World Literatures Class Guest Lecture

On 10 October 2024 Ken Seigneurie's WL 301W class welcomed Fr. Justin Hewlett for a lecture on 'Biblical Echoes in Fantasy & Sci-Fi: J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and John Wyndham'

Abstract:
J.R.R. Tolkien, a philologist in dialogue with C.S. Lewis, a literary scholar, recognized the ways in which scientific materialism and its main literary outlet, science fiction, were re-shaping their society's imagination. Together, they agreed that the two of them would write some fiction - Lewis to write science fiction, and Tolkien to write a work of fantasy -- that would help to 'rebaptize' the Western imagination.

About the speaker:
Fr. Justin Hewlett develops his life-long interest in fantasy, sci-fi and the Christian faith in his GeekOrthodox.net podcast. His expertise on Lewis and Tolkien has found a ready audience among sci-fi afficionados and his parishioners at St. John of Shanghai Orthodox Church in North Vancouver.