M.A. / Although a serious Christian apologist and academic writer, Clive Staples Lewis was also well known (and loved) for his fictional works. Lewis was of the opinion that one's faith and chosen profession cannot be separated and he thus aligned the two in his own writing (Schultz and West 1998: 120). Therefore, his writings reflect his Christian faith (after his conversion in 1931) and, although his Ransom (Cosmic) Trilogy (1938, 1943 and 1945), mythological work Till We Have Faces (1956) and The Chronicles of Narnia (1950-1956) are not openly theological, they all deal with figurative representations of both Christ and the Biblical devil. Many studies have explored Lewis's portrayal of Biblical truths in his fictional writing. As Christopher Mitchell pointed out in his essay entitled "Bearing the Weight of Glory," a few months before his death, Lewis stated that he was writing in order to bring about an encounter between the reader and Christ (Mills 1998: 5). While on the surface these novels are not emphatically about the battle between heaven and hell, underlying the stories is a broader message of rivalry between good and evil. A student of Lewis's, Harry Blamires, remembers Lewis saying that he went about the task of writing The Chronicles of Narnia much as he did the writing of his serious theological work, Mere Christianity (Mills 1998: 15). Much research has thus been conducted to explore Lewis's portrayal of God in his fiction, yet there has been very little research on his metaphysical perspective on Satan. His fictional novels — most notably The Chronicles of Namia — are largely allegorical and often subtly allude to the devil through the characters. It is this subtle allusion to evil, and specifically characteristics of the Biblical Satan in The Chronicles, that I would like to explore in this dissertation.

The purpose of this study is to introduce the three posthumous narrative poems of C. S. Lewis. Chapter One is an introduction to Lewis's life and scholarship. The second chapter is concerned with "Launcelot," in which the central theme of the story explores the effect of the Quest for the Holy Grail on King Arthur's kingdom. Chapter Three studies "The Nameless Isle," in which Celtic and Greek mythic elements strongly influence both characterization and plot. The fourth chapter is an analysis of The Queen of Drum and its triangular plot structure in which the motivating impetus of the characters is the result of dreams. Chapter Five recapitulates Lewis's perspectives of life and reviews the impact of his Christianity on the poems. The study also shows how each poem illustrates a separate aspect of the cosmic quest.

This dissertation treats the theory and practice of C. S. Lewis's theological imagination, focussing upon the imaginative use he made of his professional expertise in medieval and renaissance literature. Its approach is principally expository rather than an evaluative. Chapter One outlines the centrality of the imagination to a proper understanding of Lewis's works. Chapter Two examines Lewis's own theory of imagination and surveys how he practised it as a literary critic. We compare and contrast Lewis's theory and practice of imagination with that of his friend, the theologian, Austin Faffer. Chapter Three looks in more detail at Lewis's imaginative practice, in particular his fascination with the images supplied by the seven planets of the Ptolemaic cosmos, which he termed 'spiritual symbols of permanent value'. We analyse what he meant by 'sprit' and 'symbol'. Chapter Four introduces the main argument of the dissertation namely that these seven spiritual symbols structure the works for which Lewis is best known, the seven 'Chronicles of Narnia'. We claim to have uncovered the governing imaginative blueprint of the septet. We address Lewis's capacity for and interest in secrecy and consider why this planetary theme has remained hitherto undetected. In Chapters Five to Eleven we take the seven planets in turn and trace the use Lewis made of them through out his writings. We analyse the planetary symbolism undergirding each Chronicle and conclude each chapter with an exegesis of the Christological message of each book so understood. Chapter Twelve examines factors which motivated Lewis to focus his imaginative energies upon Ptolemaic cosmology and suggests one particular occasioning factor behind the composition of the Chronicles. In addition, we consider theological and pedagogical reasons why he kept silent about the planetary theme. We conclude by indicating certain consequences that our argument has for future readings of these seven works.

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ABSTRACT C. S. LEWIS’ CONCEPT OF SEHNSUCHT: PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS, AESTHETIC ANALYSIS, AND IMPLICATIONS FOR EVANGELISM AND APOLOGETICS Matthew David Crawford, Ph.D. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2015 Chair: Dr. Mark T. Coppenger C. S. Lewis’ concept of Sehnsucht as inconsolable longing for beauty holds much promise for Christian aesthetics, evangelism, and apologetics. In his autobiography, Surprised by Joy, and many of his other works, Lewis shows how desire for beauty can draw individuals toward God. This dissertation fully develops Lewis’ concept of Sehnsucht within the framework of his life story as well as his writings. The dissertation then explores the corroboration of Lewis’ concept within both Christian and secular philosophical contexts. Once this foundation has been laid, the potential of Sehnsucht for opening hearts to the gospel of Christ and overcoming objections to faith in Him is outlined. Finally, the dissertation aesthetically analyzes specific films and pieces of music in search of common elements that may evoke Sehnsucht, as well as elements that may prevent it from being experienced.

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