Interested in knowing more about C. S. Lewis?  Like what you’ve read of Lewis and want to know more?  Perhaps you feel a little intimidated surrounded by scholars, yet Lewis has made a profound difference in your life?

Then come to sessions with you in mind: C. S. Lewis 101 Track: Life, Work, and Themes.

It is perfect for those beginning to explore Lewis’ books and thought as well as those looking to refresh their interest in this most compelling Christian author.  Part biography, part booklist, part thematic exploration, our speakers will guide you through the essentials of Lewis’ life and writing, touching on major biographical events and books as well as they key themes such as joy, reason, imagination, faith, and story that guided Lewis’ life.

These three track sessions will also include time for Q&A and promise to inform and delight folks with any level of interest in Lewis.

Please Note: the C.S. Lewis 101 Track begins on Friday morning, June 21, and takes place before the main conference begins that evening. It runs concurrent with the other Early Arrival Track Sessions – the Writers Track and the Academic Roundtable. There is a separate registration cost for attending the Early Arrival Track Sessions that includes tuition and meals. For more details, see our Track Sessions page and our Registration page.

Track Sessions

C. S. Lewis 101: Part I, Life

In this session Andrew Lazo will lead us through the life of C. S. Lewis, making use of the Biography by Decades as publish in Mere Christians. He will pay particular attention to revelations that have come to light this year, through his own work and that of Dr. Alister McGrath, which corrects a crucial mistake by Lewis himself about his own life. He’ll also focus on how, fifty years on, Lewis’s life continues to challenge and inspire, and he’ll take questions from those who attend.

C. S. Lewis 101: Part II, Works

At event such as these, people often ask “What Lewis book should I read next?” In this session, Andrew Lazo will attempt to answer these and other questions, including: In what order should the Chronicles of Narnia be read? What’s the easiest way to understand Mere Christianity? Why does That Hideous Strength seem so different from the other two Interplanetary Romances. Again using materials from Mere Christians, Andrew will answer these and other key questions about the wide array of C. S. Lewis’s books.

Track Leaders

Andrew Lazo, Scholar and speaker on the Inklings and Co-Editor of Mere Christians: Inspiring Stories of Encounters with C.S. Lewis

Stan Mattson, Founder and President, Director of the C.S. Lewis Study Centre at The Kilns in Oxford, England and Director of the triennial C.S. Lewis Summer Institute in Oxbridge.

Thank you to our sponsors!