The C.S. Lewis podcast
A weekly podcast with Professor Alister McGrath exploring C.S. Lewis’ thought, theology and teaching.
Premier
Show overview
The C.S. Lewis podcast has been publishing since 2021, and across the 5 years since has built a catalogue of 268 episodes. That works out to roughly 110 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a weekly cadence.
Episodes typically run twenty to thirty-five minutes — most land between 19 min and 26 min — and the run-time is fairly consistent across the catalogue. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-US-language Religion & Spirituality show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 2 weeks ago, with 25 episodes already out so far this year. Published by Premier.
From the publisher
A weekly podcast from Premier Unbelievable? with Professor Alister McGrath exploring C.S. Lewis’ thought, theology and teaching. C.S. Lewis is one of the most influential voices in modern Christianity. The 20th Century British writer and lay theologian has profoundly impacted Christians around the world and brought many atheists and agnostics to faith in Jesus. One person whose faith was greatly encouraged by the writings of C.S. Lewis is Professor Alister McGrath. Both men were raised in Northern Ireland, studied at Oxford University and went on to become professors there. They also both came to faith from atheism slightly later in life. Alister has written numerous books on C.S. Lewis, including a seminal biography C.S. Lewis – A Life. Every Monday, Ruth Jackson and Professor Alister McGrath will reflect on C.S. Lewis’ ideas, life and influence as well as trying to answer questions that impact culture today.
Latest Episodes
View all 268 episodes#257 Alister McGrath: Suffering, hell and the hope of heaven
#266 Alister McGrath: Was CS Lewis an effective apologist?
#265 Dr Crystal Hurd: How Paternal Literary Habits Influenced CS Lewis
#264 Dr Crystal Hurd: CS Lewis’s Family, Faith, and the Literary Legacy of Albert Lewis
#263 Dr Crystal Hurd: C.S. Lewis’s Family, Albert & Flora, and the Power of Literature
#262 Dr Crystal Hurd: Dr Crystal Hurd: C.S. Lewis, Flora Lewis, and the Quiet Strength of Family
#261 Dr Crystal Hurd: CS Lewis on Quiet Influence, Humility & Lighting Your Corner
#260 Jim Stockton: Research opportunities and the Oxford University Socractic club, 1942-1972 (workshop)
#259 Jim Stockton: Inside the Oxford Socratic Club - Tea, Minutes & the Lives Behind the Debates
#258 Jim Stockton: What Happened Beyond the Debates? C.S. Lewis’s Socratic Club
#257 Jim Stockton: The legacy and modern relevance of the Oxford University Socratic Club
#256 Jim Stockton: Why did the Oxford University Socratic Club end?
#255 Jim Stockton: Exploring the Oxford University Socratic Club
Ruth Jackson is joined by Jim Stockton, emeritus lecturer in philosophy at Boise State University and author of The Oxford University Socratic Club, 1942–1972: A Life. Together, they examine the importance of Lewis’ role in the Oxford University Socratic Club, identify some of the members involved, and consider the place of women within both the club and the field of philosophy. The Oxford University Socratic Club, 1942-1972: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/oxford-university-socratic-club-19421972-9781978762602/ + Support us here: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://www.premier.plus/cs-lewis-podcast + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our website: https://premierunbelievable.com/
#254 Jim Stockton: The Oxford Socratic Club: How C.S. Lewis Shaped Honest Debate at Oxford
Ruth Jackson is joined by Jim Stockton, emeritus lecturer in philosophy at Boise State University and author of The Oxford University Socratic Club, 1942–1972: A Life. Together they explore Stockton’s fascination with C.S. Lewis, from first reading The Screwtape Letters and Mere Christianity to years of deep archival research into the Oxford Socratic Club. Jim shares how the club brought Christians, atheists and agnostics together for serious debate, why it became such a significant intellectual hub in Oxford, and the crucial role played by Stella Aldwinckle in shaping its life and vision. Drawing on his paper and workshop from the 2024 Undiscovered C.S. Lewis Conference, Stockton offers fresh insight into one of the most important and underexplored contexts of Lewis’s public thought, influence, and legacy in modern Christian apologetics. Jim Srockton;s book is here or if you're in the UK here The Oxford University Socratic Club, 1942-1972: + Support us here: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://www.premier.plus/cs-lewis-podcast + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our website: https://premierunbelievable.com/
#253 Alister McGrath LIVE: The CS Lewis You Never Knew: Exploring meaning, truth and technology (Q&A)
Ruth Jackson is joined by Alister McGrath for a special live edition of The C.S. Lewis Podcast, recorded in front of an audience at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, in association with the New Renaissance Project. In this lively Q&A, Ruth and Alister open the floor to audience questions on the life, thought and legacy of C.S. Lewis. They explore Lewis’s impact beyond the West, whether meaning found in other religions points to truth, what Lewis may have got wrong, and why his ideas still matter today. The conversation also touches on Tolkien’s influence, the power of story, Lewis’s scepticism about technology, the lasting effects of war, favourite books, and the challenge of adapting Narnia for film. A fascinating live conversation for Lewis fans old and new. + Support us here: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://www.premier.plus/cs-lewis-podcast + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our website: https://premierunbelievable.com/
#252 Alister McGrath LIVE: The CS Lewis You Never Knew: Exploring meaning, truth and technology (part 3)
In the third episode of this series, Ruth is joined by Alister McGrath for a special live event of the CS Lewis Podcast, recorded in front of an audience. The programme was made in partnership with the New Renaissance Project at Wycliffe Hall, University of Oxford. The conversation explores today’s major questions around AI, what it means to be human in today’s world, and the advancements happening in modern technology. + Support us here: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://www.premier.plus/cs-lewis-podcast + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our website: https://premierunbelievable.com
#251 Alister McGrath LIVE: The CS Lewis You Never Knew: Exploring meaning, truth and technology (part 2)
For today’s special episode, Ruth is joined by Alister McGrath for part 2 of a live event recording of the CS Lewis Podcast, captured in front of an audience. In this episode, the conversation dives into one of the most pressing questions of our time: truth. Is belief in God necessary for discovering truth? Why does it matter whether Christianity is true? And how might CS Lewis respond to today’s culture wars, technological challenges, and debates about meaning and morality? Drawing on Lewis’ insights and McGrath’s scholarship, they explore how truth shapes identity, purpose, and the way we navigate uncertainty in the modern world. The discussion illuminates why Lewis’ ideas remain so compelling—and so relevant—today. This programme was made in partnership with the New Renaissance Project at Wycliffe Hall, University of Oxford. + Support us here: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://www.premier.plus/cs-lewis-podcast + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our website: https://premierunbelievable.com/
#250 Alister McGrath LIVE: The CS Lewis You Never Knew: Exploring meaning, truth and technology (Part 1)
For today's special episode, Ruth is joined by Alister McGrath for a special live event of the CS Lewis Podcast, recorded in front of an audience. The conversation explores today’s major questions about meaning, identity, and uncertainty, which of Lewis’ works speak most clearly now, and why he remains so relevant in the modern world. This programme was made in partnership with the New Renaissance Project at Wycliffe Hall, University of Oxford. + Support us here: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://www.premier.plus/cs-lewis-podcast + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our website: https://premierunbelievable.com
#249 Ruth Jackson: Faith, religion and imposter syndrome
In this episode taken from the Lesser Known Lewis podcast, Ruth, Steven and Jordan share their final reflections on Lewis' Christian Apologetics essay. They discuss how the essay was helpful for their faith, thick or clear religion, strengthening your Christian practices and imposter syndrome. Lesser Known Lewis Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lesser-known-lewis-christian-reflections-on-c-s-lewiss/id1628447813 + Support us here: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://www.premier.plus/cs-lewis-podcast + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our website: https://premierunbelievable.com/
#248 Ruth Jackson: Why CS Lewis Might Be Exactly What a Post-Truth World Needs
In this special edition of the CS Lewis Podcast, we’re sharing a conversation first recorded for the Lesser Known Lewis podcast, kindly made available for our listeners. Ruth Jackson joins hosts Jordan Duncan and Sean Stevenson Douglas to explore one of Lewis’s lesser-known apologetic essays, written in 1945, and ask how it speaks to today’s cultural moment. Together they reflect on truth, authenticity, beauty, and imagination in Christian apologetics, especially in a post-Christian, post-modern age. The discussion ranges from Lewis’s defence of objective truth to the power of beauty, story, and lived faith, with rich reflections on Narnia, miracles, politics, and the modern search for meaning. A thoughtful, wide-ranging conversation that shows just how timeless, and timely, Lewis remains. Lesser Known Lewis Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lesser-known-lewis-christian-reflections-on-c-s-lewiss/id1628447813 + Support us here: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate + Subscribe to The CS Lewis podcast: https://www.premier.plus/cs-lewis-podcast + For more shows, free ebook and newsletter visit our website: https://premierunbelievable.com/