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Alan's Soap https://AlansSoaps.com/Todd Honor John's memory and the legacy he created for Ian and Alan with Alan's Artisan Soaps “John's Favorites” bundle. Get one bar of each of his favorites for only $28.99. Bulwark Capital https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.comBe confident in your portfolio with Bulwark! Schedule your free Know Your Risk Portfolio review. Go to KnowYourRiskPodcast.com today. Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddYour journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit https://Renue.Healthcare/Todd Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.com/ToddGet the new limited release, The Sisterhood, created to honor the extraordinary women behind the heroes. Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE at:The Todd Herman Show - Podcast - Apple PodcastsThe Todd Herman Show | Podcast on SpotifyWATCH and SUBSCRIBE at: Todd Herman - The Todd Herman Show - YouTubeC.S. Lewis, writing in the Screwtape Letters, predicted what would happen in the aftermath of the Belfast stabbing…Episode links:Dr Philip Kiszely: Cultural Historian. Academic, author & political commentator."We've seen police officers and firefighters having to actually rescue families from those buildings, bringing them out through the flames." Dan Johnson, BBC News correspondent, describes the violent disorder taking place in Belfast this evening.“I wish people didn't see that video” - The Minister of Northern Ireland blames Tommy Robinson and Elon for what happened in Belfast last night…Look at the reaction of people in Ireland when they are told the top boys name in Galway is Mohamed Mohamed one of the most frequently used male names among Sudanese people, including those in Ireland. Yesterday a Sudanese migrant tried to behead a man in Belfast! Wake up! "Very poor white people” are being convinced that “very poor, hard-working brown or Black people” are responsible for the “problems caused by billionaire white men”, Allison Morris, Crime Correspondent at the Belfast Telegraph, says in the wake of the riots that spread through the capital of Northern Ireland overnight.“What you're seeing is a race based pogrom, we are seeing men going door to door asking to 'get the foreigners out' based exclusively on the colour of their skin.” SDLP leader Claire Hannah criticises the unrest taking place in Belfast. - Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) and the Member of Parliament (MP) for South Belfast and Mid DownThis woman posted this video after the horrific Belfast attack, defending the migrant. In a video last week, she states white Irish men don't like immigrants because they “feel sexually inferior to them”. This is who we let vote. She does not and will never speak for us'It's not a colour problem. It's a culture problem.' @beattie2_dougie speaks to a Belfast resident who explains how Protestant and Catholic communities met 'as concerned parents' to protest in wake of the knife attack carried out by a Sudanese migrantDoes the Northern Ireland Secretary really not think that attempting to behead someone in the street is alien to our culture? Why do they insist on not seeing what is plain as day to the rest of us?
When does refusing to repeat a lie become complicity in it?The hardest question in documentary filmmaking is not how to find the truth. It is how to handle a lie. When a false story is already loose in the world, you have two choices that look almost identical on the page: refuse to repeat it, or amplify it by debunking it. The discipline of knowing which is which can decide whether your film tells the truth or makes the lie stronger.In this Deep Dive on Documentary First Episode 279 with Brian Pocrass, host Christian Taylor digs into the question Brian asked on tape about how much oxygen you give a lie. The conversation took thirty minutes to arrive there, but the question turns out to be the spine of every documentary that touches a contested story. This episode traces that question through C.S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters, Dietrich Bonhoeffer's life under the Nazi regime, Alexander Solzhenitsyn's 1974 essay Live Not By Lies, and a two thousand year old paradox in the book of Proverbs.The spine of the episode is Brian's question on tape: "The question is, how much oxygen do you give it?" That question runs straight into a paradox the rabbis of the Talmud spent centuries arguing over. Proverbs 26:4 says do not answer a fool according to his folly. Proverbs 26:5, the very next verse, says answer a fool according to his folly. The Talmudic resolution maps directly onto the filmmaker's dilemma: the stakes determine the answer. Christian closes the episode with her own test, drawn from her film The Girl Who Wore Freedom: the story of Michel de Vallavieille, the French farmer shot in the back by an American paratrooper on D-Day, and the famous Band of Brothers rumor she refused to put on screen.In this episode, Christian explores:Why every production company wanted Brian Pocrass to tell a different version of Heather O'Rourke's story than the one he ended up makingThe C.S. Lewis principle from The Screwtape Letters that the devil cares more about attention than beliefHow debunking a conspiracy theory can give the conspiracy a brand new piece of footage to point atDietrich Bonhoeffer's argument that silence in the face of evil is itself evilAlexander Solzhenitsyn's 1974 essay Live Not By Lies and the moral discipline of refusalThe two thousand year old paradox in Proverbs 26:4-5 and how the Talmudic rabbis resolved itWhy the Talmud's answer is sacred versus mundane stakes, and what that means for documentary filmmakersThe Michel de Vallavieille story from Christian's film The Girl Who Wore FreedomThe Band of Brothers rumor about Bill Guarnere that Christian refused to put on screenThe two questions every documentary filmmaker has to weigh before they amplify a storyChapters0:00 C.S. Lewis, the Devil, and Brian Pocrass's Question0:30 How Much Oxygen Do You Give a Lie?1:28 The Screwtape Letters and the Devil's Currency2:24 Bonhoeffer: Silence in the Face of Evil Is Evil Itself3:27 Solzhenitsyn's Live Not By Lies and Proverbs 264:59 The Girl Who Wore Freedom: Bill Guarnere and My Own Test6:14 The Question I Leave You WithFrequently Asked QuestionsWhen does debunking a lie make it stronger?Researchers at Data and Society documented this dynamic in a 2018 study called The Oxygen of Amplification. Repeating a false claim in order to refute it gives the claim attention, repeats the language, and trains the algorithm to surface it more. Britannica describes this dynamic as adding oxygen to the fire of misinformation. For documentary filmmakers, this means a debunking film about a conspiracy theory can leave viewers more familiar with the conspiracy than with the truth.What did Dietrich Bonhoeffer say about silence?Bonhoeffer's most famous line on the subject is silence in the face of evil is itself evil; not to speak is to speak; not to act is to act. Bonhoeffer was a German pastor in the 1930s who watched the German church surrender to the Nazi regime. He spent his adult life arguing against the silence of fellow pastors. The Nazis executed him in April 1945. His writings on costly discipleship remain among the most cited works of twentieth century theology.What is Alexander Solzhenitsyn's Live Not By Lies about?Live Not By Lies is the essay Solzhenitsyn released on the day the KGB arrested and deported him in 1974. He argues that while a single person cannot stop a lie from being told, every person can refuse to repeat it. The refusal itself is the action. The essay is one of the foundational moral texts of the dissident movement against Soviet totalitarianism and remains widely cited in discussions of personal moral resistance.How do the rabbis of the Talmud resolve Proverbs 26:4 and 26:5?Proverbs 26:4 says do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself. Proverbs 26:5 says answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes. The Talmudic resolution is that the two verses apply to different kinds of stakes. When the fool is talking about something sacred, you answer. When the fool is talking about something mundane, you do not. The wisdom is in knowing which kind of stakes you are facing.How do documentary filmmakers handle conspiracy theories about their subjects?There is no industry standard. Each filmmaker has to weigh the specific story. Some choose to confront the conspiracy directly and risk amplifying it. Others refuse to give the conspiracy screen time and risk being accused of avoidance. The discipline is to ask what the documentary makes more solid in the world and who the actual audience is: the people who already believe the lie, or the people who deserve the truth.About the Source EpisodeDocumentary First Episode 279 with Brian Pocrass aired on June 9, 2026. Brian is an attorney based in Los Angeles and the producer of She Was Here, the 2026 documentary about the life and death of Heather O'Rourke. The film features Heather's family debunking the Poltergeist curse rumor that has surrounded her death for almost forty years.Episode link: https://pod.fo/e/427c08About The Girl Who Wore FreedomThe Girl Who Wore Freedom is Christian Taylor's documentary about the children of Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, France, and the American GIs who liberated their town on D-Day, June 6, 1944. The film centers on Danielle Patrix Van Den Heede, whose family hid GIs in the days after the invasion, and Michel de Vallavieille, the young farmer at Brecourt Manor who was shot in the back by an American paratrooper on D-Day and went on to build the Utah Beach Museum and become the mayor of Sainte-Marie-du-Mont.Website: https://thegirlwhoworefreedom.comAbout Documentary First: The Deep DiveEach week, host Christian Taylor takes an insight from a recent Documentary First filmmaker interview and explores it through literature, philosophy, theology, current culture, and the universal human experience. It is a companion show to Documentary First, built for documentary filmmakers, lovers of story, and anyone who wants to think more deeply about what we are watching. Christian Taylor is a documentary filmmaker (The Girl Who Wore Freedom, Heroes of Carentan), actor, voice actor, and podcast host based in the United States.Resources MentionedDocumentary First Episode 279 with Brian Pocrass: https://pod.fo/e/427c08She Was Here, directed by Nick Bailey, produced by Brian Pocrass (2026)The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis (1942)Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945), German pastor and theologianLive Not By Lies by Alexander Solzhenitsyn (1974 essay)Proverbs 26:4-5Talmud, Shabbat 30bThe Girl Who Wore Freedom, directed and produced by Christian Taylor: https://thegirlwhoworefreedom.comBand of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose (1992 book and 2001 HBO miniseries)The Oxygen of Amplification, Whitney Phillips, Data and Society Research Institute (2018)Listen and FollowListen to this episode on your preferred podcast app: https://pod.fo/e/[DD 279 CODE — TO BE ADDED ONCE EPISODE IS LIVE]Documentary First on all podcast apps: https://podfollow.com/documentary-firstYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@documentaryfirstSupport the show on Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/c/DocumentaryFirstConnectDocumentary First on all platforms: https://linktr.ee/doc1stConnect with Christian Taylor on...
Matt and Michael dive into three recent news stories that have them asking the same question. What is this madness? They break down the California mayoral race, the Karmelo Anthony murder trial, and the Somali World Cup referee denied entry to the US. But the headlines are just the entry point. The real conversation is about something deeper. Why does it feel like half the country has stopped operating in good faith? Why do people defend narratives at the cost of reality itself? And what happens to a culture when it unhooks itself from any higher ideal? Matt brings in John C. Lennox's argument that atheism, taken to its logical conclusion, unwinds rationality completely. If your brain is the product of a purposeless process, why would you trust it to do science or even to claim you are rational? The guys connect this to Nietzsche's warning about unhooking the earth from its sun, and to C.S. Lewis's insight from The Screwtape Letters about directing malice toward neighbors and benevolence toward strangers we will never meet. They also get personal. Michael talks about being in love with the idea of his wife and kids versus actually loving them. Matt quotes Teresa of Avila. God, I don't love you. I don't even want to love you, but I want to want to love you. The episode lands on a hard truth. Without a shared goal, there is no progress. And right now, we do not even agree that there should be a goal. Cheers y'all
In this episode of Ave Explores: Catholicism in Literature, Katie sits down with Kaitlyn Facista and Andrew Swafford to discuss the enduring legacy of two of Christianity's greatest storytellers, C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien. Facista, author of _Into the Heart of Middle-earth and founder of Tea with Tolkien, shares how Tolkien's works played a significant role in her conversion to Catholicism. Drawn into Middle-earth by its unforgettable heroes and villains, she discovered profound lessons about virtue, vice, courage, and sacrifice. In a culture hungry for authentic examples of goodness and bravery, Tolkien's stories continue to awaken the heart and point readers toward truth. Swafford reflects on encountering Tolkien later in life while reading The Lord of the Rings with his children. Those family readings sparked rich conversations, nurtured their spiritual imaginations, and created opportunities for catechesis. He also discusses introducing students at Benedictine College to Lewis's Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and The Great Divorce, marveling at Lewis's ability to reach students of every background and faith. Through imagination and story, Lewis demonstrates how art and literature can communicate truths that might otherwise remain hidden. Journey through the wardrobe and wander into the Shire for an inspiring conversation about faith, imagination, and the transformative power of great stories. We would love it if you could leave a written review on Apple and share with your friends! Editing provided by Forte Catholic (https://www.fortecatholic.com/)
Week one of looking at C.S. Lewis' book Screwtape Letter. We will dive into four chapters of the book and how it connects with God's word in our lives today. This week we look at the fact that the enemies schemes have never changed, his goal is always to distract us.
“Tortured fear and stupid confidence are the preferred states of mind.” That's a remark from Screwtape, the demon, in C.S. Lewis' book, The Screwtape Letters.He's advising a younger demon on the mindset that they want to create for humanbeings. Either a tortured fear of the future, a sense that we're living in Hell, or a stupid confidence that feels like we're smart enough to create Heaven. The devil is satisfied with either of those approaches because they're both different from what God has for us, to walk in the moment in His presence. It seems to me that this comment from Screwtape Letters is applicable tothe whole subject of artificial intelligence. Because we live in the tension between those who tell us that it is the greatest thing ever, that we are going to revolutionize mankind verses those who say the machines are coming and the Terminator series will no longer be science fiction, it's real. The truth is somewhere in the middle. And so we need to talk about artificial intelligence, for one more week, to answer the question, “Can it be used to advance the Kingdom of God?”Brad Littlejohn, “The right's looming war over AI”, September 29, 2025. Isaac Willour, “A reflexive fear of AI doesn't serve Christ”, August 21, 2025.Matthew Branaugh, “Generative AIIs All the Rage. Handle With Care”, July 25, 2023.
Introduction : If you have your Bibles let me invite you to open with me to the book of Revelation 18 . As you turn there I want to read a quick quote from C.S. Lewis' book the Screwtape Letters.… The book is C.S. Lewis' reflections on what a demon would say if he were teaching another demon how to keep…
Join the Challenge and share with a friend! Our first challenge for the summer is “trust.” Summer is a time that I struggle to trust, and I've heard it is for you too. Our schedule is off, and we have to pack and plan for trips. Everything feels a bit more out of control Often, though, we forget that and think we have to solve the world's problems or our own for everything to work out. We spend nights lying awake, brainstorming solutions to our problems or safeguarding ourselves from pain, or trying to plan our words so we can convince others to do what we know would be right for them. Start a text thread with your “summer challenge besties” and ask them to tell you about a time in the past God relieved them of anxiety. Take those stories to encourage you this week. Then check in at the end of the week to share how you thrived or were challenged. I've been quoting this a lot, so people who know me are probably sick of hearing me refer to it, but CS Lewis in Screwtape Letters has a line that has become so real to me hesaid, “It's not as important for (Satan) to convince people that God isn't real as much as it is for them to just forget he exists at all.”Using our anxious feelings as a trigger to point us back to God allows us to take something that was meant for evil and turn it into something good that grows us closer to God.
Lynne, Aaron, and Nancy join Fr. Lefor to discuss this classic by C.S. Lewis. We discuss how the book explores morality, temptation, and the devil's tricks
Some weeks the loneliest seat in the house is the one right next to your spouse. If you love Jesus and they don't (or they used to, and now it's complicated) this episode is for you.Whether your spouse is a non-believer or simply lukewarm in their faith, the conversation walks through six practical, hope-forward practices for staying steady... without slipping into bitterness, pride, or quiet compromise.In this episode:What "unequally yoked" really means — and why it can apply even when both of you say you're Christians (02:28)Why praying for your spouse and your own heart has to be a daily rhythm, not a one-time desperate ask (06:00)The micro-compromises that quietly erode your faith — and how to guard against them (07:13)How 1 Peter 3:1-2 reframes your everyday life as a witness without ever making you preachy (09:33)Why you need a few people in your corner who will tell you the hard truth in love (14:23)Taking ownership of discipling your kids when your spouse won't — the Eunice and Lois story (19:10)The danger of turning your spouse into an evangelism project and forgetting to actually love them (21:19)Resources & mentions: 1 Peter 3:1-2, 2 Timothy 1:5 (Eunice and Lois), Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan, The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis.If this episode encouraged you, share it with one couple who needs to know they're not the only ones. Subscribe so you don't miss next week's conversation, and leave a review to help more couples find One Degree Marriage.
Send us Fan MailMatteus 4:2-4 Veertig dae en veertig nagte het Hy niks geëet nie en naderhand het Hy honger geword. Die versoeker het toe gekom en vir Hom gesê: “As U die Seun van God is, sê hierdie klippe moet brood word.” Maar Hy antwoord: “Daar staan geskrywe: “'n Mens leef nie net van brood nie maar van elke woord wat uit die mond van God kom. ” Van kleins af probeer ons elkeen ons plekkie in die son ontdek. Ons wil vasstel waar ons in hierdie wêreld inpas; waar ons behoort. Maar daar is een aspek wat ons alte maklik, tot ons eie nadeel, te ernstig opneem...Het jy al ooit na iemand anders gekyk en gedink: Sjoe, hulle is suksesvol. Ek wonder wat hulle verdien. Kyk na die motor wat hulle bestuur, die huis waarin hulle woon. Hulle het baie beter as ek gevaar.Ek het onlangs iemand, wat homself vergelyk het met ‘Chris', een van sy ou skoolvriende wat ongelooflike sukses bereik het, hoor sê: "Die eerste ding wat ek gedink het, was, dat ek in vergelyking met Chris, so 'n mislukking is."In werklikheid gebruik ons uiterlike standaarde - veral rykdom - as ons maatstaf van sukses. Ek het dit ook vroeër gedoen. Ek kan jou verseker dat die onnodige waarde wat ons aan ons begeerte na rykdom gee, en die manier waarop ons onsself met ander vergelyk, ‘n mens se lewe verwoes.Vergelyk dit met hierdie werklikheid:Matteus 4:2-4 Veertig dae en veertig nagte het Hy niks geëet nie en naderhand het Hy honger geword. Die versoeker het toe gekom en vir Hom gesê: “As U die Seun van God is, sê hierdie klippe moet brood word.” Maar Hy antwoord: “Daar staan geskrywe: “'n Mens leef nie net van brood nie maar van elke woord wat uit die mond van God kom. ” Jesus se prioriteit was om God te gehoorsaam; selfs al was Hy so lank sonder kos, het Hy nie aan sy maag gedink nie! Dit laat ons twee keer dink aan ons begeerte na welvaart, nie waar nie?C.S. Lewis het in sy boek, The Screwtape Letters, geskryf: “Voorspoed bind 'n mens aan die wêreld vas. Die mens voel asof hy sy plek in die wêreld gevind het, terwyl die wêreld inderwaarheid sy plek in hom gevind het.”Moenie toelaat dat voorspoed jou op 'n dwaalspoor lei nie.Dis God se Woord. Vars … vir jou … vandag. Support the showEnjoying The Content?For the price of a cup of coffee each month, you can enable Christianityworks to reach 10,000+ people with a message about the love of Jesus!DONATE R50 MONTHLY
What if the reason you can't hear God isn't that he's stopped speaking? What if it's just the noise?Most of us aren't living dramatically sinful lives. But many of us have quietly let our phones, our screens, and the constant buzz of distraction fill every quiet moment we have. And in those moments, God is trying to reach us.This message takes an honest look at the habits and patterns that keep us from going deeper with God. Drawing from C.S. Lewis's Screwtape Letters, the story of Elijah, and the words of Jesus in Romans 12 and Revelation 3, this is a gentle but honest wake-up call. Not to feel guilty. But to get free.The life Jesus offers is not a distracted one. It's deep, present, and full. And it starts with the courage to put down what's keeping us from it.
Today's reading of The Screwtape Letters focuses on Chapter 3, a letter about personal/family relations and the importance of managing your impressions regarding facial expressions, tone of voice and other mannerisms. Things can break down rapidly when a relationship drifts toward enmity and assumed bad faith, and Lewis's warning here is to reflect on how you let yourself off the hook for grating mannerisms—while scrutinizing those of everyone else. When two humans have lived together for many years it usually happens that each has tones of voice and expressions of face which are almost unendurably irritating to the other. Work on that. Bring fully into the consciousness of your patient that particular lift of his mother's eyebrows which he learned to dislike in the nursery, and let him think how much he dislikes it. Let him assume that she knows how annoying it is and does it to annoy — if you know your job he will not notice the immense improbability of the assumption. And, of course, never let him suspect that he has tones and looks which similarly annoy her. As he cannot see or hear himself, this is easily managed.It's a distinctly Stoic letter, almost like Lewis drew directly from Epictetus. It is not the only time Screwtape Letters offers blocks of wisdom that parallel the Stoics. In this video, I also draw on a book called Jesus & Stoicism by Brittany Polat, which compares Bible verses with lines from the Stoic philosophers, to show where these “virtuous pagans” were on the right track when it came to ethics that Christianity made mainstream in the West. I highly recommend it for your bookshelf. You can buy it at the link above. This video is free for everyone to enjoy as a thank-you for being on the newsletter. We're glad you're here, and every subscription helps us keep Geeky Stoics going. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.geekystoics.com/subscribe
The fellas dive into chapter 18 of "The Screwtape Letters" before getting into the topics of the day. Highlights include: marriage as a contract where did the butterflies go? Henry takes another spill (out of an unlikely source) chupacabra porcupine litter boxes frontal lobes Texas judge (white liberal Karen) allows 400 acre Muslim compound to [...]
This week, Brian Owen — pastor of Grace City Church in Boston and founder of Pray Boston — brings a guest message from Acts 13:1–3 titled "Becoming a Movemental Church." Preaching to the Table Boston community, Brian unpacks what it looks like for a local church to refuse to stay still: to be a Spirit-directed community that worships deeply, listens carefully, and sends sacrificially, releasing its best people and resources outward for the advance of the Kingdom of God.Drawing from the Church of Antioch as his central case study, Brian walks through four marks of a movemental church. First, movemental churches make the necessary moves to prepare for movemental moments, like Barnabas, who read the temperature of the Spirit and went to retrieve Paul, trusting that God was up to something new. Second, movemental churches practice expectant devotion: not strategy sessions or marketing campaigns, but the kind of worship and fasting that positions a church to hear the Holy Spirit say, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul." Third, movemental moments happen from within the local church, not outside of it, and every believer has been given gifts by the Spirit. Withholding those gifts robs the community of what it needs to reach the city. Fourth, movemental churches risk to experience renewal. Just as Antioch released its two best leaders into dangerous, unknown territory, churches that fear the cost will, in the words of Welsh revivalist Evan Roberts, never see the victory.The theological anchor of this message is the conviction that expectant devotion, not distraction, is what positions a church for a move of God. Leaning heavily on C.S. Lewis's Screwtape Letters, Brian argues that the enemy's most effective weapon today is not blatant sin but distraction: the gradual, quiet edging of the soul away from prayer, fasting, and hunger for God. In a city like Boston, where intellectual pride and spiritual darkness run deep, the movemental church must be one that actively wars against passivity and chooses to press toward God rather than settle for busyness.The invitation of this message is simple and searching: stop playing it safe. Brian closes by calling the room to honest self-examination. Some are being called to step toward something they have been avoiding out of fear; others are being called to walk away from something that is quietly suffocating their spiritual potential. Whether the risk involves finances, serving, mission, or simply embracing the season God has you in, the movemental life begins with a yes. As Brian reminds the church, anything worthwhile involves risk, and a church willing to release its best people and resources will always find that God honors the sacrifice with something greater than it gave away.
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From Chad's new podcast, Walk Like a Champion! Four years ago, Gian stepped away from his role as Associate Head Coach at Liberty University. Today, he balances a dual calling as the Executive Pastor for Bedrock Church Lynchburg and the Community and Project Manager for New York Times Bestseller Jon Acuff. And he runs the Lemmi Tennis Academy. You will hear in this episode: About his next book project-a "Screwtape Letters" guide for coaches Who he dressed up as for Halloween and how that changed his life Gian's insight on spending time wisely His top encouragement for coaches still serving in the career Links: Gian's First Book (2021) Support AIA Tennis Vision
What if the greatest danger of artificial intelligence isn't what it can do—but what it can replace?In this episode of the Embracing Brokenness Podcast, Steve and Colleen Adams explore a growing concern: AI is no longer just a productivity tool—it's becoming a relational substitute. From AI companions to emotionally intelligent chatbots, we are entering a moment where technology can mimic what only God was meant to fulfill.This conversation goes deeper than headlines. It gets to the heart.Why AI feels like it “understands” youHow it subtly meets core human longingsThe danger of synthetic belonging, love, and purposeReal stories of how far this has already gonePractical red flags to evaluate your own usageHow to use AI without letting it use youThis isn't fear-based. It's a warning—and an invitation.
Ad-free for patrons. Matt takes us through the life and work of the author of the Chronicles of Narnia, the Great Divorce, the Screwtape Letters, and more: C.S. (Jack) Lewis. Get the After Dark episodes, Bookends Book Club, and more at patreon.com/artofdarkpod or substack.com/@artofdarkpod. twitter.com/artofdarkpod twitter.com/Therewillbbooks twitter.com/kautzmania Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The devil's best work usually isn't a headline scandal, it's the slow drift that makes you shrug at what should wake you up. We wrap our third and final Screwtape Letters conversation by going after the “small” habits that quietly harden a soul: flippancy that turns every serious topic into a joke, and a constant stream of noise that keeps us from silence, prayer, and honest self-examination. If you've felt spiritually dulled by content, scrolling, or nonstop entertainment, you'll recognize the pattern fast. We talk about distraction as a real strategy in spiritual warfare, especially when guilt makes us dread effective contact with God. That's when we start wanting “unreal” prayers, quick religious duty, and anything that lets the sleeping worms lie. Then we get blunt about the gap between saying we're “struggling” and actually fighting, because grace never meant passivity. We also challenge false humility that downplays God-given gifts, delays obedience, and buries responsibility under a mask of piety. From there, we connect this to everyday faithfulness: working on your marriage by owning your role, rejecting the idea that unhappiness equals grounds for divorce, and remembering marriage as a picture of the gospel. We finish by confronting consumer Christianity, church hopping, and pastors who water down doctrine to keep people comfortable, plus why expository preaching protects the church from dodging the hard texts. If this series helped you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people find it.Send us Fan MailSupport the show
The Screwtape Letters by Divine Mercy Radio
“Respectable sins” are the ones that don't get you kicked out of polite company. They're the habits you can defend, laugh off, and even baptize with Christian language, while they quietly erode your joy, your witness, and your love for God.We keep digging into C.S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters and follow the thread from pride to self-justification: why it's easier to spot sin in someone else than to go to war with it in ourselves. We talk about guilt and shame as check-engine lights, the Puritan practice of vivification and mortification, and what repentance looks like when it's more than a word you avoid because it feels “negative.”From there we get painfully practical. When do sports, shows, video games, and “neutral” hobbies become idolatry because they reorder your schedule and reshape your soul? What does it mean to build a custom God you prefer rather than submitting to the God of Scripture? We also wrestle with patriotism, Christian nationalism, and the pull of moralism in the culture (including why Jordan Peterson can feel helpful while still leaving out what's essential).We close with humor as a heart test: dirty jokes, sarcasm, practical jokes, and flippancy can be joy or they can be cover for lust, cruelty, and contempt. If this conversation hits a nerve, share it with a friend, subscribe, and leave a review. What “acceptable sin” is most tempting for you to excuse right now?Send us Fan MailSupport the show
Samantha Stephenson is a Catholic wife and homeschooling mother of four, host of the podcast "Brave New Us," and author of Reclaiming Motherhood from a Culture Gone Mad and the Mama Prays devotional. Listen to Brave New Us, a podcast exploring bioethics in the light of faith, or catch up on her blog Mama Prays. And be sure to sign up for the Brave New Us: Faith + Bioethics Newsletter to receive the latest updates on medical research, technology, and culture. Samantha Stephenson is a Catholic wife and homeschooling mother of four, host of the podcast "Brave New Us," and author of Reclaiming Motherhood from a Culture Gone Mad and the Mama Prays devotional. Listen to Brave New Us, a podcast exploring bioethics in the light of faith, or catch up on her blog Mama Prays. And be sure to sign up for the Brave New Us: Faith + Bioethics Newsletter to receive the latest updates on medical research, technology, and culture. 00:00 Exploring the Inspiration Behind the Book 03:34 The Importance of Fiction in Spiritual Reflection 06:37 Understanding Temptations in Modern Motherhood 09:30 The Role of Relationships in Temptation 12:35 Differentiating Between the Screwtape Letters and Bellbind Letters 15:40 The Impact of Marriage and Parenthood on Identity 18:18 Navigating Loss and Miscarriage in Faith 21:23 The Demonic Perspective on Human Struggles 25:22 The Nature of Suffering and Divine Trust 27:35 The Struggle with Fertility and the Devil's Hatred 29:45 The Symbolism of Temptation and Control 31:23 The Gnostic Influence and the Body's Reality 33:17 The Metaphor of Weeds and Spiritual Growth 35:35 The Power of Names and Symbolism in Temptation 37:39 The Journey of Writing and Personal Growth 42:28 Seasons of Life and the Role of Women 46:30 Final Thoughts and Resources 47:56 Thanks for watching_click for ebook (1).mp4 https://www.snstephenson.com/ Samantha's book, Reclaiming Motherhood from a Culture Gone Mad: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1681927756/ Samantha's article, "Birth Control Nearly Killed Me": https://naturalwomanhood.org/cant-take-birth-control-i-use-a-fam-instead/?mc_cid=6d85a495ef Samantha's podcast, "Brave New Us": https://www.snstephenson.com/brave-new-us-podcast-1 Samantha's blog "Mama Prays": https://www.snstephenson.com/mama-prays Samantha's FemCatholic Posts: https://www.femcatholic.com/people/samantha-stephenson Samantha's books and articles: https://www.snstephenson.com/writing Samantha's Faith + Bioethics Newsletter: https://www.faithandbioethics.com/ The Bellbind Letters: The Bellbind Letters: Inside the Devil's Plan for Your Motherhood - Kindle edition by Stephenson, Samantha N.. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. The Ruth Institute is building an interfaith coalition to defend the family. For in-depth conversations to help you make strong arguments, the Ruth Institute's main YouTube channel is your place! For short-form content, check out Ruth Clips: https://www.youtube.com/ @RuthClips For our interviews and speeches with other media, check out Ruth Out and About https://www.youtube.com/ @ruthoutandabout Subscribe to our newsletter to get a pdf of our report: Refuting the Top 5 Gay Myths https://ruthinstitute.org/refute-the-top-five-myths/
If you think spiritual warfare only shows up in dramatic moments, C.S. Lewis would disagree and so do we. This conversation starts with a big announcement: we're planting a church in Tyler, Texas, and reintroducing the show as the King's Banner Podcast. From there, we open The Screwtape Letters and let Lewis' “letters from a demon” expose the everyday strategies that quietly anesthetize Christians.We talk about how a culture addicted to trendiness and tribal jargon trains people to avoid true and false questions, and how that same pressure tempts churches to go vague on doctrine just to keep things comfortable. We also get painfully practical about relationships: how close family and friend dynamics can become a breeding ground for petty irritation, how “prayer requests” can turn into gossip, and how bitterness can wear religious language like a mask.Then we push into identity and discipleship. Are you becoming a different person in each social circle? Are you stuck in a courtesy trap where nobody will say what they really believe? We also challenge emotionalism in Christian life: spiritual highs are not the same as repentance, and real worship often looks like obedience in a dry season when God feels absent.If you want a sharper view of temptation, Christian growth, and what faithful action looks like, hit play, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find it. What part of The Screwtape Letters feels uncomfortably familiar right now?Send us Fan MailSupport the show
Join Kayce Eilerman as she pulls wisdom from C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters to expose a subtle strategy that wrecks Christian community: get believers to fixate on annoyances until they stop seeing the spiritual reality of the church. From there, we get practical with four anchor habits that can rebuild trust, heal church hurt, and move you from spectator to family: stay meeting, stay eating, stay low, and stay close. We talk about why most New Testament commands only work in community, why meals and small groups make people human instead of stereotypes, and why serving is a pathway to humility and freedom.Thanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook or YouTube.
In this episode I am once again joined by Rebekah Sturgill, mother, school teacher, and convert to Orthodox Christianity. Rebekah discusses the contemplative methods of Orthodox Christianity; shares one of the tradition's core practices, the Jesus Prayer; and discusses the importance of the liturgical year. Rebekah explorex the phenomenology of a felt sense of Christ, explains the ideal of theosis, and reveals why the imagination is discouraged in Orthodox practice. Rebekah also details the Orthodox view on demons, compares it to popular depictions in books and films, and offers her own experience of the supernatural dimensions of the spiritual war for the human will. … Video version: www.guruviking.com Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast'. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 00:48 - Practice of Orthodox Christianity 03:37 - Time, community, and individual practice 10:51 - Learning how to be an Orthodox Christian 13:50 - The Jesus Prayer 16:11 - Against the imaginal 17:11 - Breathing practice in the Jesus Prayer 18:51 - Focusing on Christ 22:17 - A felt sense of Christ 24:38 - Phenomenology of meditation 26:49 - False vision and dangers of the imagination 29:50 - Warnings and special experiences 32:29 - Community as a check on spiritual pride 33:52 - Theosis and the goal of Orthodox Christian practice 38:36 - The heat of God 40:42 - Ethics and positive behavioural change 44:57 - The ethical ideal of Christ 47:18 - Angels, demons, and supernatural entities 51:08 - Screwtape Letters and the ontology of demons 53:59 - Theories of demonology 55:35 - War for the human will 58:56 - Levels of understanding 01:01:41 - How much should catechumens be taught about demons? 01:06:00 - Orthodoxy is in vogue … Previous episode with Rebekah Sturgill: - https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=sturgill For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - https://www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi' by Steve James
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a topic that is drifting away from its biblical moorings and increasingly misunderstood in culture: exorcism. Even individuals who would not consider themselves Christians are familiar with the Lord's Prayer, which includes the line, “deliver us from evil.” But what does that mean, and why the sudden cultural interest in exorcism? Episode Links Dr. White mentioned a book that he wrote called The Prayer God Longs For. It walks through the Lord's Prayer, including a chapter that focuses on the deliverance from evil or the "evil one" (Satan). You can find it as an ebook on Church & Culture HERE. He also mentioned the work of C.S. Lewis called The Screwtape Letters - a fascinating book about the nature of temptation and demonic work in our lives. You can find that book at The Grounds Bookstore and Café HERE. Another resource that Dr. White mentioned, which you can also find in The Grounds, is Lee Strobel's Seeing the Supernatural. You can find that book HERE. The discussion continued with a look at who Satan is, and an overview of the world of the occult. There are so many ways that the occult invades culture today, and most people are not even aware of it. There was a series that Dr. White delivered at Mecklenburg Community Church a number of years ago on the subject called “Paranormal.” The installments of this series include the map of the spiritual world, the marks of the occult, and the armor of God. There are also some past podcast episodes that you may want to go back and listen to related to today's conversation including: CCP151: On Spirits and Ghosts, CCP77: On Angels, CCP66: On Satanism, and CCP58: On Your Horoscope and Starbucks. Finally, there are two articles that were mentioned in today's episode that you may be interested in reading. The first is written by Kaya Burgess in The Telegraph titled “Demand for exorcisms rises as faithful want ‘deliverance from evil.'” The second article was just released this week in the London Times, written by Tom Kington, and titled “Devil worshippers are using AI, exorcists are warned” discussing fears that pedophiles are using AI to create images of children participating in satanic rites. For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
The culture's biggest lie about good and evil is that they're equal and opposite forces locked in an endless cosmic tug-of-war. Al, Zach, John Luke, and Christian explore why that idea quietly reshapes how we see God, Satan, heaven, and hell — and why C.S. Lewis insists it falls apart under real Christian theology. From Jesus' temptation in the wilderness to Lewis' picture of hell as a shrinking, hollow existence, the guys explore how evil is a distortion of what God created as good. In this episode: Matthew 4, verses 1–11; 1 John 2, verses 15–17; 1 Timothy 6, verses 11–16; 2 Corinthians 12, verses 7–10; Hebrews 12, verses 26–28; 1 Kings 8, verse 27; Acts 7 Today's conversation is about Lesson 7 of C.S. Lewis on Christianity taught by visiting Hillsdale professor Michael Ward. Take the course with us at no cost to you! Sign up at http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/. More about C.S. Lewis on Christianity: Encounter the faith & wisdom of C.S. Lewis C.S. Lewis's writings bring the great questions of the Christian faith to life. Through his imaginative and invigorating style, Lewis answers these questions in ways that are compelling to those outside Christianity and energizing to those within the Christian faith. In this free, seven-lecture course, Professor Michael Ward—a leading scholar of C.S. Lewis—will explore Lewis's: argument for objective moral value in response to the rise of modern subjectivism; bittersweet path to conversion and the role of enjoyment in the Christian life; advice regarding the proper way to pray and read the Bible; teachings concerning the purpose of pain and how to confront suffering and loss; insights about the nature of heaven and hell. This course examines these fundamental topics not only through his classic works—including Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and The Abolition of Man—but also through Lewis's personal experiences with doubt, conversion, suffering, grief, and joy. Through this course, students will discover Lewis's core lessons regarding the truth and goodness of the Christian faith and how to apply those lessons to one's life. Join us today in discovering C.S. Lewis's enduring lessons about the meaning and practice of Christianity. Sign up at http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/ Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/at-home-with-phil-robertson/id1835224621 Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts. Chapters: 00:00 Jesus vs. Satan Arm Wrestling 05:12 Why Satan Isn't Jesus' Equal 09:40 The Temptation of Jesus & True Authority 15:05 Plato's Dilemma & What Makes Something Good 20:40 Heaven Isn't Hell's Opposite 26:05 Annihilation, Eternal Torment & Lewis' View 31:30 Can There Be Pain in Heaven? 36:10 When Suffering Turns Into Glory 41:20 Bureaucracy & How Evil Operates 46:10 Taking Hold of Eternal Life Now — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of How to Deal When the Sht Gets Real*, I sit down with author Ryan Rush — known on social media as Gentleman Outlaw — to talk about the Constitution, political dialogue, and what it means to approach disagreement with curiosity instead of contempt.We explore how to have conversations across ideological lines, why understanding opposing viewpoints matters, and how reading deeply shapes stronger thinking. Ryan also shares insights from The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis and why learning, critical thought, and intellectual humility are essential in today's cultural climate.In this episode, we discuss:• The importance of the Constitution in modern political conversations• How to engage in civil discourse across party lines• Curiosity over outrage• Why reading builds discernment• Lessons from C.S. Lewis and The Screwtape Letters• The value of understanding both sides of an argumentThis is a conversation about thoughtful dialogue, intellectual growth, and choosing understanding over division.
Max McLean of Fellowship for Performing Arts shares what audiences can expect as The Screwtape Letters comes to Popejoy Hall at University of New Mexico—a powerful stage adaptation of The Screwtape Letters that brings wit, drama, and timeless themes to life. Fellowship for Performing Arts | Producing theatre from a Christian worldview The post Max McLean appeared first on ABQ Connect.
Is the Devil sexist? Yes, and No. Satan has a war chest of spiritual deceptions in his arsenal; some are tailored specifically for women, says Christian author and speaker Emily Wilson Hussem. It doesn't matter the age, the enemy tries to destroy women with discouragement, sorrow, and even despair in life against the particular light that women bring to the world. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Hussem talks about her book Sincerely, Stoneheart. It's modeled after C.S. Lewis' famous book The Screwtape Letters, about a senior devil agent named Screwtape, writing to a junior agent about how to corrupt and discourage God's image bearers. While Satan attacks both men and women, there is a very specific way he goes after women. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The guys confess their most egregious romance fails from forgotten birthdays, last-minute Valentine's plans, and bookstore traditions gone stale to wildly different philosophies on “setting the bar” in marriage. Al uses the pain of romance to highlight another truth: there's pain that hurts, and pain that alters. That distinction becomes personal as Zach opens up about his mother's long battle with early-onset dementia and the complicated grief that followed her passing. The conversation turns to one of Christianity's hardest realities: if God is good and all-powerful, why does so much suffering continue in the world? In this episode: Ecclesiastes 3, verse 11; Psalm 90, verse 12; Hebrews 12, verse 2; Colossians 2, verses 20–23; Romans 1, verses 24–25; Romans 8, verses 20–23; 1 John 2, verses 15–16; 1 John 4, verses 8–10 Today's conversation is about Lesson 6 of C.S. Lewis on Christianity taught by visiting Hillsdale professor Michael Ward. Take the course with us at no cost to you! Sign up at http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/. More about C.S. Lewis on Christianity: Encounter the faith & wisdom of C.S. Lewis C.S. Lewis's writings bring the great questions of the Christian faith to life. Through his imaginative and invigorating style, Lewis answers these questions in ways that are compelling to those outside Christianity and energizing to those within the Christian faith. In this free, seven-lecture course, Professor Michael Ward—a leading scholar of C.S. Lewis—will explore Lewis's: argument for objective moral value in response to the rise of modern subjectivism; bittersweet path to conversion and the role of enjoyment in the Christian life; advice regarding the proper way to pray and read the Bible; teachings concerning the purpose of pain and how to confront suffering and loss; insights about the nature of heaven and hell. This course examines these fundamental topics not only through his classic works—including Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and The Abolition of Man—but also through Lewis's personal experiences with doubt, conversion, suffering, grief, and joy. Through this course, students will discover Lewis's core lessons regarding the truth and goodness of the Christian faith and how to apply those lessons to one's life. Join us today in discovering C.S. Lewis's enduring lessons about the meaning and practice of Christianity. Sign up at http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/ Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/at-home-with-phil-robertson/id1835224621 Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts. Chapters: 00:00 Valentine's Day Fails & Romantic Confessions 05:10 The Problem of Pain Explained 11:45 Is God All-Powerful & All-Loving? 18:20 Free Will, Satan & the Origin of Evil 26:30 Jesus' Suffering Before the Resurrection 33:40 Personal Loss: Dementia, Grief & Faith 42:10 “Pain Is God's Megaphone” 48:30 A Grief Observed & Wrestling With God 55:00 God Is Love & the Reality of Eternity — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Zach, Al, Christian, and John Luke dig into why unanswered prayers can feel like personal rejection from God—and how faith survives that silence. Zach surprises everyone first with his unexpected knowledge of cosmic anomalies, then with an embarrassing middle school dance rejection story he's clearly still not over. The conversation turns to C.S. Lewis's struggle with loss, doubt, and the “sincerity spiral” that nearly drove him from faith. His journey becomes a hopeful illustration of how to move your prayer life beyond fear and into something both deeply sincere and thoughtfully rooted in Christ. In this episode: Romans 12, chapters 1–2; Romans 8, verses 18–27; Genesis 1, verse 28; John 1, verses 1–2; John 1, verse 14; John 5, verse 39; Luke 24, verses 13–35; Colossians 2, verses 20–23; 2 Peter 1, verse 4 Today's conversation is about Lesson 5 of C.S. Lewis on Christianity taught by visiting Hillsdale professor Michael Ward. Take the course with us at no cost to you! Sign up at http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/. More about C.S. Lewis on Christianity: Encounter the faith & wisdom of C.S. Lewis C.S. Lewis's writings bring the great questions of the Christian faith to life. Through his imaginative and invigorating style, Lewis answers these questions in ways that are compelling to those outside Christianity and energizing to those within the Christian faith. In this free, seven-lecture course, Professor Michael Ward—a leading scholar of C.S. Lewis—will explore Lewis's: argument for objective moral value in response to the rise of modern subjectivism; bittersweet path to conversion and the role of enjoyment in the Christian life; advice regarding the proper way to pray and read the Bible; teachings concerning the purpose of pain and how to confront suffering and loss; insights about the nature of heaven and hell. This course examines these fundamental topics not only through his classic works—including Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and The Abolition of Man—but also through Lewis's personal experiences with doubt, conversion, suffering, grief, and joy. Through this course, students will discover Lewis's core lessons regarding the truth and goodness of the Christian faith and how to apply those lessons to one's life. Join us today in discovering C.S. Lewis's enduring lessons about the meaning and practice of Christianity. Sign up at http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/ Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/at-home-with-phil-robertson/id1835224621 Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts. Chapters: 00:00 Prayer Pushed Lewis to Atheism 03:02 Losing His Mom & Losing His Faith 07:48 The Sincerity Spiral 13:10 The Union of Wills 18:42 Romans 8 & Wordless Groans 24:08 Breaking the Self-Imposed Spell 30:05 Stop Standing in the Corner 36:20 The Word Made Flesh 41:15 Reading the Bible by Genre 45:12 Christ Unlocks Scripture 48:22 Hearts Set on Fire — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Are you a Christian who loves fantasy and science fiction, but is tired of stories that mock, dismiss, or outright attack faith? You're not alone.In this episode of Fantasy for the Ages, Jim shares 10 outstanding fantasy and sci-fi reading recommendations for Christians who want great storytelling that aligns with, explores, or is deeply informed by a Christian worldview. These aren't sermons in disguise—but thoughtful, imaginative, and often powerful stories that wrestle with good and evil, sacrifice, redemption, hope, and what it means to live faithfully in a broken world.Rather than a single Top 10, this video breaks the recommendations into three ranked categories:• Books where Christianity is an explicit and central focus• Stories where Christian belief is foundational but not front-and-center• Genre classics heavily shaped by Christian themes and moral frameworksFeatured works include Pilgrims, The Screwtape Letters, The Chronicles of Narnia, Dune, and The Lord of the Rings — along with several others that Christian readers consistently find meaningful and uplifting.Whether you're looking for encouragement, inspiration, or simply a good book that won't leave you discouraged, this list is for you.
In this world, you're not going to be liked for one reason or another. In fact, you might even be hated. We talk sometimes about what we'd like to be remembered for—or about what we'd like to be known or admired for. But what would you like to be hated for? Someday, maybe even today, someone is going to see you or hear you and get angry and "gnash their teeth," as the Psalmist says. Join Pastor Chris as he looks at three Scripture passages to discover ways we can faithfully live in a contentious world divided by tribal factions.
Al, Zach, John Luke, and Christian wrestle with why intimacy feels so difficult for American men—both with God and in marriage. Following along with C.S. Lewis's Surprised by Joy, they explore how knowledge alone can't produce real closeness, and why desire and longing shape the way men actually live. The guys challenge the idea that faith is about mastering concepts instead of participating in a relationship. They point toward a hopeful vision of intimacy that isn't forced or performed, but rediscovered through joy, presence, and learning to live inside God's story rather than observing it from a distance. Today's conversation is about Lesson 3-4 of C.S. Lewis on Christianity taught by visiting Hillsdale professor Michael Ward. Take the course with us at no cost to you! Sign up at http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/. More about C.S. Lewis on Christianity: Encounter the faith & wisdom of C.S. Lewis C.S. Lewis's writings bring the great questions of the Christian faith to life. Through his imaginative and invigorating style, Lewis answers these questions in ways that are compelling to those outside Christianity and energizing to those within the Christian faith. In this free, seven-lecture course, Professor Michael Ward—a leading scholar of C.S. Lewis—will explore Lewis's: argument for objective moral value in response to the rise of modern subjectivism; bittersweet path to conversion and the role of enjoyment in the Christian life; advice regarding the proper way to pray and read the Bible; teachings concerning the purpose of pain and how to confront suffering and loss; insights about the nature of heaven and hell. This course examines these fundamental topics not only through his classic works—including Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and The Abolition of Man—but also through Lewis's personal experiences with doubt, conversion, suffering, grief, and joy. Through this course, students will discover Lewis's core lessons regarding the truth and goodness of the Christian faith and how to apply those lessons to one's life. Join us today in discovering C.S. Lewis's enduring lessons about the meaning and practice of Christianity. Sign up at http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/ Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/at-home-with-phil-robertson/id1835224621 Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts. Chapters: 00:00 Why This C.S. Lewis Lecture Is Tough 03:02 When the Philosophy Gets Heavy 06:42 The Inklings & Writing Under Critique 11:06 Why Lewis's Conversion Feels Underwhelming 15:26 Conversion Isn't Always a Moment 20:08 Why Desire Drives Our Actions 25:26 The Beam of Light Explained 31:12 Joy as Longing, Not Satisfaction 36:58 From Holding the Garden to Living in It 42:26 Conversion as Intimacy, Not Performance 47:12 Final Reflections on Living the Story — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Robertsons dig into why truth doesn't always play well in modern culture, and why Jesus wouldn't be popular in a TikTok world built on virality and approval. The guys talk through everything from their long-running distrust of dentists to why being pro-life isn't a matter of personal preference or opinion. They reflect on how stories like The Chronicles of Narnia communicate hard truths better than arguments ever could and why true change is often so uncomfortable. Today's conversation is about Lesson 2 of C.S. Lewis on Christianity taught by visiting Hillsdale professor Michael Ward. Take the course with us at no cost to you! Sign up at http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/. More about C.S. Lewis on Christianity: Encounter the faith & wisdom of C.S. Lewis C.S. Lewis's writings bring the great questions of the Christian faith to life. Through his imaginative and invigorating style, Lewis answers these questions in ways that are compelling to those outside Christianity and energizing to those within the Christian faith. In this free, seven-lecture course, Professor Michael Ward—a leading scholar of C.S. Lewis—will explore Lewis's: argument for objective moral value in response to the rise of modern subjectivism; bittersweet path to conversion and the role of enjoyment in the Christian life; advice regarding the proper way to pray and read the Bible; teachings concerning the purpose of pain and how to confront suffering and loss; insights about the nature of heaven and hell. This course examines these fundamental topics not only through his classic works—including Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and The Abolition of Man—but also through Lewis's personal experiences with doubt, conversion, suffering, grief, and joy. Through this course, students will discover Lewis's core lessons regarding the truth and goodness of the Christian faith and how to apply those lessons to one's life. Join us today in discovering C.S. Lewis's enduring lessons about the meaning and practice of Christianity. Sign up at http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/ Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/at-home-with-phil-robertson/id1835224621 Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts. Chapters: 0:00 – All good conversations need caffeine 4:05 – Why studying C.S. Lewis still matters today 8:25 – “I can't believe anything unless it makes sense” 13:10 – Objective truth vs. subjective feelings 18:20 – The problem of evil & why moral outrage points to God 23:55 – How suffering backed C.S. Lewis into Christianity 29:10 – Tolkien, Dyson, & relaxing into the Christian story 34:40 – Faith as participation, not just belief 40:05 – Why C.S. Lewis wouldn't be popular in today's culture 45:30 – Christianity isn't safe but it is good — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this book club recap conversation, Sarah, Erin, and Rachel talk through one of the most beloved spiritual classics of the modern era: C.S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters. How does Screwtape offer us a unique perspective on the nature of spiritual warfare? What do we learn about temptations large and small? How does the devil seek to tempt us, in large ways and small? In what way does this book open our eyes to the nature of heavenly (vs. hellish) love and the eternal realities that quietly underly all our earthly experiences? At the end of the episode, Rachel reveals the Ladies' next book club pick, one that weds three crowd-favorite genres (classic literature, historical fiction, and children's literature): Elizabeth Goudge's The Little White Horse. Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies' Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), and Erin (@erinaltered) on Instagram! Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.
Al, Zach, John Luke, and Christian reflect on a moment when Phil, a man who rarely got emotional, was moved to tears after witnessing the reality of unimaginable evil. The guys launch into a sobering conversation about why atrocities like the Holocaust can never be reduced to opinion or explained away, and why denying such evil ultimately erodes the very idea of right and wrong. Drawing on the works of C.S. Lewis, they wrestle with where moral truth comes from, why it exists beyond personal preference, and how abandoning it opens the door to history's darkest chapters. Today's conversation is about Lesson 1 of C.S. Lewis on Christianity taught by visiting Hillsdale professor Michael Ward. Take the course with us at no cost to you! Sign up at http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/. More about C.S. Lewis on Christianity: Encounter the faith & wisdom of C.S. Lewis C.S. Lewis's writings bring the great questions of the Christian faith to life. Through his imaginative and invigorating style, Lewis answers these questions in ways that are compelling to those outside Christianity and energizing to those within the Christian faith. In this free, seven-lecture course, Professor Michael Ward—a leading scholar of C.S. Lewis—will explore Lewis's: argument for objective moral value in response to the rise of modern subjectivism; bittersweet path to conversion and the role of enjoyment in the Christian life; advice regarding the proper way to pray and read the Bible; teachings concerning the purpose of pain and how to confront suffering and loss; insights about the nature of heaven and hell. This course examines these fundamental topics not only through his classic works—including Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and The Abolition of Man—but also through Lewis's personal experiences with doubt, conversion, suffering, grief, and joy. Through this course, students will discover Lewis's core lessons regarding the truth and goodness of the Christian faith and how to apply those lessons to one's life. Join us today in discovering C.S. Lewis's enduring lessons about the meaning and practice of Christianity. Sign up at http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/ Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/at-home-with-phil-robertson/id1835224621 Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts. Chapters: 00:00 — Straight from the duck blind to the podcast table 05:18 — Why studying C.S. Lewis is different from studying Scripture 10:02 — What a Christian “apologist” actually is (and isn't) 15:44 — How C.S. Lewis moved from atheism to belief 21:31 — Objective vs. subjective morality explained 28:47 — Auschwitz, evil, and why some truths are self-evident 35:12 — What happens when “might makes right” 41:26 — Can morality exist without God? 48:39 — Why C.S. Lewis still matters today — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The fellas reflect on fatherhood for a bit before diving into Screwtape Letters and the current news cycle (pretty juicy this week!). Highlights include: Raising dating age daughters Stella throws a tantrum Screwtape Chapter 6 Bill & Hillary duck subpoenas French men declare a Christian Nation Alberta seeks to secede from Canada Are we getting [...]
How noisy is hell? That was a question C.S. Lewis pondered in Screwtape Letters. It seemed to Lewis that one of the devil's best schemes is to keep people distracted from a mindset anchored in the reality of God. Is this the real problem in America today...the one no one seems to want to talk about? We are as we look forward to 2026 and the mission work that must be done here in the USA. Please join in the inspiring conversation this week on TPS®. Topic: Our Mission The Public Square® Long Format with hosts Wayne Shephed and David Zanotti thepublicsquare.com Release Date: Friday, January 16th 2026
A new week means new questions! Hope you have fun with these!The Oscars are presented by which professional honorary organization Headquartered in Beverly Hills, California?The French company Van Cleef & Arpels is a business mainly specializing in what?A quay is a structure primarily built on or along what kind of geographical feature?The first successful tornado warning in history occurred in 1948 at Tinker Air Field Air Force Base near what city?Till We Have Faces, The Great Divorce, and The Screwtape Letters are lesser-known novels by which author?In video and tabletop games, what does "NPC" stand for?Biellmann Spin, Lutz, and Crossover are all terms used in which sport?In a computer or video gaming system, what does the acronym GPU stand for?H2O2 is the chemical structure for what common product?In Greek myth, which monster was beheaded by the hero Perseus?Before decimalisation in the UK, how many pence made a shilling?The German state that existed from 1701 to 1918 was known as the Kingdom of what?Chad Kroeger and his Canadian chums enjoy this slightly sweet dark rye bread from Germany.In military tech, falconets, culverins, and carronades were all types of what?On The Office, what are the awards called that Michael hands out to his employees?MusicHot Swing, Fast Talkin, Bass Walker, Dances and Dames, Ambush by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Don't forget to follow us on social media:Patreon – patreon.com/quizbang – Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Check out our fun extras for patrons and help us keep this podcast going. We appreciate any level of support!Website – quizbangpod.com Check out our website, it will have all the links for social media that you need and while you're there, why not go to the contact us page and submit a question!Facebook – @quizbangpodcast – we post episode links and silly lego pictures to go with our trivia questions. Enjoy the silly picture and give your best guess, we will respond to your answer the next day to give everyone a chance to guess.Instagram – Quiz Quiz Bang Bang (quizquizbangbang), we post silly lego pictures to go with our trivia questions. Enjoy the silly picture and give your best guess, we will respond to your answer the next day to give everyone a chance to guess.Twitter – @quizbangpod We want to start a fun community for our fellow trivia lovers. If you hear/think of a fun or challenging trivia question, post it to our twitter feed and we will repost it so everyone can take a stab it. Come for the trivia – stay for the trivia.Ko-Fi – ko-fi.com/quizbangpod – Keep that sweet caffeine running through our body with a Ko-Fi, power us through a late night of fact checking and editing!
We begin 2026 with a question: What if the most decisive battles in our time aren't fought with ballots or bombs—but with the imagination?Watch the full conversation on YouTube Russell Moore talks with historian and author Joseph Loconte about The War for Middle-earth, his book on how World War I and World War II forged the friendship, faith, and fiction of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. Together they explore why The Lord of the Rings and Narnia weren't escapist detours from reality, but a deliberate counter-assault on cynicism, propaganda, and the will to power—written by men who had seen the trenches up close and knew exactly what modern darkness looks like. Loconte and Moore talk about why World War I has slipped from our cultural memory, what protected Tolkien from the disillusionment that swallowed so many of his peers, and why both writers keep insisting that deeds done in the dark are “not wholly in vain.” They also discuss Lewis's warning about the “cataract of nonsense” in modern media, and why genuine friendship is almost never built by chasing “community”—but by pursuing a shared mission so compelling you find yourself fighting alongside someone. Loconte shares the origin story of the Lewis–Tolkien friendship, why grace—not grit—is the hinge point in both Middle-earth and Narnia, and where to start if you've never read either author: The Screwtape Letters for Lewis, and Tolkien's short, haunting “Leaf by Niggle.” Resources mentioned in this episode: By J.R.R. Tolkien The Lord of the Rings The Hobbit Leaf by Niggle The Fall of Gondolin “Beren and Lúthien” (legendarium story) By C.S. Lewis The Screwtape Letters The Chronicles of NarniaOut of the Silent Planet That Hideous Strength The Space Trilogy The Four Loves Spirits in Bondage (early poetry collection) “Learning in Wartime” (sermon/essay) By Joseph Loconte The War for Middle-earth A Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War Other Literary & Historical Works Referenced All Quiet on the Western Front — Erich Maria Remarque Paradise Lost — John Milton The Odyssey — Homer The Aeneid — Virgil The Divine Comedy — Dante Plato's Cave (from The Republic) — Plato Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss C.S. Lewis' explanation of hell before introducing Michael Ward. C.S. Lewis’s writings bring the great questions of the Christian faith to life. Through his imaginative and invigorating style, Lewis answers these questions in ways that are compelling to those outside Christianity and energizing to those within the Christian faith. C.S. Lewis writes that “we know much more about heaven than hell, for heaven is the home of humanity.” The Screwtape Letters and The Great Divorce vividly illustrate the meaning of this statement, as Lewis shows that heaven was prepared for humans to become most fully themselves, while hell is a place for those who have abolished their humanity.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss C.S. Lewis' explanation of hell before introducing Michael Ward. C.S. Lewis’s writings bring the great questions of the Christian faith to life. Through his imaginative and invigorating style, Lewis answers these questions in ways that are compelling to those outside Christianity and energizing to those within the Christian faith. C.S. Lewis writes that “we know much more about heaven than hell, for heaven is the home of humanity.” The Screwtape Letters and The Great Divorce vividly illustrate the meaning of this statement, as Lewis shows that heaven was prepared for humans to become most fully themselves, while hell is a place for those who have abolished their humanity.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We tend to believe contentment is always just around the corner. One change away. One upgrade away. One new season away. But what if that belief is the very thing stealing joy from our lives?John Ortberg reflects on wisdom from C. S. Lewis and The Screwtape Letters, inviting us to rediscover God's gift of rhythm: change and permanence held together. Seasons that repeat. Days that feel familiar. Moments we rush past without seeing the miracle inside them.Contentment, it turns out, isn't about getting a new life. It's about seeing the same life with new eyes. Eyes of gratitude. Eyes of love.What if today, right now, is more than enough?
Read between the theological lines of C.S. Lewis' classic masterpiece and religious satire, penned from the POV of a demon serving in the bureaucracy of Hell. Ben will explore the wildly comic and strikingly original letters from one demon to another, as the pair seek to undermine the Christian faith and tempt man into extravagantly wicked and deplorable sins. - - - Today's Sponsors: Helix - Go to https://helixsleep.com/ben for an exclusive offer. Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) - Visit https://JoinADF.com/BEN or Text “BEN” to 83848 to add your name to their declaration and side with truth and fairness. Balance of Nature - New and existing customers can go to https://balanceofnature.com and get 50% off the Whole Health System FOR LIFE. - - -
Marty Solomon, Brent Billings, and Reed Dent discuss courage. The regular episode is preceded by some thoughts on Josh Bossé from Reed and Brent.Support for Sophia and Ronen after the loss of Josh — GoFundMeFor Josh — Text in UsRemembering Josh Bossé — Brent Billings“When I Am Among the Trees” by Mary Oliver in Thirst“The Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry in The Selected Poems of Wendell BerryDaily Prayer with the Corrymeela Community by Pádraig Ó TuamaThe Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis“Just Do It” Motivational Speech by Shia LaBeouf — YouTubeBEMA 39: A King After God's Own HeartRocky IV (1985 film) — Letterboxd
Brent Billings, Reed Dent, and Elle Grover Fricks talk about the virtue of temperance.A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again by David Foster Wallace“A Thousand No's for Every Yes” — YouTubeMere Christianity by C. S. LewisThe Screwtape Letters by C. S. LewisThe Cardinal and the Deadly by Karl Clifton-SoderstromFace with Steam From Nose — EmojipediaDedicated by Pete Davis
Who is Satan? People tend toward two misunderstandings in their beliefs about the devil, and Christians must be careful to avoid both. Today, R.C. Sproul looks to Scripture for the truth concerning the adversary of God's people. For your donation of any amount, get C.S. Lewis' classic book The Screwtape Letters, plus R.C. Sproul's video teaching series Angels and Demons. We'll send you the DVD and give you lifetime digital access to all 8 messages and the study guide: https://gift.renewingyourmind.org/4404/offer Live outside the U.S. and Canada? Get the digital teaching series and study guide with your donation: https://www.renewingyourmind.org/global Meet Today's Teacher: R.C. Sproul (1939–2017) was founder of Ligonier Ministries, first minister of preaching and teaching at Saint Andrew's Chapel, first president of Reformation Bible College, and executive editor of Tabletalk magazine. Meet the Host: Nathan W. Bingham is vice president of media for Ligonier Ministries, executive producer and host of Renewing Your Mind, and host of the Ask Ligonier podcast. Renewing Your Mind is a donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts