#230 Alister McGrath: Theology, miracles and imagination

Ruth Jackson is joined again by Professor Alister McGrath, to discuss theology in a multi-part series. They explore what those in Christian ministry learn from C.S. Lewis - the “very ordinary layman” who helped shape modern faith. Alister reflects on Lewis’s approach to prayer and spiritual growth, his vision for Mere Christianity and how his theology speaks to the challenges of living faithfully in a post-Christian culture. The conversation also considers how Lewis’ thought encourages unity across denominations and offers wisdom for addressing today’s ethical and social issues. + 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

In today's episode, Ruth Jackson is joined again by Professor Alister McGrath, to discuss theology in a multi-part series. They explore Lewis' view on miracles, his belief on the importance of imagination, and how Lewis' arguments stand up against the New Atheism movement. + 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

In today's episode, Ruth Jackson is joined again by Professor Alister McGrath, to discuss theology in a multi-part series. They reflect on Lewis' work as a theologian, covering questions such as: What are some of the key theological topics Lewis unpacks in his work? Has Lewis influenced the development or direction of modern Christian theology? What are some notable critiques of Lewis' theological views? + 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

In today's episode, Ruth Jackson is joined again by Professor Alister McGrath, to discuss theology in a multi-part series. Why do people not consider Lewis a theologian? Who are some of the people who do take him seriously as a theologian, and has he become one in modern times? What can we learn from Lewis’ approach to theology? + 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

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