Our book discussion for the second Thursday of January will be "The Lion,The Witch and The Wardrobe" 7:00 P.M. at Panora Bread Harrisonburg. Ages eight to one hundred eight for this book. :) I'll be leading.
  I'll post the book discussion questions around January 1st.
We will also discuss February's plans "Mere Christianity" perhaps? We will decide every month on the next months book or theme, also on a leader, for that book or theme.  As in past years we will branch out into works that influenced Lewis, George MacDonald seems a good choice for at least a couple of reads this year since Lewis regarded him his master. We also will plan a couple theme meetings one being- Did the writings of C. S. Lewis help bring you to faith or help keep you hanging on in the midst of trial and how?
Start reading, and thinking as to what you would like to read and discuss in February and beyond.
Help get the word out to grow our group! I will be messaging invites on Facebook and I have some other ideas. :)
  Note time change and meeting place change!  

Christmas Party at 1 p.m. on December 10th at Golden Corral

The C.S. Lewis Society of Harrisonburg's Christmas Meeting will be at 1 p.m. on December 10th at the Golden Corral in Harrisonburg.  There will be lots of items on the agenda no doubt especially how to move the society forward.

We wish you all the best!

Looking For New Management

For All Things There Is A Season

I don’t remember exactly when Will Vaus started the C.S. Lewis Society of Harrisonburg.  It was probably somewhere around 2006 but it could have been before or later.  I know from my records that I started facilitating the society in 2010, so for the past six years.  The number of people who come to meetings has tended to be almost always less than ten since Will Vaus left and often there are only five.

We’ve been through most of C.S. Lewis’s work more than once in the years the society has been meeting and all things come to an end.  Jessica and I for a variety of reasons have decided we will not continue with the C.S. Lewis Society.  We live up in Woodstock and we’ve recently had some changes in our life that will require a lot of attention.  We won’t be coming to the December party if it transpires.

I would encourage those interesting in perpetuating the C.S. Lewis Society of Harrisonburg to come to the planned December 10^th event at the Golden Corral in Harrisonburg.  I’m not sure of the time since I’ve not heard from Jane who was going to check with the Golden Corral.  If I discover the time I’ll pass it along.

For those who might be interested in perpetuating this group, I’ll be happy to share the mailing list and transfer the blog to new management.

All My Road Before Me Is The Topic Of Our November 10th Meeting

November 10th Jessica will lead us in a discussion of C.S. Lewis's diary from 1922-1927, All My Road Before Me.  It's a long but fun read as you see Lewis in many contexts with friends, fellow students, professors, and many more.

In this work Lewis is still on the journey that will bring him back to Christian faith only around 1930.  So the Lewis we meet here is one still very much in the grip of the chronological snobbery that Owen Barfield cured.

You meet so many of his friends that I'll not try to mention them all.  Many would go on in the future to be the Inklings we hear about.

Enjoy reading the book and when Jessica has formulated the questions I'll send them around.

The Theme meeting on Spiritualism was great fun and we also discussed the Christmas party and have a tentative date, time and location.  Jane will be checking on that  "Go Jane!" --- December 10th, a Saturday, at 1 p.m. until we leave at the Golden Corral in Harrisonburg.  If anything changes we'll let you know.

SCHEDULE
November 10: Focus Meeting: Lewis' Diary "All My Road Before Me" led by Jessica 
December  10 1 p.m. to whenever at Golden Corral in Harrisonburg.

October 13th: A Theme Meeting

Our meeting in October will be a theme meeting on the topic "Spiritualism, Lewis, and the Inklings."  Any source.  You might get a head start on "All My Road Before Me" which actually is not a bad source for this meeting, also Lewis's letters.  Googling around on-line will get you some interesting stuff, much of it bogus but interesting for all that.  Find some fun things to talk about and bring them to the meeting in October.

We'll also talk about options for the Christmas Party.

SCHEDULE

October 13: Theme Meeting: Spiritualism Lewis and the Inklings (any source)
November 10: Focus Meeting: Lewis' Diary "All My Road Before Me" led by Jessica December  

TBD Christmas Planning Meeting (Discussion Topic At Any Meeting)

September 8th Is "That Hideous Strength" With Ray As Our Discussion Leader

"That Hideous Strength" is the third and final book in Lewis's Space Trilogy.  On September 8th Ray will lead us as we explore the fate of Thulcandra (the Silent Planet), the politics of the Inner Ring and how Merlin features in the chilling tale.

SCHEDULE

September 8: Focus Meeting: "That Hideous Strength" led by Ray
October 13: Theme Meeting: Spiritualism Lewis and the Inklings (any source)
November 10: Focus Meeting: Lewis' Diary "All My Road Before Me" led by Jessica December  

August 11th Hannah Will Lead Us As We Explore "Perelandra"

Published in 1943, Perelandra continues the adventures of Elwin Ransom who finds himself visiting a planet of floating islands and continuing to explore the mystical world of eldils and Maledril.  On Perelandra (Venus) Ransom encounters Tor and Tinidril, the Adam and Eve of that world yet to be tested.

Hannah will be our discussion leader as we explore this second book of the Space Trilogy.  Next month Ray will lead us as we finish the trilogy with That Hideous Strength. 

SCHEDULE

August 11: Focus Meeting: "Perelandra" led by Hannah

September 8: Focus Meeting: "That Hideous Strength" led by Ray
October 13: Theme Meeting: Spiritualism Lewis and the Inklings (any source)
November 10: Focus Meeting: Lewis' Diary "All My Road Before Me" led by Jessica December  

TBD Christmas Planning Meeting (Discussion Topic At Any Meeting)

July 14th We Begin Lewis's Space Trilogy

Daniel will be our discussion leader when we begin reading C.S. Lewis's Space Trilogy with Out of the Silent Planet.  We will be going through the trilogy in sequence in July, August, and September (See the Schedule Below).

Out of the Silent Planet was first published in England in 1938 and then later in the United States in 1943.  Lewis was inspired by David Lindsay's A Voyage to Arcturus which Lewis said showed him what other planets were really for.  Please join us in July for the beginning of this three volume adventure.

We have two kinds of meetings.  Focus Meetings are led by a designated leader.  Theme meetings have no leader.  Members are expected to bring some content to the meeting to discuss on the assigned theme.  

SCHEDULE:
July 14: Focus Meeting: "Out of the Silent Planet" led by Daniel
August 11: Focus Meeting: "Perelandra" led by Hannah
September 8: Focus Meeting: "That Hideous Strength" led by Ray
October 13: Theme Meeting: Spiritualism Lewis and the Inklings (any source)
November 10: Focus Meeting: Lewis' Diary "All My Road Before Me" led by Jessica December  

TBD Christmas Planning Meeting (Discussion Topic At Any Meeting)

June 9th Peggy Leads Us Discussing "The Discarded Image"

Peggy leads us on June 9th through The Discarded Image -- An Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature by C.S. Lewis.  Lewis begins the preface with the statement that:

"This book is based on a course of lectures given more than once at Oxford.  Some who attended it have expressed a wish that its substance might be given a more permanent form."

The book's preface was written by Lewis in 1962 and the book itself was published in 1964 after Lewis's death.  

Come join us in exploring the medieval world's "discarded image" as Lewis saw it at the Barnes and Noble in Harrisonburg at 7:30 p.m. on June 9th.  The schedule for the rest of the year is below.

SCHEDULE:
June 9: Focus Meeting: "The Discarded Image" led by Peggy
July 14: Focus Meeting: "Out of the Silent Planet" led by Daniel
August 11: Focus Meeting: "Perelandra" led by Hannah
September 8: Focus Meeting: "That Hideous Strength" led by Ray
October 13: Theme Meeting: Spiritualism Lewis and the Inklings (any source)
November 10: Focus Meeting: Lewis' Diary "All My Road Before Me" led by Jessica December  

TBD Christmas Planning Meeting (Discussion Topic At Any Meeting)

May 12th Iain Leads Us On Boethius' "Consolation of Philosophy"

The April meeting is done and gone, a theme meeting on C.S. Lewis Irish/English and it was entertaining as each person gave some thoughts on the theme. Now we're back to a Focus Meeting on one of the books that influenced C.S. Lewis. Iain Maclean will be our discussion leader. The book is available on line for free at Project Gutenburg  and hard copy is available at Barnes and Noble

Lightly edited from Wikipedia: Anicius Manlius Severinus Boëthius, commonly called Boethius (c. 480–524) AD), was a Roman senator, consul, magister officiorum, and philosopher of the early 6th century. He was born four years after Odoacer deposed the last Roman Emperor and declared himself King of Italy, and entered public service under Ostrogothic King Theodoric the Great, who later imprisoned and executed him in 524 on charges of conspiracy to overthrow him.

While jailed, Boethius composed his Consolation of Philosophy, a philosophical treatise on fortune, death, and other issues, which became one of the most popular and influential works of the Middle Ages.

 C.S. Lewis recommends "The Consolation of Philosophy" to numerous correspondents in his collected letters. He included lectures on Boethius in his teaching and some of this material is likely in his book, "The Discarded Image."

 Come out on May 12th and enjoy an evening of discussion on a work that influenced C.S. Lewis. Notice that next month we'll ve doing "The Discarded Image" with Peggy as our discussion leader. 

SCHEDULE:

May 12: Focus Meeting: "Consolation of Philosophy" by Boethius led by Iain
June 9: Focus Meeting: "The Discarded Image" led by Peggy
July 14: Focus Meeting: "Out of the Silent Planet" led by Daniel
August 11: Focus Meeting: "Perelandra" led by Hannah
September 8: Focus Meeting: "That Hideous Strength" led by Ray
October 13: Theme Meeting: Spiritualism Lewis and the Inklings (any source)
November 10: Focus Meeting: Lewis' Diary "All My Road Before Me" led by Jessica December 

TBD Christmas Planning Meeting (Discussion Topic At Any Meeting)

March 10th Jane Leads Us On "Miracles"

Jane will lead us as we explore C.S. Lewis's 1947 classic "Miracles."  Quoting from the Study Guide linked to below: Lewis’ lucid, generous minded and comprehensive apologetic for miracles is, in its own way, no less compelling than Mere Christianity in the case it makes for the overall rationality of the Christian faith.

Come and join us as we gather at Barnes and Noble in Harrisonburg on Thursday March 10th at 7:30 p.m. to explore "Miracles." 

An On-Line Study Guide PDF FILE

SCHEDULE 

March 10: Focus Meeting: "Miracles" led by Jane

April 14: Theme Meeting:  Lewis as Irish/ Lewis as English

May 12: Focus Meeting: "Consolation of Philosophy" by Boethius led by Iain

June 9: Focus Meeting: "The Discarded Image" led by Peggy

July 14: Focus Meeting:  "Out of the Silent Planet" led by Daniel

August 11: Focus Meeting:  "Perelandra" led by Hannah

September 8: Focus Meeting:  "That Hideous Strength" led by Ray

October 13:  Theme Meeting: Spiritualism Lewis and the Inklings (any source)

November 10: Focus Meeting: Lewis' Diary "All My Road Before Me" led by Jessica

December  TBD Christmas Planning Meeting (Discussion Topic At Any Meeting)

February 11th is "Pilgrim's Regress" Led By Elizabeth

The Pilgrim's Regress was the first book published by C.S. Lewis after he converted back to Christianity.  It was written on a short vacation to visit his lifelong friend of the first kind, Arthur Greeves.  Elizabeth will be our facilitator at the meeting on February 11th when we explore the allegorical journey C.S. Lewis pursued to his conversion as depicted in The Pilgrim's Regress.

SCHEDULE

February 11: Focus Meeting:  "Pilgrim's Regress" led by Elizabeth

March 10: Focus Meeting: "Miracles" led by Jane

April 14: Theme Meeting:  Lewis as Irish/ Lewis as English

May 12: Focus Meeting: "Consolation of Philosophy" by Boethius led by Iain

June 9: Focus Meeting: "The Discarded Image" led by Peggy

July 14: Focus Meeting:  "Out of the Silent Planet" led by Daniel

August 11: Focus Meeting:  "Perelandra" led by Hannah

September 8: Focus Meeting:  "That Hideous Strength" led by Ray

October 13:  Theme Meeting: Spiritualism Lewis and the Inklings (any source)

November 10: Focus Meeting: Lewis' Diary "All My Road Before Me" led by Jessica

December  TBD Christmas Planning Meeting (Discussion Topic At Any Meeting)

January 14th Humor In C.S. Lewis

Our meeting in January is a theme meeting with the theme "Humor in C.S. Lewis."  Frankly C.S. Lewis was very humorous.  He loved joking around with his friends and a lot of his humor got into his books, essays, and letters.  Come up with some of your favorite examples and join us at the Barnes and Noble in Harrisonburg on the evening of 14 January, the second Thursday, at 7:30 p.m.  You can usually find us camped out around a table somewhere in the bookstore nursing a cup of coffee and maybe a scone or such.  Good conversation.  Great fun!  Bring a friend!