What makes a mid-century Oxford don the go-to guide for people wrestling with faith, doubt, and meaning today? In this episode we welcome back esteemed historian Dr. Mark Noll as he helps us explore how C.S. Lewis became a trusted voice in American life, why his work crosses denominational lines, and how his unique blend of logic and imagination keeps winning new readers.

We start with the story: a brilliant student who lost his faith, survived the trenches of World War I, and slowly returned to Christianity through moral reasoning and wonder. Dr. Noll walks us through Clive Staples' early scholarship, his wartime talks to RAF airmen, and the BBC broadcasts that taught him clarity and brevity. Then the pivot: The Screwtape Letters explodes in the U.S., Macmillan Publishers rolls out more titles, and soon Mere Christianity and the Chronicles of Narnia anchor a new kind of public faith—thoughtful, accessible, and deeply human.

Along the way, we unpack why Lewis resonated first with Roman Catholic academics, why evangelicals embraced him later, and how Mere Christianity let him speak across traditions without flattening convictions. We also look at the space trilogy’s moral universe, the stark honesty of A Grief Observed, and the enduring pull of Aslan’s world. Mark argues that Lewis’ refusal to chase headlines is exactly why he feels current: he wrote about conscience, choice, and meaning, not the news cycle. That timelessness, paired with luminous storytelling, makes his books surprisingly portable across languages and cultures.

If you’re new to Lewis, we offer clear starting points based on temperament—reasons, wonder, or lament—and explain how each path reveals the same center: reality is morally textured and grace interrupts. If you’re a longtime reader, you’ll appreciate fresh context on his American reception and why his scholarship still matters.

If you'd like to learn more from Dr. Mark Noll you can purchase his book, C.S. Lewis in America: Readings and Reception, and read his work through publishing partners.

And please don't forget to share this episode and join the conversation on YouTube!

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