Monthly Archives: March 2012

Dorothy Sayers’ Sluckdrib Letter: The First Screwtape Copycat

Posted on March 31, 2012 by Brenton Dickieson

In preparing for a paper on teaching The Screwtape Letters for the C.S. Lewis and the Inklings Colloquium at Taylor University this Spring, I thought I had discovered the first Screwtapian letter written by someone other than C.S. Lewis. A … Continue reading →

Posted in Letters, Memorable Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , | 13 Comments

A Narnian Thought on Giant Faith

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Brenton Dickieson

I think sometimes Christians forget how very strange their beliefs are. I don’t mean this offensively–unlike Richard Dawkins, I don’t think belief is delusional. Quite the opposite, actually. What I mean is that the cultural starting point of faith doesn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Memorable Quotes, Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

The Devil is the Don: Critiques of C.S. Lewis in Time, 1947

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Brenton Dickieson

On September 8, 1947, C.S. Lewis graced the cover of Time Magazine, a kind of Christian celebrity showcased in an article called “Don v. Devil”—a play on his status as an Oxford don (like a university lecturer) made famous by … Continue reading →

Posted in Lewis Biography | Tagged , , , , | 17 Comments

Guest Blog by Ella Ramsay: Does Screwtape Tell the Truth about Wormwood? An Analysis of Lewis’ Epistolary Style

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Brenton Dickieson

 Ella Ramsay is a student at Colonel Gray High School and wrote this literary critique of The Screwtape Letters as part of her extended essay requirements for the International Baccalaureate program. Abstract The essay will analyze how accurately Wormwood is described … Continue reading →

Posted in Guest Blogs, Thoughtful Essays | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Lewis Finds at the Graveside of a Bookstore

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Brenton Dickieson

In the glorious sunshine of an early Spring, I tripped down Barrington Street in Halifax with my family. We left the Discovery Centre–the Grossology exhibit was a hit with my son–and moved toward the historic sandstone building occupied by John … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Marching as to War: Lewis on His Way to the Front Line

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Brenton Dickieson

As I began to read Lewis’ wartime letters in 1917-1918 (The Collected Letters, vol. 1), I was struck by the casual tone of his experience. Lewis entered WWI strategically, enlisting before he was conscripted, giving him some options for placement … Continue reading →

Posted in Lewis Biography, Memorable Quotes | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Peals of Laughter: Humorous Writing for Children

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Brenton Dickieson

I’m reading The Silver Chair to my seven-year-old son, an evening ritual we both cherish, even though he is old enough to read to himself. I’ve always admired Lewis for his understanding of how to write for children–in short, not … Continue reading →

Posted in Memorable Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

“As Long as We’ve Got Each Other”: Or Why Kirk Cameron Should Read “The Four Loves”

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Brenton Dickieson

My wife is probably going to kill me for this one, but I’m going to offer a critique of teenage heartthrob, Kirk Cameron. It’s true, he is no longer a teen idol, and I think my wife’s pubescent crush has … Continue reading →

Posted in Thoughtful Essays | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Is There More Than There Is? The Question Before All Answers

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Brenton Dickieson

This article is the first in a three-part series on the question of whether or not there is more to this universe than what we can observe. The first installment asks the question, the second shows C.S. Lewis’ controversial answer … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections, Thoughtful Essays | Tagged , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

“Jill Pole Was Crying Behind the Gym”: Bullying at the Experiment House

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Brenton Dickieson

I’ve written before about Lewis’ lifelong struggle with bullies, and my own reflection on what I think is at the core of bullying, but I just happened to read this passage today–a “pink shirt” day dedicated to stopping bullying. My … Continue reading →

Posted in Memorable Quotes, Reflections | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments