The Reluctant Broadcaster: C.S. Lewis Finds a New Voice

Abstract

ABSTRACT C.S. Lewis conquered a variety of communication outlets before being asked to address the British people over the airwaves. In the eyes of the BBC, Lewis was the perfect candidate to speak to the nation about what it meant to be a Christian in a time of crisis. However, Lewis was not a natural behind a microphone; the BBC producers shaped him into a masterful broadcaster. This training would have a lasting effect on Lewis’s audiences and writing style. Very little has been written about the historical context of Lewis as a wartime broadcaster, its impact on him, his relationship with the BBC, and his role in creating contemporary Christian-mediated apologetics. This study utilizes a historical, cultural approach to explore C.S. Lewis’s transition from writer and lecturer to religious broadcaster and his influence on Britain’s cultural and religious attitudes during wartime as he mastered a new communication style. Early in the Second World War, Lewis contemplated the significance of scholarly activities while the world was at war. A wounded veteran of the First World War, he understood the realities of war. As a middle-aged writer, lecturer, and apologist, he was now looking to define his potential contribution to the raging global conflict. In the end, the answer to Lewis’s question was found in the most unlikely place … behind a microphone.