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Women and C.S. Lewis is a collection of interviews and essays, from a group of distinguished scholars commissioned by the C.S. Lewis Foundation.
Critics say Lewis was sexist in his views on women. Opinion pieces by both eminent Lewis scholars and newer thinkers review Lewis's personal relationships with women and treatment of women in his writings. The book is drawn together in a final section which examines whether Lewis's views are relevant or out of touch for the twenty-first century.
Invited contributors range from scholars to bloggers and include Alister McGrath, Randy Alcorn, Monika Hilder, Colin Duriez, Crystal Hurd, Jeanette Sears, David C. Downing, Malcolm Guite, and others. Edited by Carolyn Curtis, veteran journalist and book author, and Mary Pomroy Key, Director, Special Programs, C.S. Lewis Foundation.
This multi-contributor volume is an essential read for both scholars and fans of Lewis and his writings.
Acknowledgments 11
INTRODUCTIONS
Was C.S. Lewis sexist? Is he relevant today? Carolyn Curtis 13
Not mere mortals Dr Mary Pomroy Key 21
SECTION ONE
Lewis, the man - and the women in his life 27
Chapter One
The enduring influence of Flora Lewis Dr Crystal Hurd 31
Chapter Two
What do we make of Lewis' relationship with Mrs Moore? Paul McCusker 41
Chapter Three
Helen Joy Davidman (Mrs C.S. Lewis) 1915-1960: a portrait Dr Lyle W. Dorsett 53
Chapter Four
Fire and Ice: why did Lewis marry Joy Davidman rather than Ruth Pitter? Dr Don W. King 65
Chapter Five
The Divine Comedy of C.S. Lewis and Dorothy L. Sayers Dr Crystal L. Downing 73
Chapter Six
On Tolkien, the Inklings - and Lewis' blindness to gender Dr Alister McGrath 79
Chapter Seven
C.S. Lewis and the friends who apparently couldn't really have been his friends, but actually were Colin Duriez 85
SECTION TWO
Lewis, the fiction author - how girls and women are portrayed in his novels 93
Chapter One
Are The Chronicles of Narnia sexist? Dr Devin Brown 95
Chapter Two
"The Abolition of Woman": gender and hierarchy in Lewis' Space Trilogy Steven Elmore 109
Chapter Three
"She is one of the great ones." The radical world of The Great Divorce Dr Joy Jordan-Lake 121
Chapter Four
The Pilgrim's Paradox: female characters in The Pilgrim's Regress Dr David C. Downing 127
Chapter Five
New perspectives: Till We Have Faces, The Four Loves, and other works Andrew Lazo 135
SECTION THREE
Lewis, the poet - surprises from his poetry 145
Chapter One
Setting the man-woman thing to rights Brad Davis 147
Chapter Two
Bridging the chasm between us Kelly Belmonte 155
Chapter Three
Getting our goddesses together: Lewis and the feminine voice in poetry Revd Dr Malcolm Guite 161
SECTION FOUR
Lewis, the influencer - how his life and literature impact the twenty-first century discussion about women 169
Chapter One
Jack, the "old woman" of Oxford: sexist or seer? Dr Monika B. Hilder 173
Chapter Two
A generation longing for C.S. Lewis Brett McCracken 187
Chapter Three
From feminist to mere Christian Dr Mary Poplin 191
Chapter Four
Lewis as teacher and servant... and my respectful disagreement on women as priests
Revd Dr Jeanette Sears 199
Chapter Five
On women's roles in the church: Lewis' letters to me as a child lit my way Kathy Keller 209
Chapter Six
C.S. Lewis on love and sex Dr Holly Ordway 217
Chapter Seven
Mistress for pleasure or wife for fruit? Dr Michael Ward 223
Chapter Eight
Dorothy L. Sayers and C.S. Lewis: comrades against the zeitgeist Kasey Macsenti 233
SECTION FIVE
Lewis, the mentor - how his views on women impact mine 243
Chapter One
Lewis inspired me to speak out for women Randy Alcorn 245
Chapter Two
On being the father of immortals: lessons from "The Weight of Glory" John Stonestreet 253
Chapter Three
More than a fairy princess: what Narnia teaches about being strong, courageous women
Christin Ditchfield 261
CONCLUSION
What do Lewis' life and literature reveal for today's culture? Carolyn Curtis 265
Questions for Reflection and Discussion 276
Endnotes 278