A Hobbit A Wardrobe And A Great War

"This book explores their lives, unfolding the extraordinary story of their complex friendship that lasted, with its ups and downs, until Lewis's death in 1963. Despite their differences - of temperament, spiritual emphasis, and storytelling style - what united them was much stronger: A shared vision that continues to inspire their millions of readers throughout the world."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Had there been no Great War, there would have been no Hobbit, no Lord of the Rings, no Narnia, and perhaps no conversion to Christianity by C. S. Lewis. The First World War laid waste to a continent and brought about the end of innocence—and the end of faith. Unlike a generation of young writers who lost faith in the God of the Bible, however, J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis found that the Great War deepened their spiritual quest. Both men served as soldiers on the Western Front, survived the trenches, and used the experience of that conflict to ignite their Christian imagination. Tolkien and Lewis produced epic stories infused with the themes of guilt and grace, sorrow and consolation. Giving an unabashedly Christian vision of hope in a world tortured by doubt and disillusionment, the two writers created works that changed the course of literature and shaped the faith of millions. This is the first book to explore their work in light of the spiritual crisis sparked by the conflict.

The untold story of how the First World War shaped the lives, faith, and writings of J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis--now in paperback. The First World War laid waste to a continent and permanently altered the political and religious landscape of the West. For a generation of men and women, it brought the end of innocence--and the end of faith. Yet for J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, the Great War deepened their spiritual quest. Both men served as soldiers on the Western Front, survived the trenches, and used the experience of that conflict to ignite their Christian imagination. Had there been no Great War, there would have been noHobbit, no Lord of the Rings, no Narnia, and perhaps no conversion to Christianity by C. S. Lewis. Unlike a generation of young writers who lost faith in the God of the Bible, Tolkien and Lewis produced epic stories infused with the themes of guilt and grace, sorrow and consolation. Giving an unabashedly Christian vision of hope in a world tortured by doubt and disillusionment, the two writers created works that changed the course of literature and shaped the faith of millions. This is the first book to explore their work in light of the spiritual crisis sparked by the conflict.

In the years leading up to the Second World War, authors J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis--who both fought in the trenches of WWI--saw the world descending once again into a human catastrophe. This book tells the story of how the crucible of war brought them together in friendship and inspired them to engage their Christian imagination to confront the darkest forces of their age. In this powerful follow-up to the New York Times bestselling A Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War, historian Joseph Loconte tells for the first time how the dark shadows cast by the Second World War utterly transformed the lives and literary imagination of Tolkien and Lewis. The mood of cynicism and disillusionment after the First World War unleashed a storm of destructive ideologies: eugenics, scientism, modernism, communism, Nazism, and totalitarianism. The political and cultural crises created a new sense of urgency. The future of Western civilization stood on the edge of a knife. Tolkien and Lewis jumped into the fray. Loconte explores how these authors and friends rededicated themselves to their scholarly and literary pursuits to offer a brave and hopeful vision of the human story. Their most beloved works--The Lord of the Rings, Leaf by Niggle, The Space Trilogy, The Screwtape Letters, The Chronicles of Narnia, Mere Christianity--were conceived in the furnace of the most devasting and dehumanizing war in history. In a world burdened by ugliness and despair, the works of Tolkien and Lewis opened the door to beauty, goodness, and faith. They continue to inspire the moral imagination. Readers who join Loconte on this epic journey will be inspired by Tolkien's and Lewis's Christian imagination, which even today has the power to transform human hearts in a world desperate for hope and truth; encouraged by their example of Christian resistance to evil as we, too, face a cultural crisis: fresh assaults on the political, moral, and religious ideals that shaped our civilization; and filled with renewed hope that even in a time of great divisions, conflicts, and hatreds, a Christian vision of truth and beauty can light the path out of the deepest darkness. Combining a careful study of history and compelling storytelling, Loconte's book reveals how the remarkable achievements of Tolkien and Lewis--in the shadow of deep suffering and heroic sacrifice--offer enduring lessons for today's cultural moment. Loconte's book is essential reading for anyone who believes that great stories can reveal great truths. He reminds us that the imagination, anchored in a mature and heartfelt faith, can become the gateway to gratitude and to a life of purpose and joy.

In the years leading up to the Second World War, authors J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis saw the world descending once again into a human catastrophe. This book tells the story of how the crucible of war brought them together in friendship and inspired them to engage their Christian imagination to confront the darkest forces of their age.

From the great thinkers of Ancient Greece to the illustrious forebears of America’s founding to the fearless leaders of free peoples who inspired the twentieth-century world through the disturbing turmoil and despair of two global wars—wars that resulted in genocide, mass destruction, and cultural decay—all of history seems to direct us, respectively, toward the light of truth, the sound of liberty, and the resolve of democracy. Encapsulating this and more with a sweeping series of essays, the exciting new author Evan Lanning takes us up to today’s disturbing world of critical un-thinking, historical illiteracy, unrelenting group-think, and agenda-driven “truth-telling.” In this world of unconstructive, ineffective, and ultimately destructive passions of party spirit, Lanning asks us to consider the limits of our knowledge and to surrender our respective feelings in exchange for the nobler pursuit of truth rooted in fact. Only when we recognize how much we do not know will we be able to find our way through this darkened world. Only when we realize how much humanity cannot know will we understand our need for a deeper source of meaning. In The Global and American Spirit, Lanning attempts to pierce through the darkness of political acquiescence by asserting that we must lift our eyes to the light of Truth and stand upon the shoulders of the greats in order to see the American spirit reborn. Lanning appeals to the American people to take heart once again that “the energy, the faith, [and] the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it.” In short, he asks Americans to rekindle Faith, in order that “the glow from that fire can truly light the world!”

Europe has a tremendously important role in the history of Christianity and was the continent with the most Christians from roughly the year 900 to 1980. However, Europe is now home to only 22 percent of all Christians in the world, down from 68 percent in 1900. The major trend of European religion in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries has been secularization—disestablishment and decreased influence of state churches, lower importance of religion in the public sphere, the decline of religious beliefs and practices, and individual religious switching from Christianity to atheism and agnosticism. One hundred years ago, it was true that the typical Christian in the world was a white European. Given current trends, however, Europe is clearly no longer the geographic nor demographic center of world Christianity. Yet, that does not mean Europe has no role in the future. It is still the home of major Christian communions, such as Catholics (Rome), Anglicans (Canterbury), Russian Orthodox (Moscow), and Lutherans (Geneva). European mission agencies are active throughout the world providing theological education and social welfare programs, combatting climate change, and advocating for gender equality.

Rooted in the robust discourse of eminent Canadian philosopher Charles Taylor (A Secular Age), this book takes the reader on a journey of deep reflection and discovery. Many things in today’s culture misdirect, seduce, and confuse younger generations, when they actually need wise mentors with integrity. The discussion clarifies some of the core issues at stake in the late modern identity quest. In the process, it unpacks some of the most profound implications of the miraculous incarnation for personal flourishing. The author introduces us to the power of dialogue with both divine and human interlocutors. We are brought around the table for mutual engagement, while receiving a compelling vision for life. The discussion is deeply embedded in a rich understanding of the Judeo-Christian Scriptures. The effect is to spark a lively faith-and-culture investigation. The crucial question we are left with is this: Do we intend to be our own gods in some gnostic permutation—to invent ourselves from the ground up according to our own individual design? Or, should we investigate a relationship with God and agape love that can be life-transforming, freeing, and anchoring? Which direction will lead to a grounded, resilient identity?