Magic Like This – A C.S. Lewis Book Club

Christina Lynn Wallace
  • 4.8 (6)
  • CHRISTIANITY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Magic Like This is a C.S. Lewis Book Club hosted by Christina Wallace. Anyone who loves a deliciously crafted sentence or a spiritually compelling idea is welcome. So grab a cuppa your favourite somethin' somethin' and join us as we explore Christianity through the literary jollies of C.S. Lewis! magiclikethis.substack.com

  1. Screwtape's 23rd Letter: Jesus, or your political mascot? With Historian, Dr. Gregory Lippiatt.

    JAN 20

    Screwtape's 23rd Letter: Jesus, or your political mascot? With Historian, Dr. Gregory Lippiatt.

    “That’s not my Jesus.” It’s a sentiment we see all the time on social media — maybe we’ve even used it ourselves — when people cherry pick parts of Scripture to create a version of Christ that suits their world view. Uncomfortably prophetic to this cultural moment, Screwtape’s 23rd Letter shows us that this phenomenon is not new. It was happening in Lewis’ day through what he defines as the “historical point of view.” In other words, a “historical” version of Jesus which people of all faiths and none have used as a prop for their own agendas. Do we still look at Jesus through the “historical point of view” today? Or has our culture in the West moulded Jesus into a different kind of mascot? And most importantly, how is Screwtape using this “mascot Jesus” to destroy a life of devotion to the actual Jesus? I’m joined by Dr. Gregory Lippiatt, Senior Lecturer in Medieval History at the University of Exeter (who also has a fascinating personal connection to Lewis) to pick apart what Screwtape can teach us about our own Christian devotion today. Mentioned in this episode: (Please buy from your local bookstore wherever possible. Note: I have not personally read all books mentioned in this episode. Sharing them here is not necessarily a personal endorsement.) The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis First and Second Things, essay by C.S. Lewis The Unintended Reformation by Brad Gregory The Myth of Religious Violence by William T Cavanaugh Tolkien's Letter 306 by J.R.R. Tolkien Support the show Become a patron of Magic Like This for £5 a month here. OR leave a review for us on Apple Podcasts! Find me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/magiclikethispodcast Read my essays and join my Celtic Prayer Writing Workshops at The Battle Cry: https://christinalynnwallace.substack.com/subscribe For fellow writers: Enrol in Pick Up Your Sword, my writing course for aspiring Christian writers who want to write their first book: https://christinalynnwallace.com/course Battling imposter syndrome?Purchase my 7-day journalling devotional for aspiring Christian writers: https://www.christinalynnwallace.com/shop/p/invited-by-joy-digital-devotional-for-aspiring-authors Always wondered about the difference between a colon and a semi-colon?Join Swordsmanship, my free 21-day punctuation mark email course: https://www.christinalynnwallace.com/swordsmanship. Wanting personal support to develop your writing practice?Book a Writer’s Audit, 1:1 writing mentorship calls with Christina. Or if you just want a little magic sent straight to your inbox each month to encourage and inspire your writing practice, you can get my free monthly newsletter, The Grammarian, here: https://christinalynnwallace.com/newsletter Click here to find me on Fable This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit magiclikethis.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 20m
  2. Screwtape's 22nd Letter: His knickers are all in a twist. With C.S. Lewis Master's Grad, Sara Parsons.

    12/13/2025

    Screwtape's 22nd Letter: His knickers are all in a twist. With C.S. Lewis Master's Grad, Sara Parsons.

    What if we could make Screwtape so angry with our faith that he spontaneously combusts into a centipede? Well, the patient is in love, and his beloved is so on fire for Jesus that it sends Screwtape into a rage that actually transforms him into the vermin that he is. To discuss Letter 22, I'm joined by Sara Parsons, a church youth leader in Oxford who did her Master's degree on C.S. Lewis and the beauty of imagination (so jelly over here). Sara brings some incredible perspective to this letter, including a little sneaky (and perfectly linked) cross-reference with The Great Divorce that you won't want to miss. In this episode, we discuss gender, purity culture, the idea of total depravity, and the fact that with Christ, maybe we can actually eat our cake and have it too. But most importantly, we ask the question, "Is God really a 'hedonist at heart'?" the way Screwtape so often describes Him? And if He IS, what does that say about the beauty we have available to us in this life? Mentioned in this episode: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis 5 Things the Bible Does (and Doesn’t) Say About Modesty Support the show Become a patron of Magic Like This for £5 a month here. OR leave a review for us on Apple Podcasts! Read my essays and join my Celtic Prayer Writing Workshops at The Battle Cry: https://christinalynnwallace.substack.com/subscribe Find me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/magiclikethispodcast For fellow writers: Battling imposter syndrome?Purchase my 7-day journalling devotional for aspiring Christian writers: https://www.christinalynnwallace.com/shop/p/invited-by-joy-digital-devotional-for-aspiring-authors Enrol in Pick Up Your Sword, my writing course for aspiring Christian writers who want to write their first book: https://christinalynnwallace.com/course Always wondered about the difference between a colon and a semi-colon?Join Swordsmanship, my free 21-day punctuation mark email course: https://www.christinalynnwallace.com/swordsmanship. Wanting personal support to develop your writing practice?Book a Writer’s Audit, 1:1 writing mentorship calls with Christina. Or if you just want a little magic sent straight to your inbox each month to encourage and inspire your writing practice, you can get my free monthly newsletter, The Grammarian, here: https://christinalynnwallace.com/newsletter Click here to find me on Fable This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit magiclikethis.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 24m

  3. 11/05/2025

    Screwtape's 21st Letter: Why do we think time belongs to us? With Missionary, Paula Bostock.

    This Screwtape letter was a real kick in the pants for me. Because y’all, I really struggle to relinquish control of my own time. But Screwtape reminds us that even the idea that our time is our own is an illusion. Why does this feel like such an assault? Why is it so hard to just release my sense of control? Paula Bostock is a missionary from Brazil who moved to the UK for what she thought would only be a year of missionary work in Belfast. 8 years later, she’s now married and a brand new mamma, still living in the UK, and she joins me to share her story of discovering the freedom which came when she released control of her time, her body, and her entire life to God. Mentioned in this episode Our wedding story on The Remarkable Ordinary My private podcast for paid subscribers of The Battle Cry My podcast with Dusty Hegge Connect with Dusty Hegge (a business consultant who supports Kingdom-minded writers, coaches, therapists, and leaders) Support the show Become a patron of Magic Like This for £5 a month here. OR leave a review for us on Apple Podcasts! Read my essays and join my Celtic Prayer Writing Workshops at The Battle Cry: https://christinalynnwallace.substack.com/subscribe Find me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/magiclikethispodcast For fellow writers: Battling imposter syndrome? Purchase my 7-day journalling devotional for aspiring Christian writers: https://www.christinalynnwallace.com/shop/p/invited-by-joy-digital-devotional-for-aspiring-authors Wanting to write a book about what God’s done in your life, but don’t know where to start? I teach a course to help with that! You can enrol in Pick Up Your Sword at https://christinalynnwallace.com/course Always wondered about the difference between a colon and a semi-colon?Join Swordsmanship, my free 21-day email course to help you master punctuation: https://www.christinalynnwallace.com/swordsmanship. Wanting personal support to develop your writing practice?Book a Writer’s Audit, 1:1 writing mentorship calls with Christina. Or if you just want a little magic sent straight to your inbox each month to encourage and inspire your writing practice, you can get my free monthly newsletter, The Grammarian, here: https://christinalynnwallace.com/newsletter Click here to find me on Fable This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit magiclikethis.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 28m

  4. 10/01/2025

    Screwtape's 20th letter: When "beauty" makes you sick. With Breast-Implant Illness Survivor, Joanna Hall.

    Listening to this episode around children is not advised. Letter 20 of Screwtape takes an even deeper look at the mechanics of spiritual warfare in terms sexuality — specifically in the context of society’s portrayal of beauty. There are SO many avenues that I could have explored in this chapter, and as someone who grew up in purity culture, I initially bristled at the idea of discussing the topic of beauty, the reason being that so often, women are targeted by messages of beauty in Christian evangelical ministry in such a way as to imply that beauty is the only thing that concerns us. And I simply don’t believe this to be true. That said, it would be foolish to ignore the oh-so-prevalent fact that society tries to define beauty for us — often in the most damaging and harmful ways. Because Lewis mentions this phenomenon explicitly in Letter 20, I knew it would be a perfect opportunity to get my amazing mamma on the show. She has an incredible story of recovering from breast implant illness, and as someone who works in the beauty industry in Southern California, she has an informed and wise perspective on how we can pursue beauty without surrendering the true picture of beauty which God has sewn in us from the very beginning. As a warning, this episode does touch on the topic of fertility and infertility, which we try to handle with the utmost care, but if that’s not something you feel prepared to engage with right now, I invite you to skip the latter half of this episode. Mentioned in this episode: Isaac’s essay on C.S. Lewis and beauty. Psalm 34:5 Magic Like This episodes with Anna Shuman: Part 1 & Part 2 Further resources: The Yuka app helps you to scan cosmetic products to determine whether they are clean or whether they have ingredients which can impact your endocrine system: https://yuka.io/en/ Join the Magic Like This Book Club: https://magiclikethis.substack.com/subscribe Read my essays and join my Celtic Prayer Writing Workshops at The Battle Cry: https://christinalynnwallace.substack.com/subscribe Find me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/magiclikethispodcast For fellow writers: Battling imposter syndrome? Purchase my 7-day journalling devotional for aspiring Christian writers: https://www.christinalynnwallace.com/shop/p/invited-by-joy-digital-devotional-for-aspiring-authors Wanting to write a book about what God’s done in your life, but don’t know where to start? I teach a course to help with that!You can enrol in Pick Up Your Sword at https://christinalynnwallace.com/course Always wondered about the difference between a colon and a semi-colon? Join Swordsmanship, my free 21-day email course to help you master punctuation: https://www.christinalynnwallace.com/swordsmanship. Wanting personal support to develop your writing practice? Book a Writer’s Audit, 1:1 writing mentorship calls with Christina. Or if you just want a little magic sent straight to your inbox each month to encourage and inspire your writing practice, you can get my free monthly newsletter, The Grammarian, here: https://christinalynnwallace.com/newsletter Click here to find me on Fable This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit magiclikethis.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 19m

  5. 09/08/2025

    Screwtape's 19th Letter: Not your average "Christian" sex talk. With Anna Shuman.

    No matter how much we try, it seems like Christians never quite know how to “deal” with the topic of sex. Not just in the creation story but in the grander story of humanity. We are hounded by noise: porn on one side and purity culture on the other. Fear. Pride. Lust. It all muddles our understanding of God’s design, and Screwtape couldn’t be more pleased. But Anna Shuman invites us to look at the sex story with fresh eyes, and it’s nothing short of transformative. Because we’re not asking the same tired questions like “How far is ‘too’ far?” and “What’s the ‘right’ way to engage our sexuality?” No, Lewis prompts us to ask a far deeper question — one that haunts every human heart when they find themselves alone in the dark: faced by my utter, vulnerable, exposed nakedness, can God really love me as much as He says he does? Just editing this episode brought me to tears. Whether you’re single, dating, or married, I really hope you’ll have a listen… Follow Anna on Substack here: Mentioned in this episode: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis: https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/the-screwtape-letters-letters-from-a-senior-to-a-junior-devil-c-s-lewis-signature-classic-c-s-lewis?variant=32555414224974 Sheila Wray Gregoire Join the Magic Like This Book Club: https://magiclikethis.substack.com/subscribe Read my essays and join my Celtic Prayer Writing Workshops at The Battle Cry: https://christinalynnwallace.substack.com/subscribe Find me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/magiclikethispodcast For fellow writers: Battling imposter syndrome? Purchase my 7-day journalling devotional for aspiring Christian writers: https://www.christinalynnwallace.com/shop/p/invited-by-joy-digital-devotional-for-aspiring-authors Wanting to write a book about what God’s done in your life, but don’t know where to start? I teach a course to help with that! You can enrol in Pick Up Your Sword at https://christinalynnwallace.com/course Always wondered about the difference between a colon and a semi-colon? Join my free 21-day email course to help you master punctuation: https://www.christinalynnwallace.com/swordsmanship. Wanting personal support to develop your writing practice? Book a Writer's Audit, 1:1 writing mentorship calls with Christina. Or if you just want a little magic sent straight to your inbox each month to encourage and inspire your writing practice, you can get my free monthly newsletter, The Grammarian, here: https://christinalynnwallace.com/newsletter Click here to find me on Fable This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit magiclikethis.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 23m

  6. 08/15/2025

    Screwtape's 18th Letter: Lies about singleness; lies about humanity. With Anna Shuman.

    I met Anna Shuman at the Edinburgh Writing Retreat with Kristen LaValley this past April, and she was immediately one of those people who made me go “Can I be your friend?” She has a Doctorate in Global Leadership and a Master’s in Biblical Literature, but this impressive resumé isn’t why I asked her to join me for letters 18 & 19 of Screwtape. As we really start to “go there” by plumbing the depths of spiritual warfare and sexuality, I knew that Anna, who has such a gift for teaching and a stunning passion for marriage, relationships, and community for all people (which includes single people!) In this episode, we specifically look at what it means to understand our identity not just as sexual creatures but as creatures made for community — regardless of marital status. How do we defy Satan’s attempt to bid us believe that our identities exist in competition rather than in communion with one another? This conversation is one that I’ve been thinking about for weeks since recording it, and I can’t wait for you to listen. Follow Anna here on Substack here: https://annashuman.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips Mentioned in this episode: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis: https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/the-screwtape-letters-letters-from-a-senior-to-a-junior-devil-c-s-lewis-signature-classic-c-s-lewis?variant=32555414224974 Join the Magic Like This Book Club: https://magiclikethis.substack.com/subscribe Read my essays and join my Celtic Prayer Writing Workshops at The Battle Cry: https://christinalynnwallace.substack.com/subscribe Find me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/magiclikethispodcast For fellow writers: Battling imposter syndrome? Purchase my 7-day journalling devotional for aspiring Christian writers: https://www.christinalynnwallace.com/shop/p/invited-by-joy-digital-devotional-for-aspiring-authors Wanting to write a book about what God’s done in your life, but don’t know where to start? I teach a course to help with that! Join the waitlist for Pick Up Your Sword at https://christinalynnwallace.com/course Get my free 21-day email course to help you master punctuation: https://www.christinalynnwallace.com/swordsmanship. Wanting personal support to develop your writing practice? Book a Writer's Audit, 1:1 writing mentorship calls with Christina. Click here to find me on Fable This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit magiclikethis.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 20m

  7. 07/18/2025

    Screwtape's 17th Letter: The sin that nobody talks about. With Author, Jon Seidl.

    As we cover Screwtape Chapter 17, author and current seminary student, Jonathon M. Seidl joins me for a deep dive into disordered relationships with consumption, from food and drink to digital content to lust to work (and everything else in between). Jon beautifully distills the tactics of Screwtape into one simple statement: “Misordered is disordered.” Yeah yeah, we know that “misordered” is not an actual word. But once you listen, it will all make sense. Connect with Jon Seidl On Substack: https://jonseidl.substack.com/ Pre-order Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic: https://christianalcoholic.com Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic Podcast: https://www.jonseidl.com/confessions-of-christian-alcoholic-podcast Mentioned in this episode: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis: https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/the-screwtape-letters-letters-from-a-senior-to-a-junior-devil-c-s-lewis-signature-classic-c-s-lewis?variant=32555414224974 The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis: https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/the-great-divorce-c-s-lewis-signature-classic-c-s-lewis?variant=32555842895950 Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis: https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/mere-christianity-c-s-lewis-signature-classic-c-s-lewis?variant=40027293941838 Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis: https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/surprised-by-joy-c-s-lewis-signature-classic-c-s-lewis?variant=40026292584526 The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis: https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/the-abolition-of-man-c-s-lewis?variant=40027843887182 The Many Lives of Mama Love by Lara Love Hardin: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Many-Lives-Mama-Love/dp/1804190500 My C.S. Lewis essay for HarperCollins: https://cslewisofficial.substack.com/p/joy-is-just-the-beginning Join the Magic Like This Book Club: https://magiclikethis.substack.com/subscribe Read my essays and join my Celtic Prayer Writing Workshops at The Battle Cry: https://christinalynnwallace.substack.com/subscribe Find me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/magiclikethispodcast For fellow writers: Battling imposter syndrome? Purchase my 7-day journalling devotional for aspiring Christian writers: https://www.christinalynnwallace.com/shop/p/invited-by-joy-digital-devotional-for-aspiring-authors Wanting to write a book about what God’s done in your life, but don’t know where to start? I teach a course to help with that! Enrol in Pick Up Your Sword today at https://christinalynnwallace.com/course Always wondered about the difference between a colon and a semi-colon? Join The Writer’s List to get writing tips rooted in Scripture and exclusive access to Swordsmanship, my free 21-day email course to help you master punctuation: https://www.christinalynnwallace.com/swordsmanship. Wanting personal support to develop your writing practice? Book a Writer's Audit, 1:1 writing mentorship calls with Christina. Click here to find me on Fable This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit magiclikethis.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 51m

  8. 07/01/2025

    Screwtape's 16th Letter: When you're struggling to find a church. With Clergy Wife, Lauren Jackson.

    In this special free, extended episode of Magic Like This, I’m joined by my friend, Lauren, who is a devout Catholic and clergy wife with a history growing up in the Evangelical church. As Screwtape encourages Wormwood to entice the Patient into “church shopping,” (i.e. a dissatisfaction with any one church community), Lauren and I look at what it really means to love the Bride of Christ in light of a Christian culture which, in today’s political atmosphere, can make church feel like an unsafe place. Mentioned in this episode:How the Eucharist Changed Me: https://christinalynnwallace.substack.com/p/how-the-eucharist-changed-me How to join the exclusive Book Club meetings: Join the Magic Like This Book Club by becoming a paid subscriber and get access to our exclusive monthly meetings (and the meeting recordings if you ever miss one!): https://magiclikethis.substack.com/subscribe OR get a free year’s subscription to the Magic Like This Book Club when you become a paid subscriber of my main Substack, The Battle Cry. It’s a buy-1-get-1-free kinda deal! https://christinalynnwallace.substack.com/subscribe Find me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/magiclikethispodcast For fellow writers: Battling imposter syndrome? Purchase my 7-day journalling devotional for aspiring Christian writers: https://www.christinalynnwallace.com/shop/p/invited-by-joy-digital-devotional-for-aspiring-authors Wanting to write a book about what God’s done in your life, but don’t know where to start? I teach a course to help with that! Enrol in Pick Up Your Sword today at https://christinalynnwallace.com/course Always wondered about the difference between a colon and a semi-colon? Sign up for Swordsmanship, my free punctuation mark email course, to get 21 days of free, bite-sized lessons teaching you all about the beauty of punctuation. Get it here: https://christinalynnwallace.com/swordsmanship Wanting personal support to develop your writing practice? Book a Writer's Audit, 1:1 writing mentorship calls with Christina. Click here to find me on Fable This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit magiclikethis.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 38m
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Magic Like This is a C.S. Lewis Book Club hosted by Christina Wallace. Anyone who loves a deliciously crafted sentence or a spiritually compelling idea is welcome. So grab a cuppa your favourite somethin' somethin' and join us as we explore Christianity through the literary jollies of C.S. Lewis! magiclikethis.substack.com

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