Dr. Don King recently spoke at a special 55th anniversary gathering of the New York C.S. Lewis Society. Held in Greenwich Village on the west side of Lower Manhattan, the meeting marked their first in-person event since COVID in 2020.
A notable C.S. Lewis scholar and long-time English professor at Montreat College, King offered a glimpse into the life of C.S. Lewis’s brother with a presentation titled “Everything You Wanted to Know About Warren Hamilton Lewis.” Drawing from his award-winning biography Inkling, Historian, Soldier, and Brother: A Life of Warren Hamilton Lewis, King shared insights into Warren’s life, bringing examples from his book and Warren’s own writings. His talk concluded with a question-and-answer session that deepened the audience’s appreciation for Warren’s unique contributions and legacy.
“One of the things people are always interested in is why Warren Lewis never married,” said King in an interview following his weekend in the Big Apple. “Of course, his brother didn’t marry until late in life, so both of them were confirmed bachelors for many years. When Joy Davidman came along, she swept CS Lewis off his feet. Warren saw her as something of a confidante, and really as a sister. In many ways. I think that next to his mother, the woman that Warren Lewis most loved in his life (and not in a romantic way, but in a powerfully affectionate way) was Joy Davidman.”
To King, one of the most powerful lessons others can draw from Warren’s life is his steadfast Christian faith despite his struggles with alcoholism.
“He wished he could have clapped his hands and not had that struggle, but he couldn’t do that and I don’t think anybody can,” said King. “In spite of that particular weakness, he was a devoted member of his parish church, he read the Bible regularly, and he strived mightily to live a good Christian life.”
In addition to 30 people participating via Zoom, King estimated that approximately 30 people attended the meeting, noting that the intimate size allowed for meaningful discussions with like-minded individuals. The event attracted a notably diverse age range, including several attendees in their 20s and even a few teenagers.
“Most of them were long-term members of the society, but I think those members were quite encouraged to see these younger people showing up and having an interest in Lewis,” said King. “It’ll never be 500 people or anything like that, but it doesn’t want to be big. It just wants to focus on Lewis’s works.”
Founded in 1969, the New York C.S. Lewis Society is the world’s oldest organization devoted to the appreciation and discussion of C.S. Lewis. According to King, what sets this group apart is their consistently published newsletter, which not only recaps meetings but also features scholarly articles on Lewis.
“The New York C.S. Lewis society was really on the cutting edge because they’ve always had a newsletter,” King said. “When I was a young Lewis scholar, there just weren’t any scholarly sources except something like the New York C.S. Lewis Society newsletter.”
King observed that the questions he received about Warren naturally transitioned into discussions about C.S. Lewis himself.
“Many people find in Lewis’s writings exactly what they’ve been thinking but couldn’t articulate themselves,” noted King. “Another reason he attracts so many different kinds of readers is he can talk about biblical and theological concepts without using biblical language. For many people, as soon as they feel like it’s a biblical comment, they’re ready to tune it out. Lewis described himself as a translator of important biblical and theological ideas put into the language of the vernacular. Given that it’s in New York City, I think the New York C.S. Lewis Society would be acutely aware of not coming across as particularly Bible thumping and Lewis doesn’t do that either.”
As he returned to North Carolina, King reflected on his invitation to speak, grateful for a memorable weekend filled with familiar faces and rich discussions.
“It was a great two-day visit to New York,” he said. “Many of the people in the society are old friends of mine, so it was nice to be with them in person face to face.”