#226 Paul Anderson: Fern-Seed, Elephants, Bultmann, and Lewis - Varied Expertise in Critical Perspective

In today's episode, Ruth Jackson is joined again by Professor Alister McGrath, to discuss theology in a multi-part series. How do we define theology? What is Alister's experience with it? Was Lewis considered a theologian by others, or even himself? Episode one dives into all of this, and more. + Support us here + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://www.premier.plus/cs-lewis-podcast + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our website

We are joined again by Paul Anderson, a Professor of Biblical and Quaker Studies at George Fox Uni­versity in Oregon, for the final episode in this series. In today's episode, we get to hear his paper, which was titled Fern-Seed, Elephants, Bultmann, and Lewis - Varied Expertise in Critical Perspective, live from the 2024 Undiscovered CS Lewis conference. Paul also provides helpful insight behind his paper. For more on Paul Anderson: George Fox University: https://www.georgefox.edu/academics/undergrad/departments/religion/faculty/anderson.html Amazon author's page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Paul-N.-Anderson/author/B001HODFI2?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true   Academia and Digital Commons Pages: https://georgefox.academia.edu/PaulAnderson   The JJH Homepage: https://johannine.org/JJH.html   The Fourth Quest paper: https://sats.ac.za/conspectus/conspectus-32/   + Support us here + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://www.premier.plus/cs-lewis-podcast + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our website

Paul Anderson, a Professor of Biblical and Quaker Studies at George Fox Uni­versity in Oregon, is back to discuss C.S. Lewis’ approach to the Bible and theology. They explore how Lewis read and interpreted Scripture, how his literary background shaped his perspective, and how he balanced critical scholarship with personal devotion. What can we learn from Lewis about holding faith and reason together? They also consider Lewis’s influence on contemporary debates around miracles, biblical authority, and New Testament studies, and whether his insights still resonate in today’s increasingly sceptical culture. For more on Paul Anderson: George Fox University: https://www.georgefox.edu/academics/undergrad/departments/religion/faculty/anderson.html Amazon author's page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Paul-N.-Anderson/author/B001HODFI2?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true   Academia and Digital Commons Pages: https://georgefox.academia.edu/PaulAnderson   The JJH Homepage: https://johannine.org/JJH.html   The Fourth Quest paper: https://sats.ac.za/conspectus/conspectus-32/   + Support us here + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://www.premier.plus/cs-lewis-podcast + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our website

Ruth Jackson is joined again by Dr Paul Anderson, Professor of Biblical and Quaker Studies at George Fox University. Paul, a prolific scholar and founding member of the "John, Jesus and History" project, shares insights from his paper presented at the 2024 conference at George Fox University. Together, Ruth and Paul explore Lewis’ classic essay "Fern-seeds and Elephants", in which Lewis critiques biblical scholarship with his memorable “four bleats.” Paul reflects on Lewis’ concerns about critical naturalism, the dismissal of miracles, and the tendency to “read between the lines” while missing the heart of the text. The conversation also considers Rudolf Bultmann’s influence, the challenges of theological education, and how Lewis’ reflections remain relevant today. For more on Paul Anderson: George Fox University: https://www.georgefox.edu/academics/undergrad/departments/religion/faculty/anderson.html Amazon author's page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Paul-N.-Anderson/author/B001HODFI2?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true   Academia and Digital Commons Pages: https://georgefox.academia.edu/PaulAnderson   The JJH Homepage: https://johannine.org/JJH.html   The Fourth Quest paper: https://sats.ac.za/conspectus/conspectus-32/   + Support us here + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://www.premier.plus/cs-lewis-podcast + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our website

Ruth Jackson is joined with Paul Anderson, a Professor of Biblical and Quaker Studies at George Fox Uni­versity in Oregon. Paul speaks on his first encounter with C.S. Lewis and the role Lewis’ works have played in his own life, ministry, and scholarship. They discuss Lewis’ views on the Bible, how his literary approach to Scripture compares with that of a biblical scholar, and whether he showed a preference for particular Gospels. The conversation also explores Anderson’s own research on the Gospel of John, why it deserves a place in the historical quest for Jesus, and what Lewis might have made of these debates. For more on Paul Anderson: George Fox University: https://www.georgefox.edu/academics/undergrad/departments/religion/faculty/anderson.html Amazon author's page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Paul-N.-Anderson/author/B001HODFI2?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true   Academia and Digital Commons Pages: https://georgefox.academia.edu/PaulAnderson   The JJH Homepage: https://johannine.org/JJH.html   The Fourth Quest paper: https://sats.ac.za/conspectus/conspectus-32/   + Support us here + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://www.premier.plus/cs-lewis-podcast + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our website

Today we are joined by Dr. Max Baker-Hytch, a tutorial fellow in Philosophy at Oxford University, to discuss Lewis and the argument from desire. Covering topics such as whether our deepest longings point to the existence of another world, how naturalists might respond, and whether such desires could have evolutionary origins. The conversation also looks at critiques of Lewis’ view, how it compares to other arguments for God, and whether it still resonates in our modern, secular age. For more on Max: https://philpeople.org/profiles/max-baker-hytch His book with Cambridge University Press entitled God and the Problem of Evidential Ambiguity: https://www.cambridge.org/core/elements/abs/god-and-the-problem-of-evidential-ambiguity/9471CE092B20C702803FEA81A75C03F0 + Support us here + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://www.premier.plus/cs-lewis-podcast + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our website

Today we are joined by Dr. Max Baker-Hytch, a tutorial fellow in Philosophy at Oxford University, to discuss Lewis and Lewis' argument from reason, as explored in Miracles and beyond. They explore Lewis’ claim that if our thoughts are just the result of natural processes, we have no reason to trust them. Can reason really come from something non-rational? They also discuss how this idea challenges naturalism, what it means for science and belief, and whether Lewis’s argument still matters today. For more on Max: https://philpeople.org/profiles/max-baker-hytch His book with Cambridge University Press entitled God and the Problem of Evidential Ambiguity: https://www.cambridge.org/core/elements/abs/god-and-the-problem-of-evidential-ambiguity/9471CE092B20C702803FEA81A75C03F0 + Support us here + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://www.premier.plus/cs-lewis-podcast + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our website

Today we are joined by Dr. Max Baker-Hytch, a tutorial fellow in Philosophy at Oxford University, to discuss Lewis and the moral argument for God's existence. What did Lewis mean by a universal moral law, and why did he think it pointed to something beyond nature? They explore the foundations of this argument, its philosophical roots, and the critiques it has faced. Does morality require a Moral Lawgiver? Can natural selection or social convention fully explain our sense of “right” and “wrong”? And what might this argument mean for how we live today, in a culture where moral truth is often seen as relative? For more on Max: https://philpeople.org/profiles/max-baker-hytch His book with Cambridge University Press entitled God and the Problem of Evidential Ambiguity: https://www.cambridge.org/core/elements/abs/god-and-the-problem-of-evidential-ambiguity/9471CE092B20C702803FEA81A75C03F0 + Support us here + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://www.premier.plus/cs-lewis-podcast + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our website

Today we are joined by Dr. Max Baker-Hytch, a tutorial fellow in Philosophy at Oxford University, to discuss Lewis and philosophy. Did C.S. Lewis consider himself a philosopher, and should we? What kind of philosophical training did he have, and which thinkers shaped his ideas? How do his arguments compare with other 20th-century philosophers, and why is he often overlooked in academic philosophy today? They also explore whether Lewis’ fiction carries philosophical weight, how his faith influenced his reasoning, and what his work can teach us about tackling life’s big questions today. For more on Max: https://philpeople.org/profiles/max-baker-hytch His book with Cambridge University Press entitled God and the Problem of Evidential Ambiguity: https://www.cambridge.org/core/elements/abs/god-and-the-problem-of-evidential-ambiguity/9471CE092B20C702803FEA81A75C03F0 + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/1560959545 + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website + For online learning https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training + For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events + Support the podcast from the USA + Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world

Ruth Jackson is joined by Traver Carlson, a PHD candidate in Philosophy at the Institute for Christian Studies, to discuss his paper from the 2024 Undiscovered CS Lewis Conference, titled Re-veiling the Secret: Reading The Ransom Trilogy as Spiritual Exercise. We then get to hear his paper from the conference, followed by some helpful clarifications and final thoughts from him. Other series to listen to: Out of the Silent planet: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/the-cs-lewis-podcast/the-cs-lewis-podcast-120-out-of-the-silent-planet-weston-devine-and-jrr-tolkien/16073.article Perelandra: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/the-cs-lewis-podcast/the-cs-lewis-podcast-124-perelandra-scientism-spirituality-and-magic/16390.article That Hideous Strength: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/the-cs-lewis-podcast/the-cs-lewis-podcast-141-that-hideous-strength-is-there-a-darker-agenda-to-scientific-experimentation/17076.article + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://pod.link/1560959545 + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our new website + For our Premier Unbelievable? Live events + Support the podcast from the USA + Support the podcast from UK and rest of the world