Synopses & Reviews
A distinguished academic, influential Christian apologist, and best-selling author of children's literature, C. S. Lewis is a controversial and enigmatic figure who continues to fascinate, fifty years after his death. This Companion is the first comprehensive single-volume study written by an international team of scholars to survey Lewis's career as a literary historian, popular theologian, and creative writer. Twenty-one expert voices from Oxford, Cambridge, Princeton, and Wheaton, among many other places of learning, analyze Lewis's work from theological, philosophical, and literary perspectives. Some chapters consider his professional contribution to fields such as critical theory and intellectual history, while others assess his views on issues including moral knowledge, gender, prayer, war, love, suffering, and Scripture. The final chapters investigate his work as a writer of fiction and poetry. Original in its approach and unique in its scope, this Companion shows that C. S. Lewis was much more than merely the man behind Narnia.
Review
"In his superb introduction, MacSwain (Univ. of the South) explains that the goal of this collection is to offer a fair, in-depth examination of Lewis's body of work-perhaps fort he first time. (According to MacSwain US Evangelicals have a tendency to adore Lewis uncritically, whereas British literature professors and theologians tend to dismiss his work out of hand, in part because of its appeal) MacSwain and Ward (Univ of Oxford, UK) succeed in achieving this stated goal of critical evenhandedness. Readable both as individual essays and as part of a nuanced, book-length argument, the chapters offer an objective appraisal of Lewis's scholarship, this theological writings, and the literary merit of his novels and poetry. Among the best essays are Ann Loades's examination of Lewis's views of female clergy and his postmarriage reflections of romantic love in A Grief Observedl Jerry Walls's interepretation of The Great Divorce; and Judith Wolfe's exploration of why writer Philip Pullman believes that the Narnia novels promote violence and imperialism. A truly wonderful collection. Essential." --Choice
Synopsis
The first comprehensive single-volume study to survey C. S. Lewis's career as an academic, Christian thinker, and creative writer.
Synopsis
This is the first comprehensive single-volume study written by an international team of scholars to survey C. S. Lewis's career as a literary historian, popular theologian, and creative writer. Original in its approach and unique in its scope, it shows that Lewis was much more than merely the man behind Narnia.
About the Author
Robert MacSwain is Assistant Professor in Theology and Christian Ethics, the School of Theology, University of the South, Tennessee. He is the co-editor, with Jeffrey Stout, of Grammar and Grace (2004), and, with Ann Loades, of The Truth-Seeking Heart (2006).Michael Ward is Chaplain at St Peter's College, University of Oxford. He is the author of Planet Narnia (2008) and the co-editor, with Ben Quash, of Heresies and How to Avoid Them (2007).
Table of Contents
1. Introduction Robert MacSwain; Part I. Scholar: 2. Literary critic John V. Fleming; 3. Literary theorist Stephen Logan; 4. Intellectual historian Dennis Danielson; 5. Classicist Mark Edwards; Part II. Thinker: 6. On Scripture Kevin J. Vanhoozer; 7. On theology Paul S. Fiddes; 8. On naturalism Charles Taliaferro; 9. On moral knowledge Gilbert Meilaender; 10. On discernment Joseph P. Cassidy; 11. On love Caroline J. Simon; 12. On gender Ann Loades; 13. On power Judith Wolfe; 14. On violence Stanley Hauerwas; 15. On suffering Michael Ward; Part III. Writer: 16. The Pilgrim's Regress and Surprised by Joy David Jasper; 17. The Ransom Trilogy T. A. Shippey; 18. The Great Divorce Jerry L. Walls; 19. The Chronicles of Narnia Alan Jacobs; 20. Till We Have Faces Peter J. Schakel; 21. Poet Malcolm Guite; Bibliography; Index.