Did John Wesley Influence C.S. Lewis’ Vision of Talking Animals in Narnia? with Jerome Van Kuiken

How much did John Wesley shape C. S. Lewis’s vision of Narnia? In this interview clip, Dr. Jerome Van Kuiken and Dr. Matt O'Reilly explore the surprising ways Lewis may have drawn on Wesley’s theology of creation and animal life. Lewis cites Wesley’s sermon The General Deliverance" in The Problem of Pain when wrestling with the suffering of animals—a full decade before writing The Chronicles of Narnia. We discuss how Wesley’s eschatological hope for the renewal of creation echoes in Lewis’ portrayal of talking beasts, the dignity of Aslan’s creatures, and the deep moral order of Narnia.

If you’re interested in the connections between theology, literature, and the imagination, this conversation will give you a fresh lens on Lewis, Wesley, and the hope of a redeemed creation.

This is a clip from a longer conversation. Listen to the whole thing here: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-xu9pu-194517a

Or watch it on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uLWdjlWMCek

Read "The General Deliverance by John Wesley: https://wesley.nnu.edu/john-wesley/the-sermons-of-john-wesley-1872-edition/sermon-60-the-general-deliverance/

Read The Problem of Pain by C. S. Lewis: https://amzn.to/4pjCY7g

Dr. Jerome Van Kuiken is a member of the faculty at Oklahoma Wesleyan University.

Dr. Matt O'Reilly is Lead Pastor of Christ Church Birmingham in Alabama. 

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