Day 3 C.S. LEWIS & OXFORD ATTENDEES

C. S. LEWIS (1898-1963)

In 1954, Clive Staples Lewis described himself as “tall, fat, rather bald, red-faced, double-chinned, black-haired, have a deep voice, and wear glasses for reading.”11 He was the most influential Christian writer in the twentieth century, and his books continue to impact those on their spiritual journey today. Lewis’ spiritual journey started far from God.

When Lewis’ mother died of cancer in 1908, Lewis decided that if God was not cruel, he was, at best, an abstract concept. Four years later, he rejected Christianity altogether and became an atheist. He maintained his disbelief in God’s existence during his studies at Oxford and later when he first started teaching there. However, Lewis discovered that many of his friends at Oxford and the authors he learned from were Christians.

Lewis’ return to Christian thought was influenced by reading George MacDonald and G. K. Chesterton. It was Owen Barfield who dissuaded him of atheism. In 1929, Lewis admitted, “God was God, and knelt and prayed.”12 It took a couple of years to move from theism to Christianity. Lewis joined the Church of England in 1931.

Lewis wrote 25 Christian books that sold (and continue to sell) millions of copies. These books continue to impact the lives of Christians today. Mere Christianity, originally talks on BBC radio during World War II, is a must-read for believers (in my opinion).

In 1952, Lewis married an American woman, Joy Davidman Gresham, who had become a Christian by reading some of Lewis’ books. She was sixteen years younger than Lewis and died of cancer only four years after their civil wedding ceremony. Lewis described his emotions in his book, A Grief Observed.

During Lewis’ time at Oxford, an informal group of writers and scholars called The Inklings met regularly for discussions. Along with Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien was part of the group. They met at a restaurant/pub called the Eagle and Child (also known as The Baby and the Bird). According to my Google search, it is temporarily closed. Hopefully, it will be open by the time we arrive.

Prominent Christians in History who attended or taught at Oxford

John Wycliffe (1328-1384)

Theologian and reformed. Sometimes called the “Morning Star of the Reformation.” Wycliffe translated the Bible into English (NT— 1382, OT—1384) and challenged corruption in the Catholic Church. Held to the authority of Scripture. His followers, called the Lollards, played a significant role in the English Reformation.

Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556)

Confidant of King Henry VIII. Appointed as the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury. Spoke out against Henry’s “Six Articles,” which contained Catholic doctrine, but was spared by Henry. However, when Queen Mary took the throne in 1553, she pressured him to recant his Protestant beliefs. However, he withdrew his recantations and reaffirmed his Protestant faith. The Archbishop of Canterbury was burned at the stake on March 21, 1556.

Hugh Latimer (1487-1555)

Bishop of Worcester and Church of England Chaplain to Edward VI. Burned at the stake in 1555 under the rule of Queen Mary I. He was put to death with Nicolas Radley, another Oxford man.

William Tyndale (1494-1536)

Influenced by the works of Martin Luther. He translated much of the Bible directly from Hebrew and Greek and was able to take advantage of the printing press.13 His translation was the first of the English Bibles of the Reformation. In 1530, he wrote opposing Henry VIII’s plans to seek an annulment of his marriage on the grounds of Leviticus 20:21. He fled England to seek refuge. In 1535, he was arrested and jailed in Brussels. In 1536, he was convicted of heresy and executed by strangulation, then burned at the stake.

John Owen (1616-1683)

An influential Puritan theologian and Vice-Chancellor of Oxford. He wrote over 80 books in 41 years, including The Mortification of Sin, Death of Death, and Overcoming Sin and Temptation. Owen married Mary Rooke in 1644. They had 11 children, but only one survived into adulthood.

John Wesley (1703-1791)

See notes from Day 1.

Charles Wesley (1707-1788)

Co-founder of Methodism. Wrote over 6,000 hymns. Some of the hymns include Hark! The Harold Angels Sing, And Can It Be That I Should Gain, O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing, Christ the Lord is Risen Today, and Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus.

George Whitefield (1714-1770)

One of the most evangelical preachers during the First Great Awakening in the American colonies in the 1730s and 40s. Whitefield raised funds for orphans and founded an orphanage in Savannah, Georgia, in 1740, called the Bethesda Orphan House. Later, the name was changed to Bethesda Home for Boys. Today, it is called Bethesda Academy and is the oldest continuously operating child care institution in the U.S. Bethesda Academy continues to uphold Whitefield’s founding mission to instill in students “a love for God, a love for learning, and a strong work ethic.” Whitefield had a friendship with Benjamin Franklin, who marveled at Whitefield’s speaking ability. He once tried to calculate how far Whitefield’s voice would carry. Franklin estimated that 30,000 people in an open field would be able to hear Whitefield. Although Franklin was a Deist and Skeptic, he published many of Whitefield’s sermons for circulation and helped Whitefield raise funds for the Bethesda Orphanage.

C. S. Lewis (1898-1963)

See above

J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973)

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was a devout Roman Catholic who played a part in C. S. Lewis’ conversion. He is called the “father of modern fantasy literature.” His works include The Hobbit (1937) and The Lord of the Rings trilogy (1954-55).