Category Archives: Thoughtful Essays

Orual and the King of Glome

Posted on February 17, 2020 by Brenton Dickieson

On the surface of it, there is no greater contrast than Queen Orual and her tyrannical father. Even when we consider only Book 1 of C.S. Lewis’ great literary fiction, Till We Have Faces, Orual is not just a successful … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections, Thoughtful Essays | Tagged C.S. Lewis, The Magician's Nephew, Till We Have Faces | 16 Comments

Can Cod-liver Oil Cure Us of Poetry? A Thought on the Uselessness of Poets in Today’s Economy from L.M. Montgomery’s Rainbow Valley

Posted on December 17, 2019 by Brenton Dickieson

It was probably unfair that I had this much fun in a government meeting, but it is even more unfair that the fun came at another’s expense. It is no secret that North American state, provincial, and federal governments view … Continue reading →

Posted in L.M. Montgomery, Memorable Quotes, Thoughtful Essays | Tagged academics, economics, fantasy literature, L.M. Montgomery, Milton, Poetry, Prince Edward Island, Rainbow Valley, Rilla of Ingleside, Ronald Reagan, Shakespeare, speculative fiction, University, utilitarianism | 13 Comments

“A Sense of the Season”: C.S. Lewis’ Birthday Pivot and the Cambridge Inaugural Address

Posted on November 28, 2019 by Brenton Dickieson

In the autumn of 1954 at the age of 56, C.S. Lewis was at the height of his academic career. After nearly two decades of research and writing English Literature in the Sixteenth Century, Excluding Drama, this magnum opus intensified … Continue reading →

Posted in Lewis Biography, Original Research, Thoughtful Essays | Tagged anthropology, autoethnography, BBC Talks, C.S. Lewis, De Descriptione Temporum, English Literature in the Sixteenth Century, F.R. Leavis, I.A. Richards, J.R.R. Tolkien, literature, Mere Christianity, Narnia, OHEL, Reflections on the Psalms, Surprised by Joy, The Discarded Image, theology, WWII | 3 Comments

Sallie McFague, Theologian (1933-2019)

Posted on November 18, 2019 by Brenton Dickieson

I just received a note from a friend that Sallie McFague has passed away. I got the news as I was rereading her Speaking in Parables: A Study in Metaphor and Theology (1975) after many years. The news saddened me, … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections, Thoughtful Essays | Tagged Daniel Boyarin, environmentalism, feminism, Laing Lectures, Lloyd Gaston, Malcolm Guite, Margaret Visser, Metaphorical Theology, Models of God, Regent College, Speaking in Parables, Stanley Hauerwas, The Discarded Image, theology and literature, Vancouver School of Theology | 1 Comment

The Gift (and Curse) of Asher Lev

Posted on October 28, 2019 by Brenton Dickieson

The Gift of Asher Lev by Chaim Potok My rating: 5 of 5 stars The Gift of Asher Lev is a lovely, evocative book. It is my first time reading the sequel to My Name is Asher Lev, which I … Continue reading →