Shows
Wade CenterThe Way of Dante w/ Dr. Richard GibsonIf you want to understand the writings of C.S. Lewis, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Charles Williams, you need to read Dante Alighieri's, The Divine Comedy. In this week's episode co-hosts Dr. Jim Beitler and Aaron Hill sit down with Dr. Richard Hughes Gibson, Professor of English at Wheaton College, to discuss his recent book called The Way of Dante that details the medieval Italian poet's influence on three of the Wade Center's authors. Journey with us through hell, purgatory, and paradise as we ask Rick about how Lewis, Sayers, and Williams read, reflected on, and debated Dante's allegorical w...
2026-01-1237 min
Wade CenterTish Harrison Warren on "What Grows in Weary Lands"How can we trust a God that let's bad things happen to us? How can we worship in the ordinary and in the difficult times in life, even when we are suffering? In this week's episode, co-hosts Dr. Jim Beitler and Aaron Hill sit down with author and Anglican priest, Tish Harrison Warren, to discuss her recent books and her newest forthcoming book "What Grows in Weary Lands: On Christian Resilience" about how can we continue to worship and pray when we are weary and our spiritual lives feel arid. Books/Talks by Tish Harrison Warren...
2025-11-2647 min
Wade CenterThe Downing's Return to Discuss "The Wages of Cinema"Crystal L. and David C. Downing, former co-hosts of the podcast, return to discuss Crystal's latest book, The Wages of Cinema (IVP, 2025). Join Dr. Jim Beitler and Aaron Hill as they sit down to discuss the intersection of film theory with Dorothy L. Sayers and Christian theology. If you want to dig in more make sure to watch Crystal's lecture at The Wade Center on YouTube this past summer and grab a copy of her book over at InterVarsity Press.
2025-10-0644 min
Wade CenterDid C.S. Lewis Believe in Evolution? w/ Dr. John WaltonDid C.S. Lewis believe in evolution or not? Join co-hosts Dr. Jim Beitler and Aaron Hill for a bonus episode where we ask this question of Dr. John H. Walton, Emeritus Professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College. Dr. Walton is widely known for his Lost World Series books as well as his commentaries and teaching on the creation account in Scripture. Make sure to check out our main episode with Dr. Walton where we discuss how Lewis frame creation in his writings, particularly in Perelandra and The Magician's Nephew.
2025-05-0519 min
Wade CenterCreation in C.S. Lewis's Fiction w/ Dr. John WaltonC.S. Lewis fictionalized the creation account in several of his novels, most notably in Perelandra and The Magician's Nephew. Join co-hosts Dr. Jim Beitler and Aaron Hill as they explore Lewis's imaginative and expansive creation narratives with Dr. John H. Walton, Emeritus Professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College. Dr. Walton is widely known for his Lost World Series books as well as his own interpretations of the creation account in Scripture. You won't want to miss this week's discussion as we explore how Lewis's writings compare to the biblical account on a host of topics from sacred s...
2025-05-0540 min
Wade CenterC.S. Lewis and Christian Witness w/ President Philip RykenMillions know him as a novelist and an Oxford Don, but C.S. Lewis's most lasting impact may be his role model as a Christian witness and evangelist. President of Wheaton College, Dr. Philip Ryken joins co-hosts Dr. Jim Beitler and Aaron Hill to explore C.S. Lewis's views about the witness of Scripture and what he can teach us about our own approach to Christian witness. How did Lewis approach Scripture, doctrine, and evangelism and how might that inform our own efforts to bear witness to the truth?
2025-03-0430 min
Wade CenterC.S. Lewis and Christian Witness w/ President Philip RykenMillions know him as a novelist and an Oxford Don, but C.S. Lewis's most lasting impact may be his role model as a Christian witness and evangelist. President of Wheaton College, Dr. Philip Ryken joins co-hosts Dr. Jim Beitler and Aaron Hill to explore C.S. Lewis's views about the witness of Scripture and what he can teach us about our own approach to Christian witness. How did Lewis approach Scripture, doctrine, and evangelism and how might that inform our own efforts to bear witness to the truth?
2025-03-0330 min
Wade CenterBooks Worth (re)Reading, Part 1If this podcast is bound together by anything, it is a love of books—particularly, a love for books written by the Wade Center authors. Inspired by C.S. Lewis's habit and love of re-reading books, co-hosts Dr. Jim Beitler and Aaron Hill embark this week on an exploration of the books that they love and continue to reread. If you are a regular listener, please email us your list of books as well as an explanation of how they've shaped your mind, imagination, and spirit. Below are the first set of books mentioned in this episode. The Ma...
2025-02-0348 min
Wade CenterThe Last Romantic w/ Dr. Jeffrey BarbeauSometimes the best way to understand an author is by exploring their conversation partners? Who are they responding to? In his recent Hansen lectures—now released in book form through IVP as The Last Romantic—Dr. Jeffrey Barbeau explores the ways in which C.S. Lewis is indebted to, influenced by, and fulfills the aspirations of Romantic authors such as Wordsworth, Coleridge, and even Schleiermacher. Join Dr. Jim Beitler, Director of the Marion E. Wade Center, and co-host Aaron Hill as they sit down with Dr. Jeffrey Barbeau to discuss how Lewis is The Last Romantic and how seeing him thr...
2025-01-0637 min
Wade CenterThe Mythmakers w/ John HendrixIn addition to creating myths themselves, the friendship of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien is the stuff of myth and legend. Join Dr. Jim Beitler, Director of the Marion E. Wade Center, and co-host Aaron Hill as they sit down with illustrator and professor John Hendrix to discuss his latest graphic novel, The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. We discuss the visual language that Hendrix created for The Inklings, his creative process, and the ways in which Lewis and Tolkien impacted the 20th and 21st centuries.
2024-12-0941 min
Wade CenterThis Homeward Ache w/ Amy Baik LeeIn our anxiety-ridden age, we are all seeking a home where we feel safe, loved, and accepted. But what happens if no place on earth and no moment in time satisfies your deepest longings for home and community? Join Dr. Jim Beitler, Director of the Marion E. Wade Center, and co-host Aaron Hill as they connect with Amy Baik Lee, author of This Homeward Ache. Explore what C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and George MacDonald might teach us about the difference between home-sickness, nostalgia, and "this homeward ache;" how we should respond to Sehnsucht; and Clyde S...
2024-11-1135 min
Wade CenterThe Wilderking Trilogy w/ Jonathan RodgersWe're back! Join Dr. Jim Beitler, Director of the Marion E. Wade Center, and co-host Aaron Hill as they connect with Jonathan Rodgers, author of The Wilderking Trilogy and host of the celebrated podcast, The Habit. Recently republished by our friends over at The Rabbit Room, Jim and Aaron discuss the first novel in Rodger's Wilderking trilogy, The Bark of the Bog Owl. Learn how to be a writer even if you don't feel like one, how to accept and embrace God's plan (and timing) for your life, and how Wade Center authors such as C.S. Lewis and...
2024-10-0739 min
Wade CenterListening to Creation w/ Dr. Kristen PageWe're back! Join Dr. Jim Beitler, Director of the Marion E. Wade Center, and co-host Aaron Hill as they sit down with Dr. Kristen L. Page to discuss everything from how C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien portrayed ecosystems and environmentalism in The Chronicles of Narnia to The Lord of the Rings, to how studying ecology can help us understand our place in the order of Creation, to Dr. Page's recent Hansen lectures published as the book, The Wonders of Creation. Don't forget to check out Dr. Page's new podcast "about the stories we hear from the...
2024-10-0744 min
Wade CenterDescent of the Dove w/ Dr. Matt MillinerWe're back! In our first new episode of Season 7, Dr. Jim Beitler, Director of the Marion E. Wade Center, and co-host Aaron Hill sit down for a jovial and wide-ranging discussion with Dr. Matthew J. Milliner. Topics ranges from one of Charles William's most praised works, The Descent of the Dove, to Dr. Milliner's recent book The Everlasting People: G.K. Chesterton and the First Nations, and the dangers of experimenting and re-inventing Christianity as a spiritual explorer.
2024-10-071h 04
Wade CenterThe Rhetoric of Lewis and Sayers w/ Dr. Jim Beitler (Archives)To celebrate the start of the Wade Center's new Director, Dr. Jim Beitler (Professor of English) we decided to re-release an archival episode recorded and released back in July 2019. 'Rhetoric' is often a byword for hollow or negative speech. In truth, rhetoric is the art of persuasion. This week, Dr. Jim Beitler discusses his new book, Seasoned Speech: Rhetoric in the Life of the Church. Of the five figures featured in Beitler's book, we discuss the rhetoric of C.S. Lewis and Dorothy L. Sayers. What can we learn from their example, and how can properly "seasoned...
2024-06-2847 min
Wade Center"Farewell, Crystal and David. We have known great joys together."Our dear friends and co-hosts of the podcast, Drs. Crystal & David C. Downing, are retiring as co-directors of the Wade Center in June. Professor of English, Dr. Jim Beitler will serve as the Wade Center's new director starting in July. To bid the Downings a fond farewell and pass the baton to our new director, we decided to share some of our favorite Wade author quotes. If you would like to tell the Downings how much the podcast has meant to you, send them an email at wade@wheaton.edu and we'll pass it along. ...
2024-05-311h 02
Wade CenterWonders of the Wade w/ Elise Peterson and Chloe DuBoisFrom C.S. Lewis's childhood wardrobe, to Tolkien's desk, to countless unpublished letters and manuscripts, The Marion E. Wade Center is full of many wonderful things. To celebrate the January 2024 launch of our new "Wonders of the Wade" video series on YouTube, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing, along with Producer Aaron Hill, sit down with Chloe DuBois and Elise Peterson, two student workers at the Wade, to discuss some of our most amazing finds and wonderful discoveries.
2023-12-2948 min
Wade CenterBeowulf and Tolkien w/ Dr. Ben WeberJ.R.R. Tolkien loved Beowulf, as evidenced by his landmark lecture, "The Monsters and the Critics," his posthumously published prose translation (released in 2014), and his inclusion of Anglo-Saxon themes and words throughout The Lord of the Rings. In this week's episode, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing sit down with Dr. Ben Weber, Associate Professor of English at Wheaton College and specialist in Medieval literature to discuss the significance of Beowulf itself as literature, Tolkien's fascination with the poem, as well as how reading this Old English heroic poem can help modern minds grapple with death and forces...
2023-11-3052 min
Wade Center"The Major and the Missionary" by Dr. Diana GlyerArchived at the Wade Center are a set of letters between Warren Lewis and a missionary named Blanche Biggs. After the death of his brother, C.S. Lewis, Warren received a letter out of the blue from Blanche, who was serving as a missionary in Papua New Guinea. In this week's episode, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing sit down with Diana Glyer to discuss her new book The Major and the Missionary, which collects and examines this set of letters that reveal not only a new side of Warren but the deep and intimate friendship he fostered with...
2023-10-2736 min
Wade Center"Letters to Children" w/ Marjorie MeadLong before the internet was invented people wrote letters to C.S. Lewis and he wrote back, sending them meaningful, insightful, and compassionate letters. In this week's episode Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing sit down with Marjorie Mead, Co-Director of the Wade Center to discuss a book of Letters to Children (1985). Marjorie reveals how the book was conceived, how some of the letters were found, and how Lewis's letters to children can still minister to us today--especially if we've grow up too much like Peter and Susan in The Chronicles of Narnia.
2023-03-3136 min
TCW Short TakesWhy has the abortion movement become more extreme post Roe v Wade? / Guest: Colleen Tronson / Air Date: Jan. 28, 2023Short Take from The Christian Worldview Radio Program Full Program Title: How the Abortion Movement Has Become More Radical Post-Roe v. WadeOriginal Air Date: Jan. 28, 2023Host: David WheatonGuest: Colleen Tronson, Executive Director, Metro Women’s CenterFull Program: https://www.thechristianworldview.org/topic-how-the-abortion-movement-has-become-more-radical-post-roe-v-wade/
2023-01-3103 min
The Christian WorldviewHow the Abortion Movement Has Become More Radical Post-Roe v. WadeSend a textGUEST: COLLEEN TRONSON, Executive Director, Metro Women’s CenterAmericans like to think of our nation and people as “exceptional”, providing an example of goodness, charity, even Christianity, to the rest of the world. There is some truth to this. America has been immeasurably blessed in resources and liberties and has spread innovation and freedom across the world.But if we are honest, this nation has also become perhaps the greatest consumer and exporter of moral wickedness, such as sexual immorality in its many forms and the murder of pre-born childr...
2023-01-2853 min
Wade CenterOrthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton, Part 2In this week's episode, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing sit down with Producer Aaron Hill to finish unwrapping the many memorable witticisms, penetrating insights, and enchanting metaphors contained within the final chapters of Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton. Additionally, this is both our final episode of 2022 and the final episode of our bi-weekly format. In 2023, we will shift to a monthly release schedule with episodes going live on the final Friday of the month. Make sure to check out videos with Crystal and David through our forthcoming Wonders of the Wade series over on our YouTube channel.
2022-12-3053 min
Wade Center"Bulverism" & "Is Theism Important?"—God in the Dock, Vol. 3For over a decade, C.S. Lewis and Stella Aldwinckle modeled how to discuss Christianity, atheism, and belief with civility and grace through the Oxford Socratic Club. Many of Lewis's talks at the club meetings made their way into print, in the form of essays. In part three of the Wade Center's series on God in the Dock (1970), Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing, along with Producer Aaron M. Hill, discuss two of these essays, "Bulverism" and "Is Theism Important?" Together these essays address obstacles to honest discussion, a basic foundation for reason, and the nature of faith.
2022-09-0251 min
Wade Center"On the Reading of Old Books"—God in the Dock, Vol. 2"Every age has its own outlook. It is specially good at seeing certain truths and specially liable to make certain mistakes." In part two of the Wade Center's series on God in the Dock (1970), Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing discuss three powerful essays published by C.S. Lewis in the 1940s: "On the Reading of Old Books," "Meditation in a Toolshed," and "First and Second Things." While each of these three essays were written to different audiences, Lewis consistently calls out the chronological and cultural snobbery that prevents modern people from acknowledging the timeless truths contained in Christian...
2022-08-1947 min
Wade Center"Dogma and the Universe"—God in the Dock, Vol. 1Between writing best-selling books, C.S. Lewis published hundreds of essays. Many of them were collected and published after Lewis's death as God in the Dock in 1970. Over the next several episodes, the Wade Center Podcast is going to explore Lewis's wonderful insights about the challenges of maintaining and sharing your faith in the modern world. To kick off this series, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing sat down with the beloved Dr. Jerry Root to unpack two powerful essays: "Dogma and the Universe" and "Christian Apologetics."
2022-08-0559 min
Wade CenterSurprised by George: The Father of Fantasy (Re-Release)To tide you over until we return from vacation, enjoy this re-released episode on George MacDonald from the Wade Center archives. Most Inklings fans see George MacDonald through the lens of C.S. Lewis. Others enter MacDonald's novels through diverse doorways. In this week's episode Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing sit down with Producer Aaron Hill to discuss this 19th century Scots author. Why was George MacDonald so important to Lewis? Why is he considered controversial? Are his writings still relevant today?
2022-07-2249 minThe Christian WorldviewThe Overturning of Roe v. Wade and Why Christian Leaders are SilentSend a textGUEST: JOSH BUICE, pastor, Pray’s Mill Baptist Church (GA)Most Americans, and particularly those under the age of 50, have lived their entire lives with elective abortion being legal in every state.Roe vs. Wade was the case presented to the Supreme Court in 1973 when a majority of justices decided that the U.S. Constitution provided a “right to privacy” should a woman want an abortion. That term “right to privacy” is not found in the Constitution and originalist legal interpreters agree that Roe was one of the most baseless legal deci...
2022-07-0254 min
Wade CenterIntroduction to The Silmarillion by J.R.R. TolkienUpon completion of The Lord of the Rings, new readers often turn to The Silmarillion. But J.R.R. Tolkien's epic collection of mythopoeic stories—covering everything from the creation of Eä (the Ainulindalë), the Valar and Mayar, the creation of the Elves as well as the events of the First and Second Ages of Middle-earth—can be overwhelming. Thankfully, Laura Schmidt, Wade Center Archivist, joins Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing to walk us through to the larger themes and storylines of this amazing volume of stories.
2022-04-151h 02
Wade CenterRevisiting The Grand MiracleIs the Incarnation, like other miracles, a suspension or a reversal of the natural universe? Or, as Lewis writes in "The Grand Miracle," is it "the central chapter" of history such that "every miracle exhibits the character of the Incarnation"? Join Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing as they sit down with Producer Aaron Hill on this special Christmas Day episode to discuss the Incarnation of Jesus Christ; specifically, how it impacted C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Dorothy L. Sayers, George MacDonald, and the other Wade authors, and how each of them celebrated the Grand Miracle in...
2021-12-1739 min
Wade CenterInto Lord of the Rings: Book 4, The Two TowersIn a 1944 letter to his son, J.R.R. Tolkien shared his surprise at the sudden entrance of Faramir: "I am sure I did not invent him, I did not even want him, though I like him, but there he came walking into the woods of Ithilien." In part four of the Wade Center Podcast's series on The Lord of the Rings, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing, along with Producer Aaron M. Hill, uncover numerous allusions, motifs, and deeper meanings as they retrace the lonely and tragic steps of two little hobbits, Frodo and Samwise Gamgee, and their s...
2021-11-051h 01
Wade CenterInto Lord of the Rings: Book 2, Fellowship of the RingIn this second installment of the Wade Center Podcast's six-part series on The Lord of the Rings, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing, along with Producer Aaron M. Hill, dare to delve too deep into the darkening world that is Book II. Follow along as Crystal, Aaron, and David deem the doom of Sauron's ring and discuss the themes, character development, and consequential chapters of the latter half of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic fantasy, The Fellowship of the Ring.
2021-10-081h 04
Wade CenterInto Lord of the Rings: Book 1, Fellowship of the RingThe Wade Center Podcast's six-part, in-depth exploration of The Lord of the Rings has arrived precisely when it was meant to—just in time for Tolkien Week and Hobbit Day! In this first installment, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing, along with Producer Aaron M. Hill, discuss many of the major themes, characters, and opening chapters of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic fantasy novel about Frodo, Gandalf, Aragorn, and the Company on Nine's legendary quest through Middle-earth to destroy the Ring of Power.
2021-09-2455 min
Wade CenterLeaf by Niggle by J.R.R. TolkienDuring his labor to create The Lord of the Rings, an allegorical and autobiographical story came to J.R.R. Tolkien "like a dream." Some have described this short story, titled Leaf by Niggle (1945), as the "the hidden nucleus of Tolkien's work." As the Wade Center Podcast prepares to kick off a six-part, in-depth series on The Lord of the Rings, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing, along with Producer Aaron Hill, sit down to discuss Tolkien's strange, convicting, and revealing tale about a little man named Niggle who cannot stop painting and obsessing over the budding leaves of hi...
2021-09-1049 min
Wade CenterThe Prince of Paradox: G.K. Chesterton w/ Dale AhlquistG.K. Chesterton has impacted the lives of countless Christians. That list includes not only C.S. Lewis but also this week's guest, Dale Ahlquist, the President and Co-founder of the Society of Gilbert Keith Chesterton. In this episode, Dale sits down with Drs. David and Crystal Downing to discuss how G.K. Chesterton turned not only Dale's life upside down but also how Chesterton turned countless ideas, concepts, and preconceived notions about life and the modern world upside down through his many books, poems, detective novels, essays, and newspaper articles.
2021-07-3036 min
Wade Center"Looking for the King" with C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Charles WilliamsEver wondered what it would be like attend an Inklings meeting with C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Charles Williams? In this week's episode, our very own Dr. David C Downing discusses the Arthurian lore and spiritual inspiration behind his novel Looking for the King—a page-turning tale about two Americans, Tom McCord and Laura Hartman, who find themselves in England looking for the fabled Spear of Destiny, the lance that pierced the side of Christ on the Cross, with the help if the Inklings. Grab a copy of David's novel, Looking for the King.
2021-07-1646 min
Wade CenterAutobiography is "Dangerous Business"Dorothy L. Sayers describe autobiography as "dangerous business" in The Mind of the Maker. To write one is either "a mark of great insensitiveness to danger or of an almost supernatural courage." In this week's episode, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing sit down with Producer Aaron Hill to discuss the autobiographies written by three and half of the Wade Center authors. What are the pitfalls of the genre? What makes it such "dangerous business?" And how can readers differentiate between autobiographical episodes and genuine fiction in the novels of authors such as C.S. Lewis, J.R.R...
2021-07-0257 min
Wade CenterMiracles: Coherent Invasion or Disconnected Raids?Are miracles merely "a series of disconnected raids on Nature" or are they "the various steps of a strategically coherent invasion?" C.S. Lewis explores philosophical and historical arguments surrounding Biblical and contemporary accounts of signs and wonders in Miracles: A Preliminary Study (1947). In this week's episode, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing discuss Lewis's fascinating book including its origin, arguments, metaphors, and Lewis's timeless celebration of the grand miracle--the Incarnation.
2021-06-181h 12
Wade CenterDeciphering The Pilgrim's Regress by C.S. LewisLess than a year after his conversion, C.S. Lewis wrote The Pilgrim's Regress in only two weeks while visiting his friend Arthur Greeves in Ireland. Lewis's thick landscape of literary allusions, quotes, and philosophical criticism has long thwarted interested readers. In this week's episode, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing sit down with Producer Aaron Hill to pull back the curtain on Lewis's allegorical apology of Christianity, reason, and romanticism.
2021-06-041h 09
Wade CenterThe Screwtape Letters w/ Dr. Jerry RootThese days, discussions about demons and temptation are an uncommon occurrence—at least sober ones. In this week's episode, Dr. Jerry Root sits down with Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing to discuss The Screwtape Letters (1942) by C.S. Lewis. What inspired Lewis to write this series of letters from Screwtape to his nephew. Wormwood? And what can we learn about ourselves, temptation, and the slow and gradual road to hell from this admittedly satirical, humorous, and somehow perennially relevant book?
2021-05-2152 min
Wade CenterInto Narnia: Vol. 7, The Last Battle"Come further up and further in." After telling us of first things in The Magician's Nephew, Lewis finally reveals the last things—the end times—of Narnia. Join Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing as they conclude a seven-part series on The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. In this final episode, David and Crystal explore profound truths in The Last Battle about salvation, the selfish misuse of God's name for selfish gain, and why it is truer to say "believing is seeing," rather than "seeing is believing."
2021-05-071h 03
Wade CenterInto Narnia: Vol. 6, The Magician's NephewThe Magician's Nephew was one of the most difficult books for Lewis to finish in the Narnia series. Why? In this sixth Into Narnia episode, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing explore the wonder and dangers contained within The Magician's Nephew. What inspired Lewis to write about Uncle Andrew, Jadis (the White Witch), the dying world of Charn, the Deplorable Word, the Wood Between the Worlds, and Digory's intensely personal journey to heal his mother and, ultimately, to prevent her untimely death.
2021-04-2359 min
Wade CenterInto Narnia: Vol. 5, The Horse and His BoyAslan lies at the back of every story in Narnia. In the fifth novel in The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis weaves a tale of separated twins, mistaken identity, escaping slaves, vast desserts, and a desperate escape to the North. Join Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing as they discuss The Horse and His Boy. This week David and Crystal sit down with Producer Aaron Hill to unpack Lewis's fascinating narrative about Shasta (or Cor), Bree, Aravis, Hwin and the importance of identity, God's work among non-Christian peoples, and the prejudices and biases that too easily cloud our j...
2021-04-0958 min
Wade CenterInto Narnia: Vol. 4, The Silver ChairRillian and Puddleglum and Glimfeather, oh my! The unique cast of giants, gnomes, knights, and witches sets The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis apart. Join Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing as they unpack the adventures of Eustace and Jill Pole in this fourth novel from The Chronicles of Narnia with Producer Aaron Hill. Follow along as the Downings unpack references to George MacDonald and Lilith, to Yahweh and Deuteronomy, to Hamlet and Ophelia, to Virgil and The Aeneid, and especially to the resurrection of the body from the New Testament.
2021-03-2659 min
Wade CenterInto Narnia: Vol. 3, Voyage of the Dawn Treader"Where the waves grow sweet, Doubt not, Reepicheep, There is the utter East." This week Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing sit down with Producer Aaron Hill to explore the meaning and message of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the third installment in the The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Join Crystal and David as they discuss the Sehnsucht and sanctification, dragons and Dufflepuds, stars and Sea People, and eventually the Lion and the Lamb that Caspian, Lucy, Edmund, and Eustace discover at the World's End.
2021-03-1258 min
Wade CenterInto Narnia: Vol. 2, Prince Caspian—The Return to NarniaWhat can talking animals possibly teach us about evil, belief, and apostasy in this age of cynicism? Join Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing as the Wade Center Podcast continues to explore the meaning and message of The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. This week David and Crystal sit down with Producer Aaron Hill for a fascinating discussion about Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia and the nature of faith, the power of sanctification, and the threat of disenchantment in our modern world.
2021-02-261h 04
Wade CenterInto Narnia: Vol. 1, The Lion, the Witch, and the WardrobeWhy did C.S. Lewis, an Oxford professor, write children's books? And what is Father Christmas doing in Narnia? Join C.S. Lewis expert, Dr. David C. Downing (author of Into the Wardrobe) and Dr. Crystal Downing as the Wade Center Podcast begins a seven-part series to explore the meaning and message of The Chronicles of Narnia. In this first episode, David, Crystal and Producer Aaron Hill journey into the wardrobe, discussing everything from the evocative image that inspired the whole series, to why you really shouldn't betray your kin for Turkish delight, and so much more!
2021-02-121h 06
Wade CenterGaudy NightCan a detective novel without a grisly murder be any good? If Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers is any indication: Yes! In this episode, Dr. Crystal Downing—an expert on Sayers—sits down with Dr. David C. Downing and Producer Aaron Hill to discuss one of Sayers most unique, and perhaps best, novels. Crystal unravels the threads that make Gaudy Night such a witty, deep, and insightful story. What is Sayers saying in this subversive novel about the role of women in modern society as well as marriage, community, and the world of academia?
2021-01-291h 07
Wade CenterTill We Have FacesC.S. Lewis's last novel, Till We Have Faces, is nothing like the Chronicles of Narnia. It is perhaps Lewis's most complex, profound, and misunderstood work. Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing discuss this uniquely modern and meaningful novel with Producer Aaron Hill. How are we to interpret the actions of Orual and Pscyhe, and what is Lewis trying to say through the narrative and characters in Till We Have Faces?
2021-01-151h 03
Wade CenterThe Grand Miracle: The Wade Authors on the IncarnationIs the Incarnation, like other miracles, a suspension or a reversal of the natural universe? Or, as Lewis writes in "The Grand Miracle," is it "the central chapter" of history such that "every miracle exhibits the character of the Incarnation"? Join Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing as they sit down with Producer Aaron Hill on this special Christmas Day episode to discuss the Incarnation of Jesus Christ; specifically, how it impacted C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Dorothy L. Sayers, George MacDonald, and the other Wade authors, and how each of them celebrated the Grand Miracle in...
2020-12-2538 min
Wade CenterThe War to End All IllusionsOver 100 years ago, the world was dealing with the aftermath of The Great War (and a terrifying global pandemic). In this week's episode, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing sit down with Producer Aaron Hill to discuss the life-changing impact of The Great War on each of the Wade authors, as well as the ways that World War I surfaces in novels such as The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien and The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.
2020-12-1158 min
Wade CenterYear in Review 2020Community has been hard to find in 2020. Lockdowns and travel restrictions have made it hard to connect. As we wrap up our second season, Crystal and David sit down with producer Aaron to remember our favorite episodes and celebrate the community we've enjoyed in 2020. Thank you to all the new listeners who have joined us in 2020! We look forward to 2021 and to all the great conversations we will have about the work and impact of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, G.K. Chesterton, Dorothy L. Sayers, George MacDonald, Charles Williams, and Owen Barfield.
2020-11-2733 min
Wade CenterThe Subversive Sayers w/ Dr. Crystal DowningDorothy L. Sayers used edgy, often hilarious metaphors to shock people into seeing the truth of ancient Christian doctrines in a new light. In this week's episode, Dr. Crystal Downing talks with David and Aaron about her new book and how Sayers can help 21st-century Christians find new ways to talk and think about faith and culture. Purchase a copy of Subversive: Christ, Culture, and the Shocking Dorothy L. Sayers by Crystal Downing.
2020-11-1349 min
Wade CenterStaging "Tolkien" w/ Ron ReedMany Inklings fans know and love J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis both for their imaginary worlds (Narnia and Middle-earth) and for their legendary friendship. In this week's episode, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing sit down with Ron Reed—Founding Artistic Director of Pacific Theatre in Vancouver, BC—to discuss his play, Tolkien, which dramatizes how Jack and Tollers became such close companions as well as how their friendship almost fell apart.
2020-10-3040 min
Wade CenterThe Lost Lewis Tapes: Vol. 3, That Hideous Strength"Stand! Stand where you are ... ," C.S. Lewis bellows into the tape recorder. In this third installment of The Lost Lewis Tapes, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing sit down with Producer Aaron Hill to discuss the final novel in the Ransom Trilogy and to listen to excerpts of Lewis narrating Merlin's interrogation of Elwin Ransom from Chapter 13 of That Hideous Strength. Purchase and listen to all three tracks of The Lost Lewis Tapes over at the Rabbit Room for only $3. Learn more about The Lost Lewis Tapes, who recorded them, and how the Marion E...
2020-10-1659 min
Wade CenterThe Lost Lewis Tapes: Vol. 2, PerelandraIn a quiet room at the Kilns in August 1960, C. S. Lewis recorded three audio tracks on a portable reel-to-reel tape deck. In one of those tracks, Lewis reads from Perelandra for 27 minutes, narrating in a mesmerizing and confident voice Elwin Ransom's arrival on the watery planet Venus. In this second installment of The Lost Lewis Tapes, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing sit down with Producer Aaron Hill to listen to excerpts from this newly released audio track and to discuss the second novel in Lewis's Ransom Trilogy, Perelandra. Purchase and listen to The Lost Lewis Ta...
2020-10-021h 00
Wade CenterThe Lost Lewis Tapes: Vol. 1, Out of the Silent PlanetBefore he was known as a children's author, C.S. Lewis wrote science fiction. Listen to never-before-heard audio recordings of Lewis reading from his Ransom Trilogy in this exciting three-part series on Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra and That Hideous Strength. In this week's episode, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing sit down with Producer Aaron Hill to discuss the first novel, Out of the Silent Planet. Kidnapped and transported to the planet Mars, Elwin Ransom encounters alien creatures and powerful beings who turn his view of the world and space upside down. Purchase and listen to...
2020-09-1851 min
Wade CenterSurprised by George: The Father of FantasyMost Inklings fans see George MacDonald through the lens of C.S. Lewis. Others enter MacDonald's novels through diverse doorways. In this week's episode Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing sit down with Producer Aaron Hill to discuss this 19th century Scots author. Why was George MacDonald so important to Lewis? Why is he considered controversial? Are his writings still relevant today?
2020-09-0449 min
Wade CenterMurder at the Wade: The Detective Fiction of G.K. Chesterton and Dorothy L. SayersWhether it is a game of Clue or an episode of Sherlock on the BBC, everyone loves to solve a good murder mystery. In this week's episode, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing sit down with Producer Aaron Hill to put the detective fiction of Dorothy L. Sayers and G.K. Chesterton under a magnifying glass, and to interrogate their famous fictional sleuths, Lord Peter Wimsey and Father Brown.
2020-08-211h 02
Wade CenterThe Neglected C.S. Lewis w/ Jerry RootIf you are a serious C.S. Lewis fan, you likely know and love The Chronicles of Narnia, the Ransom Trilogy, and apologetics books such as Mere Christianity. But have you read The Discarded Image or An Experiment in Criticism? In this week's episode, Dr. Jerry Root discusses his latest book, The Neglected C.S. Lewis, with Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing. Jerry Root explains what we can learn about C.S. Lewis by reading his neglected works, especially those on literary criticism, and how those insights can illuminate Lewis's popular fiction.
2020-08-0748 min
Wade CenterDown to the Wireless: The Radio Addresses of C.S. Lewis & Dorothy L. SayersBefore he was famous for his books, C.S. Lewis was one of the most well-recognized voices in Britain because of his broadcasts on 'the wireless.' In this week's episode, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing sit down with Producer Aaron Hill to discuss the radio broadcasts of Dorothy L. Sayers and C.S. Lewis, two of the first lay theologians invited to talk about Christianity on BBC Radio during World War II. Lewis's broadcasts would go on to be published as a best-selling book, Mere Christianity, and Sayer's talks and radio plays changed the way Britains viewed Je...
2020-07-2449 min
Wade CenterInfluencing a Bandersnatch w/ Dr. Diana GlyerDid the Inklings influence each other? According to C.S. Lewis, "No one ever influenced Tolkien—you might as well try to influence a bandersnatch." With her two books The Company They Keep (2008) and Bandersnatch (2015), Dr. Diana Pavlac Glyer has turned Lewis's denial on its head. In this week's episode, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing sit down with Glyer to discuss her groundbreaking work on the creative collaboration of the Inklings and how aspiring authors and artists can develop their own creative communities.
2020-07-1055 min
Wade CenterMysticism & C. S. Lewis: Venturing into the Region of AweMost people think of C. S. Lewis as a logician and level-headed theologian. Yet Lewis's fascination with Christian mysticism can be discovered throughout his books and letters. In this week's episode, Drs. Crystal and David Downing sit down with Producer Aaron Hill to discuss how C.S. Lewis's abiding interest in mysticism shaped his writings and his own spiritual life. Explore this side of Lewis further with the help of Dr. David C. Downing's book, Into the Region of Awe (2005). Click on the link below to explore all the works mentioned in this week's episode. - https://t...
2020-06-261h 01
Wade CenterLetters to Lewis w/ Kathy KellerAs a young girl Kathy Keller, then Kathy Kristy, boldly wrote a series of letters to C.S. Lewis. Those letters along with Lewis's books played a pivotal role in Kathy's conversion and later in her ministry. Kathy is the wife of Timothy Keller the Founding Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. In this week's episode Drs. Crystal and David Downing interview Kathy remotely about her letters to Lewis, her unique journey to faith, and the influence of several other Wade authors like Tolkien and Sayers on both Kathy and Tim's ministry and books.
2020-06-1242 min
Wade CenterRomance at the Wade: C.S. Lewis, Romanticism, Sehnsucht and the Wade AuthorsC.S. Lewis labeled himself a Christian Romantic, but what is Romanticism? And how did it influence not just Lewis, but all of the Wade authors? This week Drs. Crystal and David Downing sit down with Producer Aaron Hill to discuss Romanticism as a literary and cultural movement and to explore these questions. This week's episode features so many great references to amazing paintings, poems, books, and Romantic figures that we've created a list for you. Click on the link below to explore all the works mentioned in this week's episode. - https://tinyurl.com/y9wvk6wu
2020-05-2959 min
Wade CenterAdorning the Dark w/ Andrew PetersonAndrew Peterson adorns the dark of our fallen world with the light of Christ through his award-winning music and novels. Drs. Crystal and David Downing sit down with Andrew this week to discuss his recently released book Adorning the Dark, conversing about homemade maple syrup along with what he has learned about the creative process from Wade Center authors such as C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Dorothy L. Sayers, George MacDonald, and G.K. Chesterton.
2020-05-1549 min
Wade Center"April is the Cruelest Month"—T.S. Eliot, C.S. Lewis, and ModernismYou may know him as the poet whose work inspired the Broadway musical, and now infamous movie, Cats. T.S. Eliot, though, is widely recognized as one of (if not the) best poets of the twentieth century for his Modernist classics such as "The Waste Land" (1922) and "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" (1915). Drs. Crystal and David Downing sit down to discuss T.S. Eliot's involvement in the Modernist movement and specifically how Wade authors like C.S. Lewis and G.K. Chesterton reacted against Modernism and against Eliot.
2020-05-0151 min
Wade CenterRevising the Ring: Tolkien's Early Drafts of "The Lord of the Rings"The genius of J.R.R. Tolkien is both inspiring and intimidating. How do you write, let alone revise, an epic fantasy like The Lord of the Rings? Drs. David & Crystal Downing sit down in this week's episode to explore various ways that Tolkien revised and rewrote The Lord of the Rings, and what aspiring writers can learn from his early drafts. You definitely won't want to miss the many rejected character names.
2020-04-1740 min
Wade CenterPost-Christian Evangelism w/ The C.S. Lewis InstituteHow do you share your faith in an increasingly post-Christian world? This week Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing sit down with leaders from C.S. Lewis Institute to discuss the challenges of defending the faith and making disciples in today's intellectual climate. President Joel S. Woodruff and Karl "KJ" Johnson, Director of the C.S. Lewis Institute in Chicago, explain the genesis of their organization and how it seeks to live out the legacy of C.S. Lewis.
2020-04-0331 min
Wade CenterOn Living in a Coronavirus Age w/ guest Dr. Jerry RootOver the last week, people have been turning to our authors, especially Lewis, for wisdom about how to live in this new coronavirus age. We felt like it was important to slow things down this week and ask, "what would our authors say in a situation like this?" Many of them, like Lewis, Tolkien, and Sayers, lived through two world wars and the Spanish Flu. Join Crystal and David as they sit down with our close friend Jerry Root to discuss how the Wade authors might respond to this global crisis.
2020-03-2031 min
Wade CenterRediscovering 'The Man Born to Be King' w/ Dr. Christine Colón and Marjorie MeadHow can we possibly see the story of Jesus with fresh eyes this Lenten season? In this week's episode Dr. Crystal Downing sits down to discuss Dorothy L. Sayers's play-cycle on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, The Man Born to Be King. Dr. Christine Colón (English Professor, Wheaton College) and Marjorie Mead (Associate Director, Marion E. Wade Center) unpack how Sayers used her skills as a playwright to help an entire generation of Britons rediscover this ancient yet still relevant story.
2020-03-0643 min
Wade CenterDragons & Angels: World-Making in Lewis and Tolkien w/ Dr. David C. DowningWhen is a dragon more than a dragon? In this week's episode Dr. David C. Downing (Co-Director of the Marion E. Wade Center and co-host of our podcast) sits down with Crystal and Producer Aaron Hill to discuss his inaugural lecture which compared the imaginary worlds created by C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien in their respective novels. Does the way that Lewis and Tolkien use dragons reveal something more fundamental about the way they approached world-building and the realm of imagination?
2020-02-2142 min
Wade CenterCzech-Mates: Lewis & Tolkien w/ Dr. Pavel HošekThe Czech Republic is one of the most atheistic countries in Europe, if not in the world. Despite this, many Czech people enjoy the works of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. In this week's episode, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing sit down with Dr. Pavel Hošek (Charles University in Prague) to discuss the impact of these two British Christian authors on the Czech people as well as his own spiritual journey.
2020-02-0748 min
Wade Center"An Honest Adaptation Is a Betrayal"—Adapting The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. TolkienHow do you adapt a literary work like The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien? Many fans of Tolkien's novels also love the movies which were directed and produced by Peter Jackson. Yet, as we discussed last week, movies and books are two entirely different mediums. Not everything on the page can make it into the movie. This week our two in-house Tolkien experts—Wade Archivist Laura Schmidt and Wade Co-director David C. Downing—join Crystal to discuss the challenges that Peter Jackson faced in adapting Tolkien's beloved novels for the screen.
2020-01-2437 min
Wade Center"Salvation from Cinema" w/ Dr. Crystal DowningInstead of reading novels, more and more people are watching movies and epic TV shows. With Oscar season upon us, we are focusing on movies this January with two special episodes. This week Dr. David C. Downing and Producer Aaron Hill sit down with our very own Co-director, Dr. Crystal Downing to discuss her recent inaugural lecture on Dorothy L. Sayers and cinema as well as her work on how Christians can communicate unchanging truths through ever-changing mediums like movies. Join us on January 23rd for a special episode about the movie adaptations of The Lord of the Rings...
2020-01-1050 min
Wade CenterIn Jack's Footsteps w/ Dr. Jerry RootYou never truly know someone until you know where they are from: where they grew up, went to school, and have lived. Places shape us. In this week's episode, Dr. Jerry Root sits down with Drs. Crystal and David Downing to discuss how visiting the places from C.S. Lewis's life can shed light on the Oxford don. How did these locations inspire various characters, locations, and plot elements in Lewis's fiction? Take an audio trip to the British Isles and follow in Jack's footsteps.
2019-12-2743 min
Wade CenterOne Year Anniversary | Year in Review 2019One year ago the Wade Center Podcast interviewed Douglas Gresham about his stepfather, C.S. Lewis! In this week's episode, Crystal and David sit down with producer Aaron Hill to look back at our best, funniest, and surprisingly profound moments from our almost 30 episodes in 2019. Thank you to all our listeners. You have helped our humble podcast reach tens of thousands of fans in over 60 countries around the world! We look forward to 2020 and to all the great conversations we will have about the work and impact of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, G.K. Chesterton, Dorothy...
2019-12-1347 min
Wade Center"Choosing Community" w/ Dr. Christine A. ColónWhat can detective novels teach us about community? Dorothy L. Sayers expert, Dr. Christine Colón (Professor of English at Wheaton College) returns to the podcast to talk about her new book, Choosing Community: Action, Faith, and Joy in the Works of Dorothy L. Sayers, based on her 2017-2018 Hansen lectures. Also joining this week's discussion on the theme of community in the work of Sayers is one of the contributors to the book, Dr. Tiffany Eberle Kriner, Associate Professor of English at Wheaton College. What can we learn about community from Sayers's works and what does it mean t...
2019-11-2947 min
Wade CenterThe Discarded Mage: Charles Williams w/ Sørina HigginsJ.R.R. Tolkien called him a witch doctor; C.S. Lewis called him a saint. Who was Charles Williams, the oddest Inkling? In this week's episode, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing discuss Charles Williams, editor at Oxford University Press and practitioner of occult magic, with Sørina Higgins (Sørina is a Ph.D. candidate at Baylor University, faculty member at Signum University, and editor of the Williams blog, "The Oddest Inkling"). Who was Williams? What did Lewis, Tolkien, and the other Inklings think of him and his work? And why is he so odd and controversial?
2019-11-1551 min
Wade CenterA Holiday to Heaven: A Discussion of 'The Great Divorce' by C.S. LewisWhat would happen if people could leave Hell and visit Heaven? In this week's episode, Dr. David Downing sits down with Dr. Jerry Root to discuss C.S. Lewis's spiritual fantasy about inhabitants of hell who visit take a bus ride to the outskirts of heaven, The Great Divorce. Where did Lewis get the idea(s) for the book? What was Lewis trying to say about who ends up in heaven and hell? Learn more about the special ballet performance of "The Space In Between," based on The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis and buy tickets...
2019-11-0138 min
Wade CenterBONUS: Why did Lewis choose Joy Davidman?In our second bonus episode, Patti Callahan Henry, author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis, interviews Dr. Crystal Downing about why C.S. Lewis chose Joy and how Dorothy L. Sayers helped Lewis appreciate brilliant, fiery women bristled against cultural gender expectations. This episode originally aired on Patti's new podcast on October 21, 2019. Check out her 7-part series, Behind the Scenes of Becoming Mrs. Lewis, and listen to other episodes of her podcast, as Patti explores in-depth the improbable and beautiful love story between C.S. Lewis and Joy Davidman Listen to our interview with Patti back in December 2018.
2019-10-2820 min
Wade CenterBONUS: Did Lewis lose his faith after Joy's death? (BTS of Becoming Mrs. Lewis)In this special bonus episode, Patti Callahan Henry, author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis, interviews Dr. David Downing about the grief of C.S. Lewis after the death of his wife, Joy Davidman Lewis, as well as its impact on Lewis's future writing, and ultimately, his faith. This episode originally aired on Patti's new podcast on October 14, 2019. Check out her 7-part series, Behind the Scenes of Becoming Mrs. Lewis, and listen to other episodes of her podcast, as Patti explores in-depth the improbable and beautiful love story between C.S. Lewis and Joy Davidman Listen to our interview w...
2019-10-2144 min
Wade CenterThe Mind of the Potter w/ David HookerHow does creativity work? What does it mean that we are created in the image of a Creator God? Professor of Art at Wheaton College, David Hooker, sits down with David and Crystal this week to discuss how he uses The Mind of the Maker by Dorothy L. Sayers to teach a trinitarian theology of art to his students. David also addresses how he handles the "what does it mean" question as an artist? Also, how can you give your artwork a life of its own?
2019-10-1844 min
Wade CenterImpersonating C.S. Lewis w/ Max McLeanHow do you bring C.S. Lewis to life? Max McLean, well-known voice and stage actor, sits down with Crystal and David this week to discuss his stage adaptations of The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, and now Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis. Listener's may recognize McLean's voice as the narrator of The Listener's Bible in the ESV, NIV, and KJV translations. His production company, Fellowship of Performing Arts, is responsible for stage adaptations of the aforementioned books by Lewis as well as a new production entitled C.S. Lewis Onstage: The Most Reluctant Convert.
2019-10-0434 min
Wade CenterChesterton and 'The Plight of the Indians' w/ Dr. Matt MillinerHow can G.K. Chesterton's Everlasting Man help us interpret ancient cave paintings in North America through a Christian lens? In this episode, Associate Professor of Art History, Dr. Matt Milliner sits down with Crystal and David to offer a preview of his upcoming Hansen Lecture on October 3, 2019. In an effort to 'do what Chesterton did,' Dr. Milliner offers a Christ-centered reading of recently uncovered, ancient cave paintings in North America.
2019-09-2047 min
Wade CenterFrom Russia with Lewis w/ Dr. Olga LukmanovaHow do you translate into Russian the English novels of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, G.K. Chesterton, or George MacDonald? This week, Dr. Olga Lukmanova sits down with David and Crystal to discuss the challenges and triumphs of both translating and teaching the Wade authors to students in Russia.
2019-09-0645 min
Wade CenterDancing with the Devil w/ Julianna Slager and Ballet 5:8How do you adapt a book like The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis into a ballet? Julianna Rubio Slager, Artistic Director for Ballet 5:8, sits down with Crystal and David to discuss her company's upcoming performance of The Great Divorce for the Wheaton College Artist Series on November 1st, 2019. Julianna and the Downings explore the themes and characters from Lewis's supernatural tale about heaven and hell that still resonate with audiences today as well as how to translate them for the stage. Tickets are available for the November 1st performance at http://wheaton.edu/artist-series.
2019-08-2334 min
Wade CenterA Jewish Joy w/ Dr. Andrew BarronMany know that Joy Davidman, C.S. Lewis's wife, converted to Christianity as an adult. Joy's Jewish identity and background, however, are often overlooked. Dr. Andrew Barron, Director of Jews for Jesus Canada, sits down with Crystal and David Downing to discuss Joy's "Jewish mind" and her influence on Lewis later in life.
2019-08-0937 min
Wade CenterThe Rhetoric of Lewis and Sayers w/ Dr. Jim Beitler'Rhetoric' is often a byword for hollow or negative speech. In truth, rhetoric is the art of persuasion. This week, Dr. Jim Beitler discusses his new book, Seasoned Speech: Rhetoric in the Life of the Church. Of the five figures featured in Beitler's book, we discuss the rhetoric of C.S. Lewis and Dorothy L. Sayers. What can we learn from their example, and how can properly "seasoned speech" assist us in persuasively communicating the truth of the gospel?
2019-07-2647 min
Wade CenterThe Importance of Being Vulgar w/ Dr. Christine ColónDorothy L. Sayers produced not just detective novels but stage and radio plays as well as vernacular translations of Dante's Divine Comedy, all for the masses. She aimed her work squarely at the non-elite or the "vulgar" masses. But why? This week, Dr. Christine Colón, Professor of English at Wheaton College, sits down with Crystal Downing and Marjorie Mead to discuss her new book, Writing for the Masses: Dorothy L. Sayers and the Literary Tradition.
2019-07-1250 min
Wade CenterSaint Gilbert: The Question of Chesterton's Legacy w/ Brian DaigleSince his death in 1936, the voluminous work and razor sharp wit of G.K. Chesterton have impacted generations of Christians, especially Catholics. Brian Daigle, Headmaster of Sequitur Classical Academy in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, sits down with David and Crystal to discuss Chesterton's ongoing legacy and impact, not only as a journalist and novelist but as a theologian and Christian thinker.
2019-06-2846 min
Wade CenterC.S. Lewis, "The Almost Poet" w/ Don W. KingIs the man buried in Poet's Corner a great poet? In this week's episode Don W. King, Professor of English at Montreat College, sits down with Crystal and David to discuss the poetry of C.S. Lewis. Why did Lewis succeed as a novelist but not as a poet? Also, why did Lewis marry Joy Davidman but not Ruth Pitter, a fellow English poet?
2019-06-1432 min
Wade Center"C.S. Lewis Only Wrote One Book ..." w/ Dr. Hal L. PoeDr. Harry Lee Poe argues that C.S. Lewis fell "in love with a story," and that he kept telling this "there and back again" story "over and over again." Dr. Poe is the Charles Colson Professor of Faith and Culture at Union University and an indirect descendant of Edgar Allan Poe. In this week's episode, he sits down with Crystal and David to discuss his latest project as well as his thesis about Lewis's one great idea.
2019-05-3140 min
Wade CenterReviewing "Tolkien," w/ Dr. Holly Ordway and Laura SchmidtThe recently released "Tolkien" movie, starring Nicholas Hoult and Lily Collins and directed by Dome Karukoski, is shining a light on J.R.R. Tolkien's early life but does it offer an accurate picture? Dr. Holly Ordway and Laura Schmidt sit down with Crystal and David to offer their expert opinions on the film and discuss several missed opportunities. Their conclusion: Sometimes the truth about Tolkien's life is more cinematic than the biopic.
2019-05-1738 min
Wade CenterBuying and Selling 'The Inklings'Why would anyone forge C.S. Lewis's signature? It turns out, there is a thriving market for used and rare books by Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the other Inklings. Indeed, collectors pay thousands of dollars for a signed copy! Crystal and David sit down with Stan E. Shelley, of Shelley and Son Books, to learn about forged signatures and the fascinating world of rare books. Stay tuned until the end to hear an excerpt from an unpublished letter by Joy Davidman about falling in love with C.S. Lewis.
2019-05-0337 min
Wade Center"The Messiah Comes to Middle-earth" w/ President Philip RykenPresident of Wheaton College, Dr. Philip Ryken sits down with Crystal and David this week to discuss his 2017 book The Messiah Comes to Middle-earth. Dr. Ryken addresses the inspiration for his book, based on his 2015-2016 Hansen lectures. He also discusses the difference between allegory and "applicability" in Tolkien, as the creator of The Lord of the Rings was famously averse to one-on-one correspondences in storytelling.
2019-04-1234 min
Wade CenterDoubting George MacDonald w/ Dr. Timothy LarsenScholars are fond of calling the Victorian era "the age of doubt" and skepticism. In this week's episode, Crystal and David discuss with Dr. Timothy Larsen the topic of his recent book, "George MacDonald in the Age of Miracles," a product of the Hansen Lectureship Series at the Wade Center. Dr. Larsen discusses the ways in which MacDonald sought to counteract skepticism and reclaim a belief in the miraculous. They also discuss MacDonald's place in Victorian literature and the impact of his fairy tales on the religious imagination.
2019-03-2947 min
Wade CenterTolkien's Modern Sources w/ Dr. Holly OrdwayWhat or who inspired J.R.R. Tolkien as he created The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings? Most scholarship focuses on sources from the Middle Ages that inspired Tolkien's timeless tales. However, in this week's episode Dr. Holly Ordway sits down with Dr. David Downing and Laura Schmidt (Wade Archivist) to discuss the overlooked modern sources and authors who influenced Tolkien, based on her forthcoming book, Tolkien's Modern Sources: Middle-earth Beyond the Middle Ages. If you are a Tolkien fan, you do not want to miss this episode.
2019-03-1539 min
Wade CenterPatti Callahan, "Becoming Mrs. Lewis"New York Times bestselling author Patti Callahan stops by the Wade Center to discuss her newly-released book, Becoming Mrs. Lewis. Patti discusses with Drs. Crystal and David Downing the inspiration behind her work of historical fiction that depicts the love story between Joy Davidman and C.S. Lewis. Patti also discusses the process of writing her book, insights she gleaned about Joy and Jack, and the research that went into bringing her book to life. This episode of the podcast will appeal to authors, fans of Lewis and Joy's love story, and especially fans of Joy Davidman Lewis.
2018-12-171h 09
Wade CenterDouglas Gresham Interview – Part 3In the final excerpt from our interview with Douglas Gresham, things get rather personal. Doug discusses his reaction upon first discovering that the Wade Center was collecting the Lewis family papers. He also opens up about his and his wife's conversion stories as well as his family.
2018-12-0635 min