A longtime admirer of C. S. Lewis and the Inklings, Michael J. Christensen brings academic rigor and pastoral warmth to his work, which focuses on the intersection of theology, spirituality, and community. With degrees from Yale and Drew, he has taught courses on Lewis and his circle for decades and served as a resident scholar at The Kilns, Lewis’s former home in Oxford. A Senior Fellow with the C. S. Lewis Foundation and contributor to the C. S. Lewis Bible, Dr. Christensen is also the author of C. S. Lewis on Scripture. Beyond his Inklings expertise, he is Academic Dean at Northwind Seminary, directs spiritual formation programs, and trains community leaders around the world. Whether writing on deification, Henri Nouwen, or apocalyptic theology (yes, he covers all that!), Michael beautifully invites—and incites!—others to live with depth and purpose. Plus, there follows with Michael a definite scent of joy.
In this interview, Dr. Christensen touches on a number of topics: from the integration of theology, spirituality, and imagination; to his journey from an evangelical background to embracing contemplative spirituality, influenced by Henri Nouwen and others; to the need for harmony between intellectual pursuits and spiritual depth; the importance of balancing the universal and particular; and promoting intellectual hospitality and charity in addressing current societal and ecclesiastical polarizations. In other words—timely.
To learn more about Michael, you can visit Northwind Theological Seminary or his Amazon page.
Names mentioned in this interview:
Bob Eckblad, C.S. Lewis, Henri Nouwen, Thomas Merton, City Hope International, Francis Schaeffer, Coleridge, Wordsworth, Billy Graham, Clyde Kilby, Northrop Frye, George MacDonald, Ivan Illich, Tolkien, Charles Williams, Mother Theresa, Juliana of Norwich, John Wesley, Owen Barfield, John Wesley, Evelyn Underhill, Robyn Wriggley Car, John Dunn, Dorothy Sayers, Sister Penelope, Ruth Pittenger, Elizabeth Anscombe, Dom Bede Griffiths, John Calvin, Cecil Harwood, Rudolf Steiner, Diana Pavlac Glyer.
Books mentioned:
Reading the Bible with the Damned (Bob Ekblad)
Mere Christianity (C.S. Lewis)
Screwtape Letters (C.S. Lewis)
The Great Divorce (C.S. Lewis)
The Educated Imagination (Northrop Frye)
Mysticism (Evelyn Underhill)
Abba (Evelyn Underhill)
Chronicles of Narnia (C.S. Lewis)
The Four Loves (C.S. Lewis)
C. S. Lewis On Scripture: His Thoughts on the Nature of Biblical Inspiration, The Role of Revelation and the Question of Inerrancy (Michael Christensen)