Lewis wasn't so much anti-science, as incredibly aware of the dangers of particular scientific and technological discoveries in the hands of sinful people.

I can especially see that in his essay Religion and Rocketry, where he discusses the dangers of man discovering life on other planets, and the ill-effects we could cause.

~Riella

I just found a site that is trying to start a C.S. Lewis College. I think this would be great. they are taking donations, hobby lobby may be giving them $1.2 million

here's a link http://www.cslewiscollege.org/

Just though this was interesting

any comments?

^Any comments?
Yes! I want to go there! I checked out their site and I am still unsure as to how C.S. Lewis will be incorporated into the studies. Will it be required to take an English course analyzing his books? How much of the courses are C.S. Lewis related? I'll probably visit sometime after it opens.

Yeah I was wondering that too. I can understand that they would incorporated his books in what ever way they can. But that only can go so far. I would also love to go there if it ever opens. which I hope!

Edit: They will be a Great Books College as said on the site:

As a Great Books college, C.S. Lewis College will have a curriculum that is grounded in classic primary sources of western and non-western thought.

*shamelessly bumps this thread up*

One thing that I thought of recently that I'm curious about is Lewis' friendship with J.R.R. Tolkien. It's one of the things regarding Jack's life that I admittedly don't know much about. I do know about the Inklings, and that Tolkien and Lewis disagreed on the subject of allegories. And I also know that Tolkien was quite instrumental in Lewis' conversion. But I confess that the things I want to know aren't easy to find--how was their friendship dynamic in general? How did they meet? How did they act around each other? How long did they remain friends? Were there any times where their friendship was in jeopardy? What did they talk about? What made them "click" so well?

Now unfortunately, many of those things I can't know unless I find a time machine. (I'm actively searching and I'll let you know if I come up with any developments.) But in the meantime, do any of you have any tidbits about their friendship that you'd like to share? I'd love it if you did!

Mentioning this book again because it deals with that really interesting subject, Mountie—Lewis' and Tolkien's friendship. By Colin Duriez, it is entitled Tolkien and C. S. Lewis: The Gift of Friendship. I haven't read it for a few years now, but recall enjoying it very much. I found it didn't introduce a whole lot of new info for me, but still, Colin's style is appealing and his passion for both these men's writings comes through so clearly. While of course Duriez talks about their relationship with each other, it is written more as two parallel bios that ofttimes intersect.

But really, any biography of either of them will mention the other because they are so intertwined.

Their friendship dynamic varied over the years, with some strong periods, but it began rather uneventfully in May, 1926 at an Oxford English faculty monthly meeting. Lewis' first reaction to JRR?
"He is a smooth, pale, fluent little chap .... No harm in him; only needs a smack or so."
What quickly brought them together, though, was when a small group, the "Kolbitar" (Coal-biters) was formed by Tolkien to study Old Norse, Lewis jumped at the opportunity, having been drawn to the old Norse legends for years upon years. And therein began their friendship. Eventually the Inklings began and ran twice weekly for years. But that's an entire (and wonderfully invigorating) tale in itself. Well worth several biographical reads, to be sure.

Certainly the famous Addison's Walk conversation between Lewis, Dyson, and Tolkien was a turning point for Lewis from Theism to Christ, 2 years after he became a Theist—
"the most reluctant convert in all of England" finally "gave in, and admitted that God was God, and knelt and prayed".
He points to this memorable, challenging, and thought-provoking midnight talk as a catalyst (they dialoged until 3 a.m., when Tolkien left, then Dyson and Lewis continued!!). The basic premise that JRR and Dyson focused on was if Jack loved myths so much, why wouldn't he accept that there is One True Myth, to which all the others point? That hit him like a 'ton of bricks' and God used it to change his life. *has longed to walk along Addison's Walk ever since she was a wee halfling*

Oddly enough, while Lewis was always so encouraging about Tolkien's writings (especially in regards to pushing him to continue writing The LotR), Tolkien wasn't nearly the same with Lewis. This always makes me sad, but JRR just couldn't abide CSL's mixing of mythologies in the Narnia Chronicles ( ) and, in regards to other books of Jack's, Tolkien did not think that he should be writing about theology. JRRT thought that should be left up to the priests ... not laymen. (Aren't we glad CSL didn't listen to Ronald? )

What seemed to distance their friendship was a combination of things, I think, but two points stand out: Lewis' friendship with Charles Williams, which Tolkien did not appreciate, and Jack's eventual marriage to Joy Gresham. In a letter, Tolkien wrote in 1963 (letter # 252), after Jack had passed away, that
"many people still regard me as one of [Jack's] intimates. Alas! that ceased to be so some ten years ago. We were separated first by the sudden apparition of Charles Williams, and then by his marriage. Or which he never even told me; I learned of it long after the event. But we owed each a great debt to the other, and that tie with the deep affection that it begot, remains."
A very short time earlier, four days after Jack's funeral (and this always brings tears to my eyes), JRR wrote that Jack's death felt
"like an axe-blow to the roots"
and then commented to his daughter, Priscilla in the same letter that it was
"very sad that we should have been so separated in the last years; but our time of close communion endured in memory for both of us."

Briefly, I think one of the reasons they clicked so well was their mutual love of "Faerie"/mythopoeia/story, and their longing for Joy; for "Other".

I could go on and on, but hopefully this whets your appetite for more!

"But we owed each a great debt to the other, and that tie with the deep affection that it begot, remains."

(my emphasis)

So I think that it's fair to say that they remained friends for as long as they both lived. They just were not as close friends as they had once been.

*should reread The Inklings*

Why did Tolkien object to Charles Williams and C.S. Lewis' friendship? Both were mature Christians with similar interests.

I'll quote my own answer to a similar question on a Tolkien board:

Wasn't Williams a member of something called The Order of the Golden Dawn?

After reading Williams' books, I felt that they were saying that if you open up your mind, then you may get the opportunity of being a vessel for goodness, a servant of goodness.

My problem with that is that if you open up your mind without discerning what you open it up to, then you won't have a guarantee that it really is goodness that enters. In Williams' books it generally is goodness, but in real life I'm not sure it's so simple.

So it's possible that Tolkien feared an unhealthy influence on his friend.

Oddly enough, while Lewis was always so encouraging about Tolkien's writings (especially in regards to pushing him to continue writing The LotR), Tolkien wasn't nearly the same with Lewis. This always makes me sad, but JRR just couldn't abide CSL's mixing of mythologies in the Narnia Chronicles ( ) and, in regards to other books of Jack's, Tolkien did not think that he should be writing about theology. JRRT thought that should be left up to the priests ... not laymen. (Aren't we glad CSL didn't listen to Ronald? )

I believe I've read that he rather enjoyed the Space Trilogy however... I'll have to dig that one up if I can find it again...

Varnafinde, fair enough, but I thought Williams became a Christian after being steeped in the occult for some time. Lewis was involved in the occult for a time to but not to the same extent as Williams (not that any involvement is healthy).

I definitely should read some more biographical books about those people. Yes, I also had the impression that Williams considered himself a Christian - but I'm not sure that it changed his books all that much. I think that the last one that I read, was published the same year as he died ...

Why did Tolkien object to Charles Williams and C.S. Lewis' friendship?

Following on what Varna mentioned, and from my readings, yes, Williams had a fascination with the occult, even after becoming a Christian (by name, at least—he seemed to be enthralled with anything supernaturally-related), which understandably bothered JRRT, plus it seems Tolkien may have even felt a bit of jealousy with Charles W coming in and almost displacing him in Lewis' group of close friends for a time. CSL called Williams "his dearest friend" in a letter shortly after Williams' death.

So it's possible that Tolkien feared an unhealthy influence on his friend.

Yes, I think particularly in relation to the occult allure in Williams' life.

I believe I've read that he rather enjoyed the Space Trilogy however...

I seem to recall something about this too, but have yet to pinpoint a reference.

I just saw the Colin Duriez is releasing a new book next spring on the important friendships in Lewis' life: C.S. Lewis: a biography of friendship. He just announced this on Facebook, as he's still writing it, so it's not for pre-order anywhere yet. Should be very interesting!