Best Andrew Lazo Podcasts (2025)

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In the House of Tom Bombadil - with C.R. Wiley (9x2) 1:07:10

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2d ago1:07:10

1:07:10

C.R. Wiley of @TheTheologyPugcast explains who Tom Bombadil is. Wiley wrote In the House of Tom Bombadil with @CanonPress , and that book opens a wide ranging conversation about masculinity, femininity, dominion, domination, dating, Adam, and the work of the logos in Tolkien's Legendarium. It's a wonderful discussion mostly grounded in The Fellowsh…

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Greta Gerwig, Narnia, and the Culture War: Joseph Holmes (9x1) 1:05:12

15d ago1:05:12

1:05:12

Joseph Holmes advances his theory of feminism in contemporary Hollywood: only women are allowed to be positive spiritual figures. Holmes argues that Hollywood has shifted from "men bad, women good" and the "religious or atheist" dichotomy to "men are religious, women are spiritual." As such, Holmes thinks it fits Greta Gerwig's pattern to cast a fe…

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Bonus – Announcements ("Birth Announcment & Prayer Request") 0:49

2M ago0:49

0:49

Some family news and a prayer request

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S8E35 – Finale – "Season 8 Wrap-Up" 56:39

3M ago56:39

56:39

It's time to say our goodbyes until October when we begin Season 9 and "The Abolition of Man!" [Show Notes]

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S8E34 – TWHF – "Till We Have Faces Primer", After Hours with Andrew, David, and Matt 1:16:37

3M ago1:16:37

1:16:37

What advice do you have for someone who is about to read "Till We Have Faces" for the first time? The gang respond... [Show Notes]

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Bonus – Announcements ("Future Plans & The Inklings Project") 4:12

3M ago4:12

4:12

As we wrap up Season 8, David has a few announcements... [Show Notes]

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S8E33 – Narnia – "Narnia and the Fields of Arbol", After Hours with Dr. Matthew Dickerson S8E33 – Narnia – "Narnia Month: Narnia and the Fields of Arbol", After Hours with Dr. Matthew Dickerson 54:32

3M ago54:32

54:32

Dr. Matthew Dickerson comes on the show to discuss the ecology of J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis. [Show Notes]

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S8E32 – Narnia – "Narnia Month: Literary Narnia", After Hours with Dr. Jem Bloomfield 51:34

3M ago51:34

51:34

Dr. Jem Bloomfield joins the show to discuss his books on the literary allusions that Lewis scattered throughout the Narniad. [Show Notes]

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Wrapping the Re-Enchanting Inklings - Season 8 Finale (8x13) 19:50

4M ago19:50

19:50

Dr. Josh Herring reflects on Season 8: The Re-Enchanting Inklings, drawing out connections between guests and suggesting what this season of The Optimistic Curmudgeon says about modernity, the Inklings, and our need to encounter reality. With shoutouts and callbacks to Annie Crawford, Andrew Lazo, Christiana Hale, Holly Ordway, Landon Loftin, Austi…

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S8E31 – Narnia – "Narnia Month: Narnia Dads", After Hours with Brian Corbin and Daniel Payne 59:16

4M ago59:16

59:16

Three podcasting dads discuss when and how to introduce their children to Narnia... [Show Notes]

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C.S. Lewis' Skepticism & The Silver Chair: A Conversation with Annie Crawford (8x12) 1:10:42

4M ago1:10:42

1:10:42

Annie Crawford explains Dr. Michael ward's theory of "donegality," and shows how reading The Silver Chair as C.S. Lewis's lunar novel helps explain the difference between Aslan's Country and the muddled world below. This conversation is largely based on an article Annie wrote for An Unexpected Journal entitled "Finding Faith in Fairy Tales: Answers…

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S8E30 – Narnia – "Narnia in the 60s and 70s", After Hours with Dr. Christin Ditchfield-Lazo 57:18

4M ago57:18

57:18

With all the Narnia books read, we now turn to the adaptations, with a little help from Lazo Major... [Show Notes]

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Till We Have Faces: A Conversation with Fr. Andrew Lazo (8x11) 1:14:12

4M ago1:14:12

1:14:12

Fr. Andrew Lazo offers his interpretation of C.S. Lewis's Till We Have Faces as Lewis's "best book." Lazo reads the novel through The Four Loves, and contends that Lewis's entire project, as it develops across a lifetime of spiritual writing, culminates in this final novel. This conversation also features discussion of the Mere Christians conferenc…

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S8E29 – AH – "Jack's Bookshelf: T. S. Eliot", After Hours with Fr. Dwight Longenecker 35:43

4M ago35:43

35:43

Our month of looking at "Jack's Bookshelf" comes to an end with Lewis' reluctant ally, T. S. Eliot. [Show Notes]

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Medieval Cosmology, Enjoyment, and Feminine Identity: A Conversation with Christiana Hale (8x10) 1:03:16

4M ago1:03:16

1:03:16

Christiana Hale, author of Deeper Heaven: A Reader's Guide to C.S. Lewis's Ransom Trilogy, discusses her essay on pleasure and contemplation in Life on the Silent Planet: Essays on Christian Living from C.S. Lewis's Ransom Trilogy. Medieval cosmology, Perelandra, closing out the teaching season, the Un-Man's temptations of the Green Lady, right and…

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S8E28 – AH – "Jack's Bookshelf – Kenneth Grahame", After Hours with Dr. Landon Loftin 35:54

4M ago35:54

35:54

Dr. Landon Loftin returns to the show to discuss Kenneth Grahame, the author behind "The Wind in the Willows". [Show Notes]

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S8E27 – AH – "Jack's Bookshelf: Wordsworth", After Hours with Dr. Carolyn Weber 48:56

5M ago48:56

48:56

Dr. Carolyn Weber returns to the show to peruse Jack's bookshelf and explore the poetry of William Wordsworth. [Show Notes]

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Arthuriana in C.S. Lewis: A Conversation with Dr. Holly Ordway (8x9) 1:09:26

5M ago1:09:26

1:09:26

Dr. Holly Ordway discusses her essay "Arthur in Edgestow" in Life on the Silent Planet: Lessons in Christian Living from C.S. Lewis's Ransom Trilogy. She explain Lewis's love of Arthurian legends, the choices Lewis makes in incorporating, adapting, and tweaking elements of the Arthurian legendarium in That Hideous Strength. With discussion of Charl…

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S8E26 – AH – "Jack's Bookshelf: Aristotle", After Hours with Dr. Louis Markos 50:36

5M ago50:36

50:36

Lewis was known for his Platonism, but what of Aristotle? Today, Matt sits down with returning guest Dr. Louis Markos to discuss the influence of this legendary Greek philosopher. [Show Notes]

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Owen Barfield, Language, and Meaning, with Dr. Landon Loftin (8x8) 1:01:34

5M ago1:01:34

1:01:34

Landon Loftin, author of What Barfield Thought: An Introduction to the Work of Owen Barfield with Max Leyf, discusses Barfield's role in the Inklings, focus on language, and friendship with Lewis. The conversation draws mostly from Barfield's History in English Words. Loftin goes into specific detail about Barfield's pro-life work, and the connecti…

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S8E25 – Perelandra – "Perelandra Retrospective" 56:07

5M ago56:07

56:07

Since we've now finished all our Perelandra episodes, we thought we'd wrap-up with a book retrospective! [Show Notes]

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Tolkien & Theology - with Austin Freeman (8x7) 1:22:25

5M ago1:22:25

1:22:25

Dr. Austin Freeman discusses his book, Tolkien Dogmatics. Doctrines of creation, eschatology, angels, demons, and Christian living all receive major consideration. Along the way, we discuss Kevin Vanhoozer, reflect on the 2024 election (we recorded on November 5, 2024), "Leaf by Niggle," what's happening theologically in the act of creating a story…

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S8E24 – AH – "Mystical Perelandra", After Hours with Dr. James Como 47:39

5M ago47:39

47:39

Dr. James Como returns to discuss his book "Mystical Perelandra" and the reluctant mysticism of C. S. Lewis. [Show Notes]

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Faith, Fantasy, and the Imagination, with Brent Weeks (8x6) 1:37:20

5M ago1:37:20

1:37:20

Bestselling author Brent Weeks explains how he got into writing, from where he draws inspiration, how he builds characters, and details hidden in the Night Angel trilogy, the Lightbringer series, and the Kylar Chronicles. Brent comments on issues in modern publishing, Brandan Sanderson, and in general welcomes viewers into his world as an author. B…

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S8E23 – AH – "Venusian Verse", After Hours with Dr. Don W. King 42:35

6M ago42:35

42:35

Did you know that Perelandra was conceived first in verse? Did you know that Lewis' friend and poet, Ruth Pitter, converted the final chapter into poetry? In today's episode, Dr. Don W. King explains all... [Show Notes]

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C.S. Lewis and Communication - with Dr. Steve Beebe (8x5) 34:58

6M ago34:58

34:58

Dr. Steve Beebe, author a variety of communication textbooks and discoverer of a Lewis project co-written with Tolkien about language, discusses C.S. Lewis's methods of communicating in both written and verbal communication. Beebe argues that Lewis followed five habits that helped him be a powerful communicator. We too can learn to communicate like…

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S8E22 – AH – "Jack and Gender", After Hours with Dr. Josh Herring 1:01:50

6M ago1:01:50

1:01:50

Dr. Josh Herring, host of The Optimistic Cumudgeon, sits down with David to discuss Lewis' unique philosophy on gender, and how it appears throughout his written work. [Show Notes]

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S8E21 – AH – "The Great Dance", After Hours with Junius Johnson 53:58

6M ago53:58

53:58

David chats with theologian Dr. Junius Johnson, unpacking some important ideas in the final chapter of "Perelandra". [Show Notes]

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S8E20 – Perelandra – Chapter 17: "Blessed Be He" 56:49

6M ago56:49

56:49

Ransom is swept up into The Great Dance... [Show Notes]

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Marriage, Contraception, and Modernity: A Conversation with Dr. Michael Ward on C. S. Lewis and THS (8x4) 57:33

6M ago57:33

57:33

Dr. Michael Ward discusses his essay in Life on the Silent Planet: Essays on Christian Living from C.S. Lewis's Ransom Trilogy. The conversation focuses on themes of marriage, contraception, and Lewis's cosmological mythology. Lewis predicted so many of our modern ills, and Dr. Ward's research helps us reckon with the woes of modernity. Dr. Ward wa…

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S8E19 – Perelandra – Chapter 16: "I have seen Ares and Aphrodite" 57:09

6M ago57:09

57:09

Ransom speaks to the ruling angels of Mars and Venus. [Show Notes]

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Lewis, Love, and Lear: A Conversation with Dr. Sarah Waters (8x3) 54:18

6M ago54:18

54:18

Dr. Sarah Waters explains Lewis's love for Shakespeare, and the conversation focuses on King Lear as an inspiring source source text. She traces Lewis's use of Hamlet and King Lear, with an eye towards the theme of love in Lewis's thought. Waters proves that the better we know Shakespeare, the more easily we see what Lewis is doing. Follow Dr. Wate…

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S8E18 – Perelandra – Chapter 15: "Ad Alta!" 50:32

7M ago50:32

50:32

Ransom escapes his subterranean prison, and gets some much-needed R&R before ascending the mountain. [Show Notes]

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Life on the Silent Planet - with Rhys Laverty (8x2) 1:04:31

7M ago1:04:31

1:04:31

Rhys Laverty, Senior at Ad Fontes, Senior Managing Editor at Davenant Press, and Director of Communications at the Davenant Institute, describes his work on Life on the Silent Planet: Essays on Christian Living from C.S. Lewis's Ransom Trilogy. Rhys explains the need for a volume of literary essays on Lewis's Ransom Trilogy, his experience beginnin…

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The Re-Enchanting Inklings, with Dr. Josh Herring (8x1) 28:57

7M ago28:57

28:57

Josh Herring introduces Season 8 of The Optimistic Curmudgeon as a themed season around the idea of re-enchantment as modeled by the Inklings. He argues that the most important move Conservatives can make in this moment, when the Right is ascendant, is to rediscover how to tell excellent stories. C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Owen Barfield remind…

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S8E17 – Perelandra – Chapter 14: "The Cave" 46:10

7M ago46:10

46:10

Ransom's battle with the Un-man draws to an end, and our hero finds himself in disorienting darkness... [Show Notes]

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S8E16 – Perelandra – Chapter 13: "Deliver Us from Evil" 54:19

7M ago54:19

54:19

As the Un-man flees, Ransom follows in hot pursuit of his nemesis... [Show Notes]

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S8E15 – Perelandra – Chapter 12: “Immortal Kombat” 51:58

7M ago51:58

51:58

Ransom and the Un-man finally engage in combat! [Show Notes]

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Bonus – Reading Revisited 1:09:48

8M ago1:09:48

1:09:48

David was invited onto the"Reading Revisited" podcast to introduce The Ransom Trilogy and to talk about his favourite books! [Show Notes]

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S8E14 – Perelandra – Chapter 11: "Let's Get Ready to Rumble!" 52:44

8M ago52:44

52:44

Ransom wrestles with his inner self as he tries to discern his next move. [Show Notes]

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News – Travel, events, and sickness 1:08

8M ago1:08

1:08

Just a quick message to say that we're still here and there'll be a new episode live tomorrow!

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S8E13 – Perelandra – Chapter 10: "Always very nearly true" 58:47

9M ago58:47

58:47

With Matt away, it's left to Andrew and David discuss the truth and lies of the Unman's arguments. [Show Notes]

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The Roger Scruton Legacy Foundation - with James Orr (7x10 - season finale!) 1:14:41

9M ago1:14:41

1:14:41

Dr. James Orr discusses his friendship with Sir Roger Scruton, his work with the Roger Scruton Legacy Foundation, philosophy, and theology. It's a marvelous conversation that covers a breadth of topics. Enjoy! Topics of conversation include: - Islam and the West - The Face of God - Fighting Communists by teaching philosophy in Hungary - Scrutopia -…

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S8E12 – Perelandra – Chapter 9: "The Venusian Frog Massacre" 59:13

9M ago59:13

59:13

Ransom follows an unnerving and bloody trail to Weston, and upon doing so, discovers his quest. An intellectual battle of cosmic consequence begins... [Show Notes]

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God and Science - with Spencer Klavan (7x9) 1:01:13

9M ago1:01:13

1:01:13

Spencer Klavan of @YoungHereticsShow discusses his newest book, Light of the Mind, Light of the World. Does science actually support the idea of a godless universe? What happens to the universe when an intelligent mind is present? Why is a classicist writing a book about science? We get into all these questions, and a fun digression on theology, he…

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S8E11 – Christmas Special (2024) 46:31

9M ago46:31

46:31

Merry Christmas from your favourite Christmas elves! On today's episode, the co-hosts talk about life updates, recount holiday memories, and play fun seasonal games. [Show Notes]

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S8E10 – Perelandra – Chapter 8: "Riddles in the Dark" 59:50

9M ago59:50

59:50

Separated from the Green Lady and Weston, Ransom travels to another island where he hears riddles in the dark... [Show Notes]

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S8E9 – Perelandra – Chapter 7: “Weston’s New Look” 1:08:28

10M ago1:08:28

1:08:28

Ransom’s unlikely encounter with an old foe takes a disturbing turn… [Show Notes]

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Choosing to Have Children and Defying the Birth Dearth - with Catherine Pakaluk (7x8) 1:19:16

10M ago1:19:16

1:19:16

Dr. Catherine Pakaluk tells the story behind her book Hannah's Children: The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth. The birth rate decline is not a result of policy changes, and cannot be fixed by policy. Dr. Pakaluk conducted a qualitative studying to discover why women choose to have large families. She describes her findings, and tells some of …

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S8E8 – Perelandra – Chapter 6: "Falling Like Lightning From Heaven" 57:26

10M ago57:26

57:26

Ransom and the Queen discuss planetary rules, go for a cruise, and encounter an old enemy who fell out of Deep Heaven... [Show Notes]