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Celebrating the Fiftieth Anniversary of Clive Staples Lewis's Entrance into Heaven
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Fifty years ago, on November 22, 1963, the same day that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, C.S. Lewis entered the presence of the Lord, dying in his home near Oxford, England, a week shy of age sixty-five. Lewis had gained fame for his wide array of writings including fictional works such as The Chronicles of Narnia and books on faith such as The Problem of Pain. Though popular in his day both in the United Kingdom and in the United States, Lewis expected that his name would become obscure and little known by the late twentieth century. Lewis would be surprised today to learn that his books sell in the millions annually; some have been turned into movies; and his book Mere Christianity was named by Christianity Today as the most influential Christian work of the twentieth century.
On November 22, 2013, a memorial was unveiled in the Poet’s Corner of Westminster Abbey honoring Lewis’s contribution to British literature as well as his influence within the global Christian world, an honor reserved for the likes of Shakespeare and Dickens.
While Lewis’s accomplishments are amazing and worthy of honor, the C.S. Lewis Institute (CSLI) believes that his greatest work was that of committing his life to serving Jesus Christ in a manner that encouraged others to explore the truth and joy of faith in Christ. We at CSLI are grateful for the life of this brother in Christ who has helped many live out the mission of our organization, “Founded in 1976 in the legacy of C.S. Lewis, the Institute endeavors to develop disciples who will articulate, defend, and live their faith in Christ in personal and public life.”
Joel Woodruff
Joel Woodruff, President, C.S. Lewis Institute, has worked in higher education, “tent-making,” nonprofit administration, and pastoral ministries in Alaska, Israel, Hungary, France, and Northern Virginia. He served as Dean of Students, Chaplain, and Professor of Bible & Theology at European Bible Institute, where he helped train Europeans both for professional ministry and to be Christian leaders in the marketplace. Prior to joining the Institute, he was on the leadership team of Oakwood Services International, a nonprofit educational and humanitarian organization. He is a graduate of Wheaton College, earned his M.Div. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and has a doctorate in Organizational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University. As a Parish-Pulpit Fellow, he studied Biblical Backgrounds & Archaeology in Israel for a year.
COPYRIGHT: This publication is published by C.S. Lewis Institute; 8001 Braddock Road, Suite 301; Springfield, VA 22151. Portions of the publication may be reproduced for noncommercial, local church or ministry use without prior permission. Electronic copies of the PDF files may be duplicated and transmitted via e-mail for personal and church use. Articles may not be modified without prior written permission of the Institute. For questions, contact the Institute: 703.914.5602 or email us.
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