The Medieval Mind of C. S. Lewis

Editorial Reviews

In this beautifully written book, Jason Baxter invites us to breathe the air of the medieval world that was C. S. Lewis's natural home, providing rich insight into the philosophical and theological imagination that shaped Lewis's thought and writing. But much more, Baxter helps us grasp the urgency Lewis felt to convey the beauty and grandeur of that age to us moderns, who live in a mechanized universe that is robbed of transcendence. This book is a vital resource not only for understanding Lewis and his world but also for making sense of our own.

--Gary Selby, professor of ministerial formation, Emmanuel Christian Seminary at Milligan University

As the author of A Beginner's Guide to Dante's Divine Comedy, Jason M. Baxter is uniquely qualified to guide us through the medieval mind of C. S. Lewis. Those wishing to delve deeper into the ancient roots of Lewis's inspiration and imagination need look no further. Professor Baxter, like Virgil, is a trustworthy guide.

--Joseph Pearce, author of Further Up and Further In: Understanding Narnia and Tolkien: Man and Myth

I am often lamenting about what our culture has lost. C. S. Lewis is one of our sages who revitalizes the premodern world so that we can again reclaim an enchanted vision of reality. In this book, Jason Baxter offers the church what we've longed for--the tools by which Lewis embodied the medieval worldview--so we too can imitate this forgotten way of seeing.

--Jessica Hooten Wilson, Louise Cowan Scholar in Residence at the University of Dallas and author of Giving the Devil His Due: Flannery O'Connor and The Brothers Karamazov

Following closely on his well-received works on Dante and on Christian mysticism, Jason Baxter here opens a window onto the bookshelves and study habits of C. S. Lewis, finding rightly that medieval authors have much more profoundly shaped his imagination and theology than most contemporary criticism has noticed. This well-written volume will be of interest both to seasoned scholars and undergraduate students; for the latter it will prove an invaluable introduction to a rich body of great Christian writing.

--David Lyle Jeffrey, distinguished senior fellow at Baylor Institute for Studies in Religion

C. S. Lewis described himself as a 'dinosaur'--a member of an otherwise extinct species who could still breathe the air of the Middle Ages and could therefore make it come alive for others. Jason Baxter does a great job of surveying and unpacking this whole side of Lewis's work and its sophisticated, sacramental, and symphonic qualities. The result is a thrilling, moving, and even dangerous ride. Welcome to Jurassic Park!
--Michael Ward, University of Oxford, author of Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C.S. Lewis