The Gospel According to Narnia: The Christian Worldview of C.S. Lewis

Online lectures in English; major readings and exams/final essay may be done in Polish. Course may be taken at “one’s own pace” Instructor: Robert Stackpole, STD, Director Emeritus, John Paul II Institute of Divine Mercy

Course Description: C.S. Lewis was one of the most popular and prolific Christian writers of the 20th century. This course offers a detailed study and analysis of Lewis’ major works, including theology and apologetics (e.g. Mere Christianity, The Problem of Pain, and Miracles), spirituality (e.g. Letters to Malcolm and The Screwtape Letters), along with relevant selections from his autobiographical, fantasy, and fiction works (especially, Surprised by Joy, The Space Trilogy, and The Chronicles of Narnia), in order to provide students with a comprehensive overview of his Christian vision of God, humanity, culture, and the cosmos.

Course Objectives:

1. The students will become thoroughly acquainted with the principal books and essays of C.S. Lewis relevant to his Christian worldview, and how the perspectives put forward in those writings also are reflected in some of his principal works of fiction.

2. Students will have the thought of Lewis outlined in systematic form (something he never did himself!) in order to better appreciate his worldview.

3. Some of the points made by Lewis are contentious, thus, students will become familiar with the main lines of critique of the Christian vision of C.S. Lewis.

4. The students will learn about Lewis’ search for an historic, mainstream Christian orthodoxy as a “springboard” for authentic ecumenical dialogue, as well as the difficulties in finding and articulating this “Mere Christianity.”

5. The students will gain an appreciation for the depth of Lewis’ cultural critique of the decline of western civilization, especially the dangers of religious skepticism, moral nihilism, “scientism,” and totalitarianism.

6. This course will equip students in the future to read and more deeply appreciate other great works by Lewis not covered in depth here: for example, The Four Loves, The Pilgrims Regress, and Till We Have Faces.

READ MORE