Wade Center

Latest Episodes:

The Importance of Being Vulgar w/ Dr. Christine Colón Jul 12, 2019

Show notes

Dorothy L. Sayers produced not just detective novels but stage and radio plays as well as vernacular translations of Dante's Divine Comedy, all for the masses. She aimed her work squarely at the non-elite or the "vulgar" masses. But why? This week, Dr. Christine Colón, Professor of English at Wheaton College, sits down with Crystal Downing and Marjorie Mead to discuss her new book, Writing for the Masses: Dorothy L. Sayers and the Literary Tradition.

Saint Gilbert: The Question of Chesterton's Legacy w/ Brian Daigle Jun 28, 2019

Show notes

Since his death in 1936, the voluminous work and razor sharp wit of G.K. Chesterton have impacted generations of Christians, especially Catholics. Brian Daigle, Headmaster of Sequitur Classical Academy in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, sits down with David and Crystal to discuss Chesterton's ongoing legacy and impact, not only as a journalist and novelist but as a theologian and Christian thinker.

C.S. Lewis, "The Almost Poet" w/ Don W. King Jun 14, 2019

Show notes

Is the man buried in Poet's Corner a great poet? In this week's episode Don W. King, Professor of English at Montreat College, sits down with Crystal and David to discuss the poetry of C.S. Lewis. Why did Lewis succeed as a novelist but not as a poet? Also, why did Lewis marry Joy Davidman but not Ruth Pitter, a fellow English poet?

"C.S. Lewis Only Wrote One Book ..." w/ Dr. Hal L. Poe May 31, 2019

Show notes

Dr. Harry Lee Poe argues that C.S. Lewis fell "in love with a story," and that he kept telling this "there and back again" story "over and over again." Dr. Poe is the Charles Colson Professor of Faith and Culture at Union University and an indirect descendant of Edgar Allan Poe. In this week's episode, he sits down with Crystal and David to discuss his latest project as well as his thesis about Lewis's one great idea.

Reviewing "Tolkien," w/ Dr. Holly Ordway and Laura Schmidt May 17, 2019

Show notes

The recently released "Tolkien" movie, starring Nicholas Hoult and Lily Collins and directed by Dome Karukoski, is shining a light on J.R.R. Tolkien's early life but does it offer an accurate picture? Dr. Holly Ordway and Laura Schmidt sit down with Crystal and David to offer their expert opinions on the film and discuss several missed opportunities. Their conclusion: Sometimes the truth about Tolkien's life is more cinematic than the biopic.

Buying and Selling the Inklings May 03, 2019

Show notes

Why would anyone forge C.S. Lewis's signature? It turns out, there is a thriving market for used and rare books by Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the other Inklings. Indeed, collectors pay thousands of dollars for a signed copy! Crystal and David sit down with Stan E. Shelley, of Shelley and Son Books, to learn about forged signatures and the fascinating world of rare books. Stay tuned until the end to hear an excerpt from an unpublished letter by Joy Davidman about falling in love with C.S. Lewis.

"The Messiah Comes to Middle-earth" w/ President Philip Ryken Apr 12, 2019

Show notes

President of Wheaton College, Dr. Philip Ryken sits down with Crystal and David this week to discuss his 2017 book The Messiah Comes to Middle-earth. Dr. Ryken addresses the inspiration for his book, based on his 2015-2016 Hansen lectures. He also discusses the difference between allegory and "applicability" in Tolkien, as the creator of The Lord of the Rings was famously averse to one-on-one correspondences in storytelling.

Doubting George MacDonald w/ Dr. Timothy Larsen Mar 29, 2019

Show notes

Scholars are fond of calling the Victorian era "the age of doubt" and skepticism. In this week's episode, Crystal and David discuss with Dr. Timothy Larsen the topic of his recent book, "George MacDonald in the Age of Miracles," a product of the Hansen Lectureship Series at the Wade Center. Dr. Larsen discusses the ways in which MacDonald sought to counteract skepticism and reclaim a belief in the miraculous. They also discuss MacDonald's place in Victorian literature and the impact of his fairy tales on the religious imagination.

Tolkien's Modern Sources w/ Dr. Holly Ordway Mar 15, 2019

Show notes

What or who inspired J.R.R. Tolkien as he created The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings? Most scholarship focuses on sources from the Middle Ages that inspired Tolkien's timeless tales. However, in this week's episode Dr. Holly Ordway sits down with Dr. David Downing and Laura Schmidt (Wade Archivist) to discuss the overlooked modern sources and authors who influenced Tolkien, based on her forthcoming book, Tolkien's Modern Sources: Middle-earth Beyond the Middle Ages. If you are a Tolkien fan, you do not want to miss this episode.

"America Discovers C.S. Lewis" w/ Dr. K. Alan Snyder Mar 01, 2019

Show notes

Dr. K. Alan Snyder discusses why Lewis is so famous in America as well as Lewis's own thoughts about America based on the research from his new book America Discovers C.S. Lewis: His Profound Impact. Tune in as Drs. Crystal and David Downing dig into Snyder's theories about why C.S. Lewis resonates so deeply with Americans.

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