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"C.S. Lewis: How 'Medieval' was He?"

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C.S. Lewis: How 'Medieval' Was He? By Lee Oser When it comes to evaluating C.S. Lewis' engagement with medieval authors, Jason Baxter performs the heavy lifting with ease, almost with wings. The Medieval Mind of C. S. Lewis: How Great Books Shaped a Great Mind comprises, in effect, a sequence of primers on major and minor figures—Boethius, Pseudo-Dionysius, Calcidius, Dante, Nicholas of Cusa, Bernard Sylvestris, inter alios—while it traces their imprint on Lewis' writings. The reader of this book enjoys the double benefit of lucid exposition of great Christian writers who are distant in time and of watching Lewis assimilate them into his work. Baxter shows considerable mastery of Lewis' vast corpus, including the letters, and he engages the secondary literature with a sure and generous touch.   The author takes his unifying theme of "transposition" from Lewis' 1962 sermon of that name. This theme is Platonic, and one comes away from The Medieval Mind of C. S. Lewis with a renewed appreciation of Alfred North Whitehead's remark that all philosophy "consists of a series of footnotes to Plato." For Lewis, as Baxter explains, "the medieval universe was not just a system of exploded scientific beliefs, but the natural icon of transposition, the greatest example of the spiritual world expressing itself in the limited vocabulary of the physical, natural world." Approached in this manner, the medieval universe unfolds through analogy: The higher reality is superior to the natural world as we ourselves are superior to our conceptions and imaginings, though these themselves may harbor important truths.   Once he has established us firmly in the "medieval imaginary" (as he likes to call it), Baxter presents what may be the finest work to date on the living, medieval atmosphere in Lewis. Baxter is remarkably helpful on Dante, an author he knows intimately well, and so we see the Dantean effects in The Great Divorce and Till We Have Faces in a richer, medieval light. Baxter's wonderful analysis of Orual's judgment scene, which builds on a comparison to Dante's "unveiling" before Beatrice at the end of the Purgatorio, made my nerves tingles with pleasure. We come to feel like fellow pilgrims of Lewis' imagination, led by our excellent guide to a new appreciation of the air of Glome or, as the case may be, of Narnia or Perelandra.   Read more >> Subscribe to Acton Unwind >> China Relents On Zero-COVID Policies This week we discuss China's decision to relent on their "zero-COVID policies." We also examine the release of Trump NFTs, which raised $4.5 million for the former president. And finally, we have some traditional, and nontraditional, Christmas-movie recommendations. Listen now. Subscribe to Acton Line >> The Beatles and Economics (Rebroadcast) The Beatles will go down in history as one of the most prolific music acts of all time. Their music is still played in our homes and around the world and has influenced pop culture on a global scale. In this episode, we sit down with Samuel Staley to discuss his new book The Beatles and Economics: Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and the Making of a Cultural Revolution. Listen now. Subscribe to Acton Vault >> What is Zakat? What is Zakat? In this episode, we're bringing you a panel from our recent Poverty Cure Summit, examining charity in the Muslim tradition. Listen now. Enjoy content from the Acton Institute—where you want, when you want. Acton On-Demand is here!   With over 30 years of lectures, Q&As, conferences, and more, Acton's video archive is a treasure trove of knowledge, inspiration, and practical advice for those working toward a free and virtuous society. And now we're excited to announce that we're opening up those archives to the world.    Acton On-Demand is a freely accessible library featuring recordings from some of Acton's most popular events, including Acton University, Business Matters, and the Poverty Cure Summit. It also houses lectures from influential authors, scholars, and leaders that Acton has hosted over the years. Additionally, it features videos and clips from such Acton documentaries as The Good Society and The Hong Konger.   Click the button below to create your free account and start exploring. Access Acton On-Demand The Myths of American Individualism By Samuel Goldman Whence the rugged individualism that is traditionally synonymous with being American? Was it there from the beginning, rooted in our founding documents? Or does the idea represent a later corruption that can be reversed in pursuit of a more religious or egalitarian republic? Read more.