science.

In week four, Professor of Mathematics Matt Lunsford lectured on "The Mathematical Mind of C.S. Lewis," and Russ Howell, professor of mathematics and holder of the Kathleen Smith Chair of Natural and Behavioral Sciences at Westmont College presented "The Lewis-Anscombe Debate: Milieu, Mutations and Mathematics."

The closing week, Justin Barnard presented "Mere Epistemology: Christian Wisdom about Knowing from C.S. Lewis." Barnard is associate dean in the Institute for Intellectual Discipleship at Union.

These addresses should be available in the near future in audio and video formats.

Poe speaks on 50th anniversary

Hal Poe, Charles Colson professor of faith and culture, speaks about the legacy of C.S. Lewis in chapel.

On Nov. 22, Hal Poe presented a chapel sermon that examined the life of Lewis.

"Lewis was a watcher of culture," Poe said. "He was a person who noticed significant moments (that were) going to have an impact 50 years later."

Poe said that Lewis confronted a generation of people preoccupied with pleasure, with the last article he wrote titled "We Have No 'Right to Happiness.'"

The Apostle Paul faced a similar situation in Athens, Poe said, when Paul confronted religious groups who believed life had no meaning or purpose - and, consequently, no fear of punishment for wrongdoing. As a result, many Athenians solely focused on happiness in the present life.

But Lewis argued that the universal human awareness of "fair play" suggests a source of understanding between right and wrong, Poe said.

"Humans recognize when someone is being treated unfairly," Poe said. "Something is coming to us from the outside to have a universal awareness for what we don't have - what we long for."

Although Paul and Lewis knew the gospel contained the answers to injustice, Poe said that Lewis noted a collapse in culture through which people have difficulty absorbing rational arguments or lengthy discussions.

In order to help people understand the gospel, Paul and Lewis not only talked about the Bible but also explained Scripture by using the art of their cultures.

"It's not enough to declare some of the aspects of the Christian faith," Poe said. "You need to explain what it means to people who don't know."

Paul used Greek poetry to help Athenians understand God, while Lewis wrote children's stories to help spread the gospel. Through these ways, Poe said both men explained the promise of redemption in The Book of Revelation, where passages describe a time when God will bring righteousness and justice to the world.

The Bible, as well as "The Chronicles of Narnia," ends in hope, Poe said.

"Live your life like you really believe you have the blessed hope," Poe said. "Go forth, and be thankful in the Lord's creation.

In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Lewis' death, Union dedicated its most recent Town and Gown lecture series in Lewis' memory, with the series titled "Aslan's Apologist: Celebrating the Intellectual Legacy of C.S. Lewis."

Members of the Union community made a trip to Great Britain this past summer to tour some of the historical sites in connection with Lewis' life. Poe provided expert commentary, aided by Union University President David S. Dockery.

Renewing Minds Journal

Renewing Minds Journal, Issue 4

In the fall, the fourth issue of "Renewing Minds: A Journal of Christian Thought" was largely devoted to examining the thoughts and writings of Lewis.

Titled "C. S. Lewis: A Semicentennial," the issue features articles from Union faculty members David Thomas, Justin D. Barnard, Harry Lee Poe, Matt D. Lunsford and Gene C. Fant, as well as articles from Louis Markos and Holly Ordway from Houston Baptist University in Texas.

Article topics range from mathematics to naturalism. The publication also contains seven book reviews.

Lewis, the late Christian apologist, was the author of such works as "The Screwtape Letters" and "The Chronicles of Narnia." He died on Nov. 22, 1963.

"We simply could not let the 50th anniversary of Lewis' death pass without making the most of the opportunity," said Hunter Baker, dean of instruction and a senior editor of "Renewing Minds."

The journal series acts to cultivate the discussion of higher education, culture and the Christian intellectual tradition.

Subscriptions to the journal are available.