Monthly Archives: May 2017

Diana Butler Bass on C.S. Lewis and the Inklings

Posted on May 31, 2017 by Brenton Dickieson

The work of C.S. Lewis is not lost on Church historians. Dr. Diana Butler Bass, a student of George Marsden and prominent columnist, author, and American church historian, turns to Lewis and some of his friends as an answer to … Continue reading →

Posted in Memorable Quotes, Original Research | Tagged apologetics, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, Christian spirituality, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Dorothy L. Sayers, George Marsden, History, Inklings, J.R.R. Tolkien, Madeleine L'Engle, Mere Christianity, spiritual theology, Stanley Hauerwas, theology | 4 Comments

William Morris’ Nonsense from Nowhere

Posted on May 29, 2017 by Brenton Dickieson

One of C.S. Lewis’ great literary conversation partners was William Morris. Lewis wrote literary criticism about him beginning in his first collection of essays (Rehabilitations, 1939, now in Selected Literary Essays). In that early literary essay, delivered first to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand, C.S. Lewis, g k chesterton, George Orwell, Left Behind, libertarianism, Margaret Atwood, News from Nowhere, philosophical novel, Politics, Socialism, The Hunger Games, The Quest of Bleheris, The Well at the Worlds End, Voltaire, William Morris | 22 Comments

Why I Don’t Write Bad Book Reviews

Posted on May 24, 2017 by Brenton Dickieson

Though I do not review every book that I read, I do like to highlight a few. In particular, I like to draw attention to books that readers of A Pilgrim in Narnia—in particular, students of C.S. Lewis and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged academic, Blogging, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Kathryn Lindskoog, Lewis Studies, Michael Ward, Planet Narnia, Reading, research, reviews, The Lion, the Witch, theology and literature, writing | 29 Comments

John Lawlor on C.S. Lewis’ “The Allegory of Love”

Posted on May 22, 2017 by Brenton Dickieson

The Allegory of Love … is a work which has all the authority of a mind of the highest quality marking out clear paths in a complex and absorbing mass of material. As such it effortlessly joins company with that … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged C.S. Lewis, John Lawlor, literary criticism, literary history, medieval literature, Memories and Reflections, Shakespeare, The Allegory of Love, W.P. Ker | 21 Comments

Fund King Arthur’s Return!

Posted on May 19, 2017 by Brenton Dickieson

Originally posted on The Oddest Inkling:
Dear readers of The Oddest Inkling: As you know, in 2013, a previously-unpublished work by J.R.R. Tolkien appeared: The Fall of Arthur, his only explicitly Arthurian writing. The publication of this extraordinary poem revealed subtle connections…

Posted in Reflections | Leave a comment

On Reading Calvin’s Institutes as a Non-Calvinist

Posted on May 17, 2017 by Brenton Dickieson

As I come from a non-Calvinist tradition I have never read the foundation of the Reformed tradition, Institutio Christianae Religionis, or Calvin’s Institutes. My theological training was biblical studies, history, and literature, so I never spent much time in Calvin … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged B.B. Warfield, Calvin's Institutes, Calvinism, Charles Hodge, Dallas Willard, Eugene Peterson, J.I. Packer, John Calvin, John Piper, Marilynne Robinson, Old Books, Reading, Stanley Grenz, theology, Wayne Grudem | 18 Comments

My Teaching Philosophy

Posted on May 15, 2017 by Brenton Dickieson

Last week I was duly chuffed to receive a teaching award. I mentioned my “teaching philosophy” in that post, which piqued some curiosity. I thought I would post my teaching philosophy, developed over my decade or so in the classroom … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged academic, higher ed, higher education, Pedagogy, Statement of Teaching Philosophy, Teaching, University, UPEI | 2 Comments

Teacher of the Year!

Posted on May 11, 2017 by Brenton Dickieson

I am feeling very honoured to have received the Hessian Award for Excellence in Teaching at the UPEI banquet last night. It was very moving to be honoured in such a way, before my friends and colleagues and with five … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged academic, adjunct professor, C.S. Lewis, culture, faith, Inklings, Maritime Christian College, Regent College, research, Signum University, Teacher of the Year, Teaching, University, University of Prince Edward Island, UPEI | 20 Comments

A 20th Anniversary Post to Kerry

Posted on May 9, 2017 by Brenton Dickieson

Today is my 20th anniversary! Our house this morning was not a La La Land set, but filled the mundane tasks of laundry, breakfast, and off to school. As much as I would expect all the world to break out … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged Anne of Green Gables, Homer, La La Land!, love, marriage, Odyssey, Prince Edward Island, Sister Act | 11 Comments

John Lawlor’s Memories and Reflections on C.S. Lewis

Posted on May 3, 2017 by Brenton Dickieson

I have just had the delightful experience of reading John Lawlor’s book, C.S. Lewis: Memories and Reflections (1998). Prof. Lawlor was an undergraduate student of C.S. Lewis’ before and after WWII before continuing on to do his graduate work with … Continue reading →