Wade Center

Less than a year after his conversion, C.S. Lewis wrote The Pilgrim's Regress in only two weeks while visiting his friend Arthur Greeves in Ireland. Lewis's thick landscape of literary allusions, quotes, and philosophical criticism has long thwarted interested readers. In this week's episode, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing sit down with Producer Aaron Hill to pull back the curtain on Lewis's allegorical apology of Christianity, reason, and romanticism.

These days, discussions about demons and temptation are an uncommon occurrence—at least sober ones. In this week’s episode, Dr. Jerry Root sits down with Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing to discuss The Screwtape Letters (1942) by C.S. Lewis. What inspired Lewis to write this series of letters from Screwtape to his nephew. Wormwood? And what can we learn about ourselves, temptation, and the slow and gradual road to hell from this admittedly satirical, humorous, and somehow perennially relevant book?

"Come further up and further in." After telling us of first things in The Magician's Nephew, Lewis finally reveals the last things—the end times—of Narnia. Join Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing as they conclude a seven-part series on The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. In this final episode, David and Crystal explore profound truths in The Last Battle about salvation, the selfish misuse of God's name for selfish gain, and why it is truer to say "believing is seeing," rather than "seeing is believing."

The Magician's Nephew was one of the most difficult books for Lewis to finish in the Narnia series. Why? In this sixth Into Narnia episode, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing explore the wonder and dangers contained within The Magician's Nephew. What inspired Lewis to write about Uncle Andrew, Jadis (the White Witch), the dying world of Charn, the Deplorable Word, the Wood Between the Worlds, and Digory's intensely personal journey to heal his mother and, ultimately, to prevent her untimely death.

Aslan lies at the back of every story in Narnia. In the fifth novel in The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis weaves a tale of separated twins, mistaken identity, escaping slaves, vast desserts, and a desperate escape to the North. Join Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing as they discuss The Horse and His Boy. This week David and Crystal sit down with Producer Aaron Hill to unpack Lewis's fascinating narrative about Shasta (or Cor), Bree, Aravis, Hwin and the importance of identity, God's work among non-Christian peoples, and the prejudices and biases that too easily cloud our judgments of others and of ourselves.

Rillian and Puddleglum and Glimfeather, oh my! The unique cast of giants, gnomes, knights, and witches sets The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis apart. Join Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing as they unpack the adventures of Eustace and Jill Pole in this fourth novel from The Chronicles of Narnia with Producer Aaron Hill. Follow along as the Downings unpack references to George MacDonald and Lilith, to Yahweh and Deuteronomy, to Hamlet and Ophelia, to Virgil and The Aeneid, and especially to the resurrection of the body from the New Testament.

"Where the waves grow sweet, Doubt not, Reepicheep, There is the utter East." This week Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing sit down with Producer Aaron Hill to explore the meaning and message of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the third installment in the The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Join Crystal and David as they discuss the Sehnsucht and sanctification, dragons and Dufflepuds, stars and Sea People, and eventually the Lion and the Lamb that Caspian, Lucy, Edmund, and Eustace discover at the World's End.

What can talking animals possibly teach us about evil, belief, and apostasy in this age of cynicism? Join Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing as the Wade Center Podcast continues to explore the meaning and message of The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. This week David and Crystal sit down with Producer Aaron Hill for a fascinating discussion about Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia and the nature of faith, the power of sanctification, and the threat of disenchantment in our modern world.

Why did C.S. Lewis, an Oxford professor, write children's books? And what is Father Christmas doing in Narnia? Join C.S. Lewis expert, Dr. David C. Downing (author of Into the Wardrobe) and Dr. Crystal Downing as the Wade Center Podcast begins a seven-part series to explore the meaning and message of The Chronicles of Narnia. In this first episode, David, Crystal and Producer Aaron Hill journey into the wardrobe, discussing everything from the evocative image that inspired the whole series, to why you really shouldn't betray your kin for Turkish delight, and so much more!

Can a detective novel without a grisly murder be any good? If Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers is any indication: Yes! In this episode, Dr. Crystal Downing—an expert on Sayers—sits down with Dr. David C. Downing and Producer Aaron Hill to discuss one of Sayers most unique, and perhaps best, novels. Crystal unravels the threads that make Gaudy Night such a witty, deep, and insightful story. What is Sayers saying in this subversive novel about the role of women in modern society as well as marriage, community, and the world of academia?