Author Archives: Brenton Dickieson

About Brenton Dickieson

“A Pilgrim in Narnia” is a blog project in reading and talking about the work of C.S. Lewis and the worlds he touched, like children’s literature, apologetics, myths and mythology, fantasy, theology, cultural critique, and writing. Lewis, recently re-famed on film, has remained relevant to believers nearly a century after his famous conversion. His children’s books have influenced a new generation of myth-makers and his nonfiction work emerges in cutting edge Christian thought today, from the work of the apologists battling the so-called New Atheists to the pop-theology of writers like Rob Bell. Personally, Lewis’ work draws me in. From the The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe as contraband Christian theology in my childhood to the clarity of his thinking in The Screwtape Letters or Mere Christianity, I am invited into Lewis’ Narnia, his world where the real is more than touch and taste and scent, where it is increasingly evident there is more than there is and there is meaning behind that is-ness. This blog includes my thoughts as I read through his work and reflect on my own life and culture. In this sense, I am a Pilgrim in Narnia. If something here captures your imagination, leave a comment, “like” a post, share with your friends, or sign up to receive Narnian Pilgrim posts in your email box. Brenton Dickieson is a father, husband, friend, university lecturer, and freelance writer from Prince Edward Island, Canada. You can follow him on Twitter, @BrentonDana.

What Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress Teaches us about English and Education

One of my first posts on A Pilgrim in Narnia was the confession that I had not really ever read John Bunyan’s classic The Pilgrim’s Progress (1678). I’m pretty sure I had pretended to read it. I had played the … Continue reading

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Was C.S. Lewis Wrong about His Own Conversion?

C.S. Lewis’ conversion to Christianity is one of the 21st century’s classic spiritual stories. And the moment of his final, reluctant yielding to a belief in God has been often repeated: “You must picture me alone in that room in … Continue reading

Posted in Lewis Biography, Original Research | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

On the Shoulders of Giants: C.S. Lewis’ Preface to “The Allegory of Love” (1935)

I’ve talked before about the value of reading the prefaces and introductions to books. It’s amazing how much we miss when we skip them. I’m a big fan of the fore-matter. C.S. Lewis’ preface to The Allegory of Love (1936) … Continue reading

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“Exegesis of the Soul” A Reflective Response to Frederick Buechner’s Memoirs

C.S. Lewis was part of a WWII-era literary group called the Inklings that included authors like J.R.R. Tolkien,  Charles Williams, and Roger Lancelyn Green. Among those that I might consider “Honourary Inklings,” Frederick Buechner has, for me, pride of place. … Continue reading

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Shaking Off the Ailments of a Troublesome Term

C.S. Lewis begins a March 31, 1928 letter to his father: “I have succeeded, at last, in shaking off the ailments of one of the most troublesome terms I have yet had.” As I read that line I immediately understood … Continue reading

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Orwellian Advice

Reblogged from Mere Inkling: The title of this post is slightly misleading. In truth, it does contains advice from Eric Arthur Blair (1903-1950) whose pen name was George Orwell. However, because of the impact of his two dystopian classics, Nineteen … Continue reading

Posted in Reflections | 2 Comments

WIP Wednesday: Hildamay at the Market

I thought I would add my piece to the growing Work In Progress Wednesday digital tradition. This is an excerpt from Hildamay Humphrey’s Incredibly Boring Life, a children’s story that I am editing in preparation to pitch this summer. The … Continue reading

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“Habemas Papem!” C.S. Lewis on Catholicism

Today’s election of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina as Pope Francis I has any of us with even the slimmest connection to Roman Catholicism tapping on our iPhones or opening up TweetDeck. It has been a wonderful clash of … Continue reading

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Free Like Form: Thinking about Human Freedom and Poetic Form

I have already admitted that I am not much of a poet, and I have even less right to be thinking about poetry criticism. But allow me to transgress my obvious limits for in a moment and attempt a thought … Continue reading

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A Read-Aloud Post for World Read Aloud Day: Reading the Hobbit

March 6th is World Read Aloud Day! I wrote a read-aloud post last fall for the Hobbit Read-Along, a merry fellowship of nine writers.  When I began the blog project, I didn’t account for the fact that I would be reading … Continue reading

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