Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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Was C. S. Lewis a brilliant theologian, or did he sometimes misunderstand the Bible? John Nelson is joined by leading Lewis scholars Leslie Baynes and Jahdiel Perez for a lively reassessment of one of Christianity’s most influential writers. They explore Lewis’s conversion, his view of Scripture and the surprising theologian who shaped his thinking. Then the conversation turns to his famous “liar, lunatic or Lord” argument. Does it survive modern biblical scholarship, or did Lewis make claims about Jesus that the Gospels cannot support? Finally, they uncover the biblical imagination behind The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, explaining why Narnia is not simply Christian allegory and how Aslan helps readers encounter faith afresh. A fascinating conversation for admirers, critics and anyone curious about the theology hidden inside C. S. Lewis’s most beloved works.
00:00 Was C. S. Lewis Really a Theologian?
02:13 How an Atheist Rediscovered Christianity
08:57 Why Academics Dismissed C. S. Lewis
15:27 Did Being an Amateur Make Lewis Better?
19:19 What Lewis Really Believed About the Bible
23:18 Did C. S. Lewis Believe the Bible Had Errors?
27:06 Lewis’s Vision of Joy, Sorrow and Redemption
33:49 Does Lewis’s “Liar, Lunatic or Lord” Argument Fail?
41:16 Did Jesus Actually Claim to Be God?
49:47 Can We Recover the Historical Jesus?
57:01 The Hidden Bible References in Narnia
1:03:55 Why Narnia Is Not a Christian Allegory
1:09:12 How Biblical Study Can Damage Your Faith
1:14:12 Why Lewis Used Stories to Communicate Truth
Leslie's book: Between Interpretation and Imagination: C. S. Lewis and the Bible: amzn.to/4wW2x1H
Jahdiel's thesis: ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:0c4e9be1-2245-467a-864e-01a8c9e30dc5/files/dpz50gw662
Jahdiel’s article on C.S. Lewis’s avoidance of theology: philpapers.org/rec/PERAAO-15
Jahdiel's Instagram: @dr.jahdiel
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Many viewers of Unbelievable do not realise they are not subscribed to our channel, please double check, thank you!!
Was C. S. Lewis a brilliant theologian, or did he sometimes misunderstand the Bible? John Nelson is joined by leading Lewis scholars Leslie Baynes and Jahdiel Perez for a lively reassessment of one of Christianity’s most influential writers. They explore Lewis’s conversion, his view of Scripture and the surprising theologian who shaped his thinking. Then the conversation turns to his famous “liar, lunatic or Lord” argument. Does it survive modern biblical scholarship, or did Lewis make claims about Jesus that the Gospels cannot support? Finally, they uncover the biblical imagination behind The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, explaining why Narnia is not simply Christian allegory and how Aslan helps readers encounter faith afresh. A fascinating conversation for admirers, critics and anyone curious about the theology hidden inside C. S. Lewis’s most beloved works.
00:00 Was C. S. Lewis Really a Theologian?
02:13 How an Atheist Rediscovered Christianity
08:57 Why Academics Dismissed C. S. Lewis
15:27 Did Being an Amateur Make Lewis Better?
19:19 What Lewis Really Believed About the Bible
23:18 Did C. S. Lewis Believe the Bible Had Errors?
27:06 Lewis’s Vision of Joy, Sorrow and Redemption
33:49 Does Lewis’s “Liar, Lunatic or Lord” Argument Fail?
41:16 Did Jesus Actually Claim to Be God?
49:47 Can We Recover the Historical Jesus?
57:01 The Hidden Bible References in Narnia
1:03:55 Why Narnia Is Not a Christian Allegory
1:09:12 How Biblical Study Can Damage Your Faith
1:14:12 Why Lewis Used Stories to Communicate Truth
Leslie's book: Between Interpretation and Imagination: C. S. Lewis and the Bible: amzn.to/4wW2x1H
Jahdiel's thesis: ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:0c4e9be1-2245-467a-864e-01a8c9e30dc5/files/dpz50gw662
Jahdiel’s article on C.S. Lewis’s avoidance of theology: philpapers.org/rec/PERAAO-15
Jahdiel's Instagram: @dr.jahdiel
Subscribe & Support
👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡
🎧 Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast at www.premier.plus/unbelievable 🎙️
🔗 Get bonus content, updates, fascinating articles, and early access to new episodes - absolutely free! Join now at www.premierunbelievable.com 📢
Follow usInstagram: instagram.com/premierunbelievable
Facebook: facebook.com/premierunbelievable
Tik Tok: tiktok.com/@premier.unbelievable
X: Premier Unbelievable? (@UnbelievableFE)
