Thursday, February 16, 2006

Randy Hein's Lewis/Tolkien Seminar--Part I

I attended a seminar at my my church (Lambrick Park) last night that I had been looking forward to since it had been announced awhile back. Facilitated by my pastor, Randy Hein, it is a look at CS Lewis and Tolkien, their friendship, their individual imaginations, and the use of story to illustrate fundamental truths. Randy did a phenomenal job with the hour and a half as he began looking at Lewis, his life, and what influences informed his writing (specifically the Narnian books). He explored his conversion to Chrisianity and examined some of the people/schools of thought that were foremost in Lewis' development into the the man who eventually wrote the legendary Chronicles of Narnia, the most popular suppositional fantasies of all time. Though I would not consider myself a Lewisian 'scholar' per se, I do have some familiarity with Lewis and his work, and have read some of the major biographical work on him, not to mention many of his most famous books. Bringing his customary warmth, wit, enthusiasm, and candor to the discussion, His Royal Hein-ness was in fine form and I very much enjoyed the manner in which he presented the material. I am looking forward to next week and what little fascinating nuggets that Randy is going to impart on us, his eager audience.

2 comments:

Paige said...

Hi Matty B. I think I know which one you are (if you are the one who commented on having "The Narnian" book.) :) I'll try not to be too nit picky and too negative. (Usually I'm such a positive person.) I think it's kinda funny that someone who went to the same class could have such a hugely different take on it. I was also looking forward to the classes. Maybe too much cause I found the first one to be sooooo boooooooring..... Come on... too many people crammed into a room with no windows all blank eyed staring at the same person giving us info we could have... okay sorry this is way to negative... I keep thinking about the awful tea that is available right now in the cafe...such petty things....Why are the sermons so enjoyable but this class was so torturous? I asked my husband about it...he said you went there for the people you brought with you. (True, I did bring some people with me-oh no, did I do the right thing?) He said this was just the introduction. Huge sigh of relief. Yeah, he's right.... it can only get better from now on. I'm sorry Matty for being so negative, really, I'm a very positive person usually. Just surprised that we have such opposing views on this....

Paige said...

Oh yeah, I meant to mention about the Times Colonist book sale this weekend. Feb 18 and 19 at the old Brick building in the Quadara village. Maybe there will be some good books there....