North Carolina
The Life and Works of C. S. Lewis: Inspiration, Belief, and Imagination
Program No. 2102360MEADV-0519
Examine imagination and faith in C. S. Lewis’ work — discuss his role in the Inklings, significant themes in his work and controversial points of his life and ideas.
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DATES
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PRICES
DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
May 18 - May 23, 2025
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6 days
5 nights
15 meals
5B 5L 5D
3
The Inklings, Early Christian Writing, and WWII
Montreat, NC
5
Narnia, Challenges, Conflicts, and Love
Montreat, NC
6
Peace and Joy; Lunch and Departures
Montreat, NC
At a Glance
Enjoy a comprehensive survey of C. S. Lewis’ life and work. Led by a noted Lewis scholar, we’ll focus on his extraordinary imagination, his role within the Inklings — a literary discussion group that included J. R. R. Tolkien — and his conversion to Christianity. We’ll discuss how Lewis presented a rational basis for the Christian faith that was powerfully, persuasively and delightfully developed in books and movies that have achieved worldwide popularity.
Activity Level
Easy Going
All facilities are in one building, with approximately 300 yards walking required; a few stairs. Outside areas are mountainous, with inclines and uneven terrain.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Discuss selections from Lewis’s legacy, including letters, journals, poems, fiction, non-fiction and video productions to gain perspectives on the 20th century’s most popular Christian author.
- Discover the influences that helped shape Lewis’ life, literature and worldview as well as the significant themes that emerge in his work.
- Focus on imagination in Lewis’s work while discussing the powerful, challenging and sometimes controversial points of Lewis’ life and ideas.
General Notes
The Retreat Difference: This unique, often basic and no-frills experience at a Road Scholar Retreat includes opportunities for early morning exercise, interaction with the local community for insight into local life, an authentic farm-to-table or locally sourced meal, a live performance or event, and a value-priced single room. Opportunities are available for traveling companions to attend a different program at Montreat during the same week. Due to the nature of this program, listening devices are not available.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Zachary Rhone
Zachary Rhone specializes in fantasy, science fiction, and the work of authors J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, and George MacDonald. Outside his specialties, he has an insatiable epistemophilia which urges him to read and learn across disciplines. In addition to research writing, Dr. Rhone is an active technical and creative writer. He is a sub-creator who enjoys building worlds, designing and playing tabletop games, preparing all kinds of foods and beverages, growing things, singing, and songwriting.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Tracy Bailey
View biography
Tracy has been on the program staff of Montreat Conference Center since 1986. She began working with Elderhostel programs in 1989, and in 1997 assumed the additional role of on-site coordinator. A native of the area, she graduated from Asheville-Buncombe Technical College in 1981. Her favorite hobbies are hiking, pottery and reading. Tracy married Sam in 2007, and added three daughters to her family. In addition to her own grown children, she and Sam have been foster parents since 2010. They have four grandchildren.
Zachary Rhone
View biography
Zachary Rhone specializes in fantasy, science fiction, and the work of authors J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, and George MacDonald. Outside his specialties, he has an insatiable epistemophilia which urges him to read and learn across disciplines. In addition to research writing, Dr. Rhone is an active technical and creative writer. He is a sub-creator who enjoys building worlds, designing and playing tabletop games, preparing all kinds of foods and beverages, growing things, singing, and songwriting.
Suggested Reading List
(14 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
The Life and Works of C. S. Lewis: Inspiration, Belief, and Imagination
Program Number: 21023
The Collected Poems of C. S. Lewis: A Critical Edition
Beginning with his earliest lyric poems from 1907, The Collected Poems of C. S. Lewis follows Lewis’s efforts to write long, narrative poems, which were particularly influenced by Norse mythology. His outburst of lyric poetry as a young man in the trenches during World War I culminates in his first published work, Spirits in Bondage (1919), followed by his most ambitious narrative poem, Dymer (1926). Both volumes afford unique insights into Lewis the atheist.
After his conversion to Christianity in 1930, Lewis wrote a collection of sixteen religious lyrics that he included in The Pilgrim’s Regress (1933); as a group, these are considered among his best poems. Until his death in 1963, Lewis continued writing and publishing poetry, often appearing in journals and magazines under his pseudonym N. W., shorthand for the Anglo-Saxon nat whilk, “[I know] not whom.” As a whole, these latter poems are either occasional verses, burlesques, and erudite satires or they are contemplative poems musing upon the human condition and its pain, joy, suffering, pride, love, doubt, and faith.
The Collected Poems of C. S. Lewis demonstrates a dedicated, determined, and passionate poet at work and illustrates the degree and depth to which poetry shaped Lewis’s literary, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual life.
The Fellowship: The Literary Lives of the Inklings
C. S. Lewis is the 20th century's most widely read Christian writer and J.R.R. Tolkien its most beloved mythmaker. For three decades, they and their closest associates formed a literary club known as the Inklings, which met every week in Lewis's Oxford rooms and in nearby pubs. They discussed literature, religion, and ideas; read aloud from works in progress; took philosophical rambles in woods and fields; gave one another companionship and criticism; and, in the process, rewrote the cultural history of modern times.
In The Fellowship, Philip and Carol Zaleski offer the first complete rendering of the Inklings' lives and works. The result is an extraordinary account of the ideas, affections and vexations that drove the group's most significant members. C. S. Lewis accepts Jesus Christ while riding in the sidecar of his brother's motorcycle, maps the medieval and Renaissance mind, becomes a world-famous evangelist and moral satirist, and creates new forms of religiously attuned fiction while wrestling with personal crises. J.R.R. Tolkien transmutes an invented mythology into gripping story in The Lord of the Rings, while conducting groundbreaking Old English scholarship and elucidating, for family and friends, the Catholic teachings at the heart of his vision. Owen Barfield, a philosopher for whom language is the key to all mysteries, becomes Lewis's favorite sparring partner, and, for a time, Saul Bellow's chosen guru. And Charles Williams, poet, author of "supernatural shockers," and strange acolyte of romantic love, turns his everyday life into a mystical pageant.
Romantics who scorned rebellion, fantasists who prized reality, wartime writers who believed in hope, Christians with cosmic reach, the Inklings sought to revitalize literature and faith in the twentieth century's darkest years-and did so in dazzling style.
The Problem of Pain
In one of his most philosophically heavy texts, Lewis examines how a good God can allow pain and suffering in the world.
The Screwtape Letters
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis is a classic masterpiece of religious satire that entertains readers with its sly and ironic portrayal of human life and foibles from the vantage point of Screwtape, a highly placed assistant to "Our Father Below." At once wildly comic, deadly serious, and strikingly original, C.S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters is the most engaging account of temptation—and triumph over it—ever written.
Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life
"A young man who wishes to remain a sound Atheist cannot be too careful of his reading. There are traps everywhere . . . God is, if I may say it, very unscrupulous."
This book is not an autobiography. It is not a confession. It is, however, certainly one of the most beautiful and insightful accounts of a person coming to faith. Here, C.S. Lewis takes us from his childhood in Belfast through the loss of his mother, to boarding school and a youthful atheism in England, to the trenches of World War I, and then to Oxford, where he studied, read, and, ultimately, reasoned his way back to God. It is perhaps this aspect of Surprised by Joy that we—believers and nonbelievers—find most compelling and meaningful; Lewis was searching for joy, for an elusive and momentary sensation of glorious yearning, but he found it, and spiritual life, through the use of reason.
In this highly personal, thoughtful, intelligent memoir, Lewis guides us toward joy and toward the surprise that awaits anyone who seeks a life beyond the expected.
"Lewis tempered his logic with a love for beauty, wonder, and magic . . . He speaks to us with all the power and life-changing force of a Plato, a Dante, and a Bunyan."—Christianity Today
"The tension of these final chapters holds the interest like the close of a thriller."—Times Literary Supplement
C. S. (Clive Staples) Lewis (1898–1963), one of the great writers of the twentieth century, also continues to be one of our most influential Christian thinkers. He wrote more than thirty books, both popular and scholarly
The Great Divorce
In The Great Divorce, C.S. Lewis again employs his formidable talent for fable and allegory. The writer finds himself in Hell boarding a bus bound for Heaven. The amazing opportunity is that anyone who wants to stay in Heaven, can. This is a starting point for an extraordinary meditation upon good and evil, grace and judgment. Lewis’s revolutionary idea is the discovery that the gates of Hell are locked from the inside. Using his extraordinary descriptive powers, Lewis’s The Great Divorce will change the way we think about good and evil.
Till We Have Faces
Ask a CS Lewis scholar for their favorite work of Lewis’, and they will likely respond with Perelandra from the Space Trilogy or Till We Have Faces. Both texts model mythopoeia (“myth-making”) from early myths. Whereas Perelandra draws on the Genesis story of the Fall, Till We Have Faces reimagines the myth of Cupid and Psyche. In doing so, Lewis offers his most challenging and complex read with many thematic strands, including love, the meaning of life, aesthetics, and longing.
The Space Trilogy
Lewis’ Space Trilogy, consisting of Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength, is both powerful and complex. Over the course of the series, he engages philosophical, theological, and scientific issues; builds on rich literary traditions; imagines future possibilities (such as transhumanism and space colonization); and more.
Mere Christianity
In the classic Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis, the most important writer of the 20th century, explores the common ground upon which all of those of Christian faith stand together. Bringing together Lewis’ legendary broadcast talks during World War Two from his three previous books The Case for Christianity, Christian Behavior, and Beyond Personality, Mere Christianity provides an unequaled opportunity for believers and nonbelievers alike to hear this powerful apologetic for the Christian faith.
The Great Tower of Elfland: The Mythopoeic Worldview of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, and George MacDonald
Analyzing Tolkien, Lewis, Chesterton, and MacDonald’s literary, scholarly, and interpersonal texts, The Great Tower of Elfland clarifies the unities of their thinking through five general categories: literature and language, humanism, philosophy of the personal journey, philosophy of history and civilization, and their Christian mythopoeia. After responding to scholarly arguments that diffuse worldviews, this text introduces some of the literary and interpersonal exchanges among the authors to demonstrate their relationships before examining the popular and lesser-known writings of each to clarify their literary and linguistic theoretical orientations.
Rhone analyzes the Renaissance-like Christian humanism of these authors, their belief that humans should care for animals and nature, and their assertion of fallen humanity. Next, he takes readers through Tolkien’s, Lewis’s, Chesterton’s, and MacDonald’s perspectives of the human journey, analyzing literary motifs of pathways in their texts, roads used to demonstrate their perceptions of free will, fate, and the accompanying discipleship of companions along the way. After noting the individual human journey, Rhone articulates the group’s vantages on humanity through civilization and barbarism, myth and science, and even political opinions. Finally, The Great Tower of Elfland recontextualizes the perspectives of MacDonald, Chesterton, Lewis, and Tolkien in light of their Christian mythopoeia, the point on which their unity hinges.
The Chronicles of Narnia
This essential, seven-book series develops chronologically through The Magician’s Nephew; The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; The Horse and his Boy; Prince Caspian; The Voyage of the Dawn Treader; The Silver Chair; and The Last Battle. Here, Lewis offers clear and accessible fantasy adventures that model Christian theology and imagination.
C. S. Lewis: A Biography
This is the true story of C.S. Lewis – one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century – whose books for children and adults have become much-loved classics.
Part of the story of C.S. Lewis has been made famous through the film ‘Shadowlands’. Here this fascinating man’s entire life-story is told by those who knew him personally.
C.S. Lewis was born in Belfast in 1898 and was sent to England for a public school education with his elder brother, Warren. Lewis exhibited a genius for imagination and perception from his earliest years. Brought up in a Christian household, Lewis lost his faith in his teenage years but was to regain it, with reluctance, as a fellow at Magdalen College, Oxford. His faith subsequently influenced his writings. He became a vigorous champion of the Christian faith through classics such as Mere Christianity and through his BBC broadcasts.
His Chronicles of Narnia became children’s classics and he was deluged with correspondence from his young readers.
In his latter years he unexpectedly fell deeply in love with a divorced American, Joy Greshem, and married her, only to suffer the devastation of her death a few years later. C.S. Lewis died in 1963 at his home in Oxford.
During his lifetime C.S. Lewis suggested to his friend, Roger Lancelyn Green, who was a fellow English scholar, that he would undertake his biography one day. After Lewis’s death in 1963 Lancelyn Green and Walter Hooper were approached by several of Lewis’s friends, to write the biography. Warren Lewis, brother to Jack, contributed a great deal to the writing. The authors had at their disposal a vast collection of letters and diaries, as well as the recollections of many surviving family members and friends.
Walter Hooper has enhanced the original text with additional material to provide a new, expanded edition which all C.S. Lewis fans will be keen to own.
Jack: A Life of C. S. Lewis (biography)
Sayer draws from a variety of sources, including his close friendship with Lewis and the million-word diary of Lewis' brother, to paint a portrait of the man whose friends knew him as Jack.
Offering glimpses into Lewis's extraordinary relationships and experiences, Jack details the great scholar's life at the Kilns; days at Magdalen College; meetings with the Inklings; marriage to Joy Davidman Gresham; and the creative process that produced such world-famous works as the classic Chronicles of Narnia, Mere Christianity, and The Screwtape Letters.
This book is an intimate account of the man who helped---and through his works, continues to help--generations hear and understand the heart of Christianity.
Miracles
Throughout Miracles, Lewis considers the nature of miracles, past and present, and how we often minimize their presence in our lives.
Program
At a Glance
Duration
6 days
Program Begins
Montreat, NC
Program Concludes
Montreat, NC
Meals
15
| 5B |
5L |
5D |
Activity Level
Enjoy a comprehensive survey of C. S. Lewis’ life and work. Led by a noted Lewis scholar, we’ll focus on his extraordinary imagination, his role within the Inklings — a literary discussion group that included J. R. R. Tolkien — and his conversion to Christianity. We’ll discuss how Lewis presented a rational basis for the Christian faith that was powerfully, persuasively and delightfully developed in books and movies that have achieved worldwide popularity.)
Best of all, you'll...
- Discuss selections from Lewis’s legacy, including letters, journals, poems, fiction, non-fiction and video productions to gain perspectives on the 20th century’s most popular Christian author.
- Discover the influences that helped shape Lewis’ life, literature and worldview as well as the significant themes that emerge in his work.
- Focus on imagination in Lewis’s work while discussing the powerful, challenging and sometimes controversial points of Lewis’ life and ideas.
General Notes
The Retreat Difference: This unique, often basic and no-frills experience at a Road Scholar Retreat includes opportunities for early morning exercise, interaction with the local community for insight into local life, an authentic farm-to-table or locally sourced meal, a live performance or event, and a value-priced single room. Opportunities are available for traveling companions to attend a different program at Montreat during the same week. Due to the nature of this program, listening devices are not available.
Featured Expert
Zachary Rhone
Zachary Rhone specializes in fantasy, science fiction, and the work of authors J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, and George MacDonald. Outside his specialties, he has an insatiable epistemophilia which urges him to read and learn across disciplines. In addition to research writing, Dr. Rhone is an active technical and creative writer. He is a sub-creator who enjoys building worlds, designing and playing tabletop games, preparing all kinds of foods and beverages, growing things, singing, and songwriting.
Please Note:
This expert may not be available for every date of the program
Tracy Bailey
Tracy has been on the program staff of Montreat Conference Center since 1986. She began working with Elderhostel programs in 1989, and in 1997 assumed the additional role of on-site coordinator. A native of the area, she graduated from Asheville-Buncombe Technical College in 1981. Her favorite hobbies are hiking, pottery and reading. Tracy married Sam in 2007, and added three daughters to her family. In addition to her own grown children, she and Sam have been foster parents since 2010. They have four grandchildren.
Activity Level
Easy Going
All facilities are in one building, with approximately 300 yards walking required; a few stairs. Outside areas are mountainous, with inclines and uneven terrain.
Suggested Reading List
View Full List
(14 Books)
You can also find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone?
We can help. Give us a call, and we can answer all of your questions!
Call
800-454-5768
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
6 days
5 nights
What's Included
15 meals | 5B | 5L | 5D |
13 expert-led lectures
2 performances
An experienced Group Leader
5 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Day
1
Check-in, Registration, Welcome Dinner, Orientation
Location:
Montreat, NC
Meals:
D
Stay:
Assembly Inn
Activity Note
Inn check-in from 3:00 p.m. Remember to bring your name-tag (sent previously).
Afternoon:
Assembly Inn check-in 3:00-5:30 p.m. You will share this week with another Road Scholar program: 22994 Italian Renaissance and a Suncoast Pickleball Group. Pull up to the Assembly Inn porch to unload, then park your vehicle in any designated spot close to the Inn or by the lake and check in. Program Registration. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing the up-to-date schedule that reflects any changes, other important information, and to confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in. Feel free to relax in your room, meet and enjoy fellowship with other participants in the beautiful lobby, or stretch your legs with a walk around the campus before dinner.
Dinner:
Dinner will be served from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. All meals are served buffet-style in our Galax Dining Room, or if you prefer, enjoy a meal outside in our Tea Garden or on Wharton Porch! We are able to accommodate most dietary restrictions requested by our guests. Below are just some of the options that might make up each of your dinner meals. •Fresh salad bar •Baked chicken •Roast beef •Broiled fish •Mashed potatoes •Assorted vegetables •Assorted desserts •Iced tea •Regular & decaf coffees. We do bus our own dishes at each meal.
Evening:
Orientation: 7:00 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. We will also meet the instructor. This is a Road Scholar Retreats program. Programming at Retreat locations includes opportunities for light morning exercise, interaction with members of the local community, a farm-to-table meal, and evening entertainment. Sleeping and dining facilities are in one building, with approximately 300 yards walking required. On some evenings, there will be entertainment such as a concert, dance, or storyteller followed by opportunities for fellowship in the lobby of the Inn. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. We’ll finish up around 8:00 p.m. with some “get to know you” activities and then have refreshments and fellowship in the lobby. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Day
2
CS Lewis’ Early Life, Northernness, and Christian Conversion
Location:
Montreat, NC
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Assembly Inn
Activity Note
Classroom based program. Join us in the main lobby from 7:30 - 7:45 for early morning stretches with Martha Nelson. Walk around Montreat for those who are interested.
Breakfast:
(early morning coffee out around 6:30 a.m.) Our breakfast buffet is served from 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. in the Assembly Inn Dining Room. Is breakfast your favorite meal of the day? If so, you're in for a treat this week! Breakfast options change daily, incorporating lots of your favorites... biscuits and gravy, sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, grits, hash browns, French toast, pancakes, oatmeal (not the packaged kind either), and lots of others. Standard offerings include fresh fruit, cereal, yogurt, granola, baked pastries, orange juice (and another juice option). Fresh coffee or hot tea will start your morning off right! Join us in the main lobby from 7:30 - 7:45 for early morning stretches with Martha Nelson.
Morning:
During the early morning course, we will explore Lewis’ early life, especially his imaginative life, including the worlds of Boxen and Animal-Land that he and his brother, Warren, invented, mapped, and peopled. We'll have a mid-morning refreshment break and then return to class for the lecture and discussion about the erosion of his Christian faith and discovery of northernness.
Lunch:
Lunch (buffet) is served from 12:30 - 1:30 in the Assembly Inn Dining Room
Afternoon:
The afternoon course will trace Lewis' imaginative life during WWI and through his days as an undergraduate and later fellow at Oxford University. We'll carefully explore Lewis' conversion to Christianity through his private and public writing, recollections of others, and biographies. 3:30 Walk Around Montreat (guided tour of grounds) or free time
Dinner:
Dinner will be served from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Assembly Inn Dining Room
Evening:
Our evening program will feature a local musician/band or or a storyteller. The remainder of the evening is at leisure, with activities in the lobby of the Inn for fellowship.
Day
3
The Inklings, Early Christian Writing, and WWII
Location:
Montreat, NC
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Assembly Inn
Activity Note
Classroom based program. Join us in the main lobby from 7:30 - 7:45 for early morning stretches with Martha Nelson. Hike in the mountains this afternoon for those who are interested.
Breakfast:
Another great Breakfast buffet, served 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. in the Assembly Inn Dining Room
Morning:
With our instructor, Zachary Rhone, we’ll discuss the Inklings—both the impact it had on Lewis and the impact Lewis had on the Inklings. A refreshment and fellowship break in the lobby will follow. Then, through Lewis' literature in the 1930s and 1940s, we will traverse Lewis’ early Christian imagination and apologetics, including The Pilgrim’s Regress (1933).
Lunch:
Lunch (buffet) is served from 12:30 - 1:30 in the Assembly Inn Dining Room.
Afternoon:
During our afternoon course, we’ll examine Lewis’ apologetics during WWII, including The Problem of Pain (1940), his radio talks that became Mere Christianity (radio 1941-44, pub. 1952), The Screwtape Letters (1942), and The Great Divorce (1945). 3:30 Enjoy a hike in the mountains or Free Time
Dinner:
Dinner (buffet) will be served from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Evening:
7:00 - 8:00 evening program: Evening programs are typically a fun event -- a dance, a concert, or a storyteller games/cards/tv available in lobby for fellowship.
Day
4
Faith and Imagination in the Sci-Fi Trilogy; free afternoon
Location:
Montreat, NC
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Assembly Inn
Activity Note
Classroom based program. Join us in the main lobby from 7:30 - 7:45 for early morning stretches with Martha Nelson.
Breakfast:
Breakfast is served from 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. in the Assembly Inn Dining Room.
Morning:
We will spend the morning in Earth and the heavens. Less popular today but some of Lewis’ greatest work, his science fiction trilogy comprised of Out of the Silent Planet (1938), Perelandra (1943), and That Hideous Strength (1945) reveals the growth of his imagination and faith over the course of the 1930s and 1940s and points to evolving directions in his literature. A mid-morning refreshment break will feed our bodies as we continue to feed our mind.
Lunch:
Lunch (buffet) is served from 12:30 - 1:30 in the Assembly Inn Dining Room.
Afternoon:
Free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Please note that the period scheduled for free time is subject to change depending on local circumstances and opportunities for independent exploration.Free time to explore the area!
Dinner:
5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Assembly Inn Dining Room. We will enjoy a farm-to-table meal.
Evening:
During our evening course, we will view "The Shadowlands."
Day
5
Narnia, Challenges, Conflicts, and Love
Location:
Montreat, NC
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Assembly Inn
Activity Note
Classroom based program. Join us in the main lobby from 7:30 - 7:45 for early morning stretches with Martha Nelson.
Breakfast:
Buffet Breakfast is served from 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. in the Assembly Inn Dining Room. !
Morning:
After WWII, Lewis continued to offer hope by traveling through the wardrobe in The Chronicles of Narnia. We will spend the morning sessions analyzing the inspiration, influences, reception, and themes of Lewis’ beloved fairy-story. Mid-morning, we'll have a break with some refreshments and fellowship.
Lunch:
Buffet Lunch is served from 12:30 - 1:30 in the Assembly Inn Dining Room
Afternoon:
While The Chronicles of Narnia was a major success, Lewis’ life changed significantly post-WWII with challenges and conflicts in all aspects of his life. We will consider how Till We Have Faces (1956) and The Four Loves (1960) may have been influenced by his great love, Joy Davidman, and how these two texts reflect growth in Lewis’ life and imagination. 3:30 - 5:30 free time
Dinner:
Dinner will be served from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Assembly Inn Dining Room
Evening:
We’ll gather for a last evening together as a group (probably a concert), followed by an opportunity for games/cards/TV in lobby for fellowship. Prepare for check-out and departure after lunch tomorrow. Sign up for a box lunch if you have to leave Montreat before lunch tomorrow.
Day
6
Peace and Joy; Lunch and Departures
Location:
Montreat, NC
Meals:
B,L
Breakfast:
Breakfast, 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. in the Assembly Inn Dining Room.
Morning:
During our final morning, we will reflect on Lewis’ later years and last works. We'll have a mid-morning refreshment break and opportunity to check out of your room (checkout required by 11 a.m.). We will continue discussion from the first session and consider Lewis’ prophetic observations and enduring legacy. Class will continue until noon, then we'll have lunch and say our goodbyes.
Lunch:
Lunch is served in the Assembly Inn Dining Room (Box lunches will be available for those who cannot stay through lunch, if they were requested on Thursday)
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MEALS
15 Meals
5 Breakfasts
5 Lunches
5 Dinners
LODGING
Lodgings may differ by date. Select a date to see the lodgings specific to that date.
Showing Lodging For:
- May 18, 2025 - May 23, 2025
- May 18, 2025 - May 23, 2025
- Aug 03, 2025 - Aug 08, 2025
Participant Reviews
Based on 21 Reviews
Sort By:
OUTSTANDING !
I continue to pray for the restoration of your beautiful site, for all the dedicated people whose diligence has preserved the integrity of programs and for the community effected by the dreadful storms. May God Bless each one of you!
Since this is my first year as a 'road scholar' I was hesitant to sign-up for such a singular topic/author/scholar out of concern there might be an obnoxious sense of superiority. Rather, I found the entire program from the leaders of the group to the participants to be the exact opposite. I'm becoming a C.S. Lewis follower. as well as a Roads Scholar supporter.
The program's outstanding scholar was inspiring. The combination of his scope knowledge, charming demeanor. and refreshing sense of humor was remarkable.
Thank you one and all,
MaryKay Ruwe
— Review left October 30, 2024
The instructor is the college professor you wished you'd had. He knew the material, made it interesting, and respected all attendees. The Montreat setting is beautiful -- mountains, a lake, and a hundred-year-old stone retreat center. The week was terrific. If you like C.S. Lewis, it's perfect.
— Review left August 19, 2024
The best aspect our trip was our fine instructor, Professor Zach Rhone, who was full of knowledge and enthusiasm for C. S. Lewis and authored a book on the topic. We learned a lot. The mountain inn was fine but dated. A bigger elevator would be nice, and it may be time to install tvs in rooms. The food was mostly good and occasionally very good. Montreat offers a beautiful setting, and we enjoyed the tour of the campus. The evening entertainment was good. We enjoyed Michael Ruiz's piano performance and the Sourwood Ridge Mountain Band. It was helpful to have Wednesday afternoon free so that we could visit Biltmore. We look forward to other Road Scholar programs.
— Review left August 14, 2024
I really enjoyed the C S Lewis program held at Montreat. The lectures and discussions helped be better understand how Lewis's life and thought developed. Especially, I got a fresh appreciation for the strategic impact on him of fellow strong intellectuals who were Christians. Montreat is a very pleasant place, wooded but not buggy, with a little stream running through it. Short and long hikes available. Great food, and nice people attending the classes.
— Review left August 9, 2024
A beautiful setting, stimulating information from an expert in the field, & good people--all the right ingredients! Thanks, Road Scholars
— Review left May 19, 2024
This was my first time on a Road Scholar trip. It was wonderful! Not only was this trip everything I'd hoped it would be but after talking with others that had been on many trips with this organization (8, 14, 29!) I'm definitely preparing for my next adventure!
— Review left May 17, 2024
After my first Road Scholar experience (The Works of C.S. Lewis at Montreat Conference Center), I am hooked! The class sessions were excellent and very informative, and the whole whole program experience exceeded my expectations. Well organized and well balanced, and held in a beautiful session. Couldn't have asked for anything more.
— Review left August 18, 2023
Excellent program!
— Review left May 20, 2023
Fabulous...
I wouldn't change one thing!
— Review left May 20, 2023
Don King's "The Life and Works of C.S. Lewis" was an exceptional class. His breadth of knowledge was impressive and his lectures were accessible, educational, and so enjoyable. If you are on the fence about enrolling in this class, I heartily recommend it for both C.S. Lewis novices (like me) or Lewis aficionados.
— Review left August 26, 2022
The C.S. Lewis instructor was VERY knowledgeable and facilitated good discussion. He was very approachable.
— Review left August 13, 2022
The instructor, Don King, is very knowledgeable about C. S. Lewis
— Review left August 13, 2022
If you are interested in learning more about C.S. Lewis, his writings and his life, this is a program for you.
— Review left May 16, 2022
A deep dive into a fascinating writer and how he makes Christianity come alive
— Review left May 14, 2022
Dr. Don King was an excellent lecturer on C. S. Lewis. He has interviewed the people who actually knew C. S. Lewis, and has written books on him. I highly recommend this class if you are interested in C. S. Lewis and his literature.
— Review left May 14, 2022
An informative 5 days for Christians and others who are Anglophiles about one of the top 10 authors using the English language in the 20th century.
— Review left August 21, 2021
For scholars, as well as those only mildly interested in the life and writings of C S Lewis, this program is a must. Anyone who has ever been to Narnia will enjoy it. The facilities at Montreat are outstanding.
— Review left August 13, 2021
Classroom experience in a beautiful old stone building in a really beautiful part of the country. Interesting lessons made me want to read more of Lewis's works.
— Review left August 13, 2021
Took the C.S. Lewis life and writings trip. Instructor Dr. Don King was great! So personable and extremely knowledgeable. 40 years experience with Lewis. Working on his ninth book on Lewis and related.
His sessions were always interesting. It was as much a launch into continuing an exploration of C.S. Lewis as I could imagine. Never expected it would such an introduction into the world of poetry as it was.
The venue, Montreat, and surrounding area were incredible. Got outside as much as possible.
Really enjoyed meeting so many interesting people. And that's across all the different courses being held concurrently.
Everything was so very well organized!
— Review left June 18, 2019
The C.S. Lewis class is of the highest quality. Both inspiring and mind-expanding. Great leadership from Dr. King. In a most beautiful setting. I would highly recommend this class.
— Review left June 5, 2019
If you have any interest in CS Lewis, this is a tremendous course presented by an amazing and very well organized instructor. Dr. King's presentations were over the top with regard to the subject matter and presented it in many formats to keep your undivided attention. The Montreat Conf Ctr enhanced our "heady" subject. Great facility. My experience was totally over the top!!
— Review left May 25, 2019
