The True Myth
“Now the story of Christ is simply a true myth: a myth working on us the same way as the others, but with this tremendous difference that it really happened: and one must be content to accept it in the same way, remembering that it is God’s myth where the others are men’s myths: i.e., the Pagan stories are God expressing Himself through the minds of poets, using such images as He found there, while Christianity is God expressing Himself through what we call 'real things'.”
C.S. Lewis, Letter to Arthur Greeves
C.S. Lewis' thought casts a long shadow over many Christians. I myself was deeply formed by him, on two different occasions: first, as a young child and not yet a believer, when Narnia showed me how to dream of other worlds; and then again after coming to faith in Christ, when his apologetic works helped me to progress deeper into worship of God with my mind, ultimately giving rise to the love of theology that has defined my career. This is not an uncommon story.
In this course, we will read eight of Lewis' most important works, both fiction and nonfiction. They will be the occasion for deep discussion over the most important things in life. We will evaluate how well his thought holds up after several decades, and more importantly, we will allow him to lead us to places where our own thinking needs to be challenged and corrected.
The eight works are:
Week 1 The Pilgrim’s Regress
Week 2 The Problem of Pain
Week 3 Mere Christianity
Week 4 The Great Divorce
Week 5 Miracles
Week 6 Reflections on the Psalms
Week 7 The Four Loves
Week 8 Till We Have Faces
June 7 - July 25, 2025
Saturdays 9:00 - 11:00 am
This class is for ages 18+
$400 / student
included in the membership package
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Junius Johnson's "Here Be Dragons" course is a wealth of beauty, wonder, and wisdom. It's not so much the wealth of a dragon's hoard, which (as we learned) is embedded with deadly greed and selfishness, but the wealth of the feast of Aslan's table or Galadriel's gift of seed and soil, a fruitful and life-giving abundance. Our discussions involved reflections on the meaning of "twilight" or forgotten spaces; the mystery of communion; the spiritual aspects of smell; the relationship between common sense and courage; the truths embedded in ancient songs; and other fascinating topics. This summer's study deepened my joy and curiosity as a reader and believer.
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In working with and thinking about words as a full-time vocation, I found myself slightly stuck in a here and nowness that lacked imagination. Like the blind man that Jesus touched, who then saw “men as trees” — I was groping for clarity. Dr. Johnson’s course was the condition upon which I received a second touch from Christ that gave me fuller sight.
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Participating in a course led by Dr. Junius Johnson is a wonderful journey of exploration, seeking hidden gems in unexpected places. It is an opportunity to learn to look deeper than the surface, both in reading and in the mundane of life. A delightful feast for the mind that lasts far beyond the actual banquet.
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Dr. Johnson’s knowledge of theology, philosophy, and literature, combined with his engaging style of communication, make him an excellent intellectual guide. If you see fantasy as somewhat pointless or as something reserved for children, Dr. Johnson will correct your thinking. His class on dragons [...] deepened my appreciation for fantasy as a vehicle of truth and better equipped me with the perspective and hope that enable a person to face and bear hardship well.