Texts: Lewis, Mere Christianity; Chapters “XIV. Checkmate” and “XV. The Beginning” in Surprised by Joy
Discussion Leaders: (no leaders for this day)
Discussion Questions:
1. Lewis writes that all fields of study are directed, supported and ultimately find their source in God. How do you see this being articulated in his own fictions, or in story-telling more generally? Where do the two types of reading, the Egoistic and Disinterested, fit into his description of the Proud/ Teleological and the Humble Christian? Think about the relationship between dogma, emotions, and experience. What role does art, and storytelling have in Lewis’s argument, if any?
2. How do you reconcile Lewis’s position on the universality of moral truths versus the relativism of each individual’s “raw materials,” or their specific frame of reference? You might want to consider some of the examples he gives from his current historical moment; the corrosive influence of power in Himmler, the (false) reverence for patriotism or a misguided (Nazi) ideology, the perpetuity of hatred in the POW and death camps during the Holocaust, and so forth. How do these effect Lewis’s argument, or indeed make his insights more significant?
3. What is “the great sin,” and what is faith in Lewis’s argument? How might these definitions fit into the ways we understand ourselves, and articulate truths about power, corruption, and strife in our origin-stories and fictions? Do you see these themes expressed in the works of Lewis and Tolkien? Think about the ways Lewis engages with the other Christian virtues as well.
About Kathryn Ney
I am a Teacher Candidate in the Bachelor of Education Program (Secondary) with two teachable subjects, Social Studies and English. I graduated from the Global Stewardship Program at Capilano University in 2014 and completed a double major at UBC in English Literature Honours and History in November 2018.
During my studies at CapU, I volunteered as an English teacher with the Global Volunteer Network in Nepal and this experience first prompted me to consider a career in education. While studying at UBC, I led a Student Directed Seminar on the Inklings (Tolkien and C.S. Lewis), thus enabling me to gain experience designing syllabi and marking rubrics for peer evaluation. I am also an alumni of the UBC Arts Coop program, through which I predominantly worked as a docent and archivist in the culture and heritage industry. Some of my work during my Coop placements included developing educational programs for museums, and through this experience, I learned how to make history engaging and accessible for young people as well as for the general public. I spent the past year participating in the Odyssey Program as an English Language Assistant in small-town Quebec, during which time I gleaned extensive in-class and interpersonal experience working with both kids and young adults on their English skills. Since my return in May, I have been leading summer camps for youth focused on conservation issues and outdoor skills. This experience allowed me to share my love of nature and the environment with young people from across the province.
Ideally, after completing the BEd. program and having gained some teaching experience, I would like to find a way to combine these disciplines and interests in the form of extracurricular involvement, or otherwise to work abroad doing professional or curriculum development for teachers in developing countries.
