Please note the following in this issue of the C.S. Lewis Society Update (2/15/08):
http://www.lewissociety.org
1. C.S. Lewis in TV’s “Lost”
2. Recent Articles
3. New Books
4. Next meetings of the C.S. Lewis Society Bay Area Book Club
5. Other Events
1. C.S. Lewis in TV’s “Lost”:
The extremely popular ABC-TV series of mystery, spirituality and intrigue with a group of people marooned on a desert island, “Lost,” is now in its fourth season. And in episode two, the program is revealing remarkable clues that point to C.S. Lewis’s influence. For example, when Ben noted that Charlotte’s complete name is “Charlotte Staples Lewis,” the blogosphere utterly lit up about Lewis, with people pointing out the connections to Lewis’s books, PRINCE CASPIAN and PERELANDRA. Such suggestions have arisen before, especially in the first season, when the original program was produced by Christian film producer Ralph Winter, who is also currently producing the film version of THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS. Here are example articles:
“Tiddlywinkydinks: Perelandra Lost” (Inner Toob)
“Lost’s Second Episode Reveals More Clues,” by Sonja Zjawinski (Wired News)
“‘Lost’: Chute First, Ask Questions Later,” by Jeff Jensen (Entertainment Weekly)
2. Recent Articles:
A. Here is another article from the author of the important, new book, PLANET NARNIA (Oxford University Press):
“C. S. Lewis and the Star of Bethlehem: Recovering the Medieval Imagination,” by Michael Ward (Christianity Today)
http://www.christianitytoday.com/bc/2008/001/15.30.html
B. Is the warning in C.S. Lewis’s dystopian science fiction book THAT HIDEOUS STRENGTH coming true in Britain? In the book, Lewis conceived of a government-funded scientistic think tank, the National Institute for Coordinated Experiments (N.I.C.E.), which would rule society absolutely according to eugenic, utilitarian principles. Incredibly enough, in 1999, the Labor government established the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (N.I.C.E.) with special powers to determine the treatments in Britain’s government-funded health system. As Elizabeth Woodeson, head of scientific development and bioethics at the Department of Health has stated, “The Secretary of State believes that…clinicians should be able to follow the N.I.C.E. [quality of life] guidelines without being obliged to accede to patient demands.” The result for example was the decision to withhold food and water from Leslie Burke, who was suffering from a degenerative motor neurone disease, with Burke filing a lawsuit in response in order to save his life:
“Commentary: Britain’s N.I.C.E. Think Tank Not So Nice – C.S. Lewis’ Prophesy Comes Eerily True,” by Hilary White (LifeSite)
C. Review of Dinesh D’Souza’s bestselling book, WHAT’S SO GREAT ABOUT CHRISTIANITY:
“God’s Advocate: Dinesh D’Souza goes the distance with the atheists,” by Peter Wehner (Weekly Standard)
D. For decades, the world’s leading atheist (and David Hume) scholar Antony Flew attacked theism as irrational. In his new book, THERE IS A GOD, he reveals why he has changed his mind and has abandoned atheism. Here is an interview with him:
“My Pilgrimage from Atheism to Theism: A Discussion between Antony Flew and Gary Habermas”
3. New Books:
SURPRISED BY HOPE: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church, by N.T. Wright
GOD’S UNDERTAKER: Has Science Buried God?, by John Lennox
CONSCIOUSNESS AND THE EXISTENCE OF GOD: A Theistic Argument, by J. P. Moreland
CHRISTIANS AT THE CROSS: Finding Hope in the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus, by N.T. Wright
IS YOUR LORD LARGE ENOUGH: How C.S. Lewis Expands Our View of God, by Peter J. Schakel
THE REASON FOR GOD: Belief in an Age of Skepticism, by Timothy Keller
THE HEART OF NARNIA; Wisdom, Virtue, and Life Lessons from the Classic Chronicles, by Robert Velarde
INSIDE PRINCE CASPIAN: A Guide to Exploring the Return to Narnia, by Devin Brown
THE CASE FOR THE REAL JESUS: A Journalist Investigates Current Attacks on the Identity of Christ, by Lee Strobel
4. The next meetings of the C.S. Lewis Society Bay Area Book Club will be as follows:
Book for Discussion:
TILL WE HAVE FACES: A Myth Retold, by C.S. Lewis:
Wednesday, February 20, 7:30 p.m.; Meeting moderator/leader: Roy Carlisle
Wednesday, March 5, 7:30 p.m.; Meeting moderator/leader: Roy Carlisle
TILL WE HAVE FACES was considered by Lewis to be his greatest novel, and critics agree. Based on the classic Roman myth, this tale of two princesses — one beautiful and one unattractive — and of the struggle between sacred and profane love is Lewis’s reworking of the myth of Cupid and Psyche and one of his most enduring works. The book is brilliant and intriguing study of love, pride, power and God.
“The most significant and triumphant work that Lewis has yet produced”.”
–New York Herald Tribune
“In Mr. Lewis’s sensitive hands the ancient myth retains its fascination while being endowed with new meanings, new depths, new terrors.”
–Saturday Review
The meetings will be held at:
11990 Skyline Boulevard, Oakland, CA 94619 (atop the Oakland hills)
510-482-2906 phone
wine, soft drinks and other refreshments served
Here also are numerous articles re TILL WE HAVE FACES:
“TILL WE HAVE FACES” by Henry Karlson:
“TILL WE HAVE FACES” by Wikipedia:
“A Great Gulf Fixed: The Problem of Obsessive Love in C.S. Lewis’ TILL WE HAVE FACES,” by Amelia F. Franz
“TILL WE HAVE FACES, by C.S. Lewis,” reviewed by Peter Schakel; Literary Encyclopedia
“TILL WE HAVE FACES, by C.S. Lewis”, by Kevin Stilley
“A review of TILL WE HAVE FACES by C.S. Lewis”
TILL WE HAVE FACES is available in paperback
TILL WE HAVE FACES on CD
Here also is the schedule of future Lewis Society book club meetings
Here also is information on C.S. Lewis
We hope that you and/or others you know will be joining with us! (Please feel free to forward this update to others.)
5. Other Events:
http://www.lewissociety.org/events.php
“Sixth Frances Ewbank Colloquium on C.S. Lewis & Friends”
Sponsored by Taylor University, Upland, IN
May 29-June 1, 2008
“LionCon: A Narnian Convention”
Sponsored by LionCon.org
June 20-22, 2008
http://www.lioncon.org/
“Charles Williams and His Contemporaries”
Sponsored by The Charles Williams Society
Sr. Hilda’s College, Oxford, England
July 4-6, 2008
“Oxbridge 2008: The Self and the Search for Meaning”
Sponsored by the C.S. Lewis Foundation
Oxford University, July 28 – August 2, 2008
Cambridge University, August 3-8, 2008
Please contact me with any questions.
Best regards,
David
David J. Theroux
Founder and President
C. S. Lewis Society of California
100 Swan Way, Suite 200
Oakland, CA 94621-1428
(510) 635-6892 Phone
(510) 568-6040 Fax
dtheroux@lewissociety.org
http://www.lewissociety.org
Founder and President
The Independent Institute
(510) 632-1366 Phone
DTheroux@independent.org
http://www.independent.org