Verum Fabula Fellowship Review: Recent Episodes
Unabashedly Resolute
We hope to create, foster, and develop a society of literary, philosophical, and theological engagement for the purpose of the refinement and generativity of the mind and personal character and for the enhancement of society through conversation, debate, and contribution.
Verum Fabula is Latin for "True Myth," this idea was expanded and discussed by the members of the Inklings Society in Oxford, England. CS Lewis, Tolkien, and others were proponents that literature was important to the growth and survival of humanity. We will focus on the literature of Lewis and Tolkien a great deal but we also venture in other corresponding areas of philosophy, theology, and Christian Apologetics. It is our goal to make this podcast integral to the lives of every individual who listens.
We finished our discussion of "The Great Divorce" last Monday. We focused on the conversations between the Lizard Man with the Angel and then the Lady with Frank and his Tragedian. Key points we raised included:
We each get to make the Eve choice
Our sin MUST die, then gloriousness comes in its place
The invitation of the cross - God's sufficiency - is enough to cover our insufficiency
Joy MUST win - Hell will not be able to veto Heaven
We must approach others as the Real People - with profound love AND speaking truth
We wrap up this amazing trilogy with the inevitable destruction of Belbury. It is the culmination of the Tower of Babel brought on by the Deep Magic. There is so much to be discussed: the maturity of Jane, the rebirth of Mark, the death of Devine, etc.. Join us for the final installment!
This book of the trilogy is the best articulation of Lewis’s essay on “Transposition.” Where the Lower language can only parody the Higher but the characters have a moment where the get a close as humanly possible to speaking in the Higher.
There is always a tight thread between Lewis’s academic work and his fiction. In fact, it is the depth of his academic work that gives his fiction such life and atmosphere.
Belbury vs St Anne — the sides are being chosen. Ransom is the King Fisher of St Anne’s and Wither the Deputy Director of NICE. Both sides are pursuing Jane and another to be named later. We truly see the dichotomy of the choices of our heroes Mark and Jane. We are introduced to all the other characters who will play a role in either the salvation of England (the World) or the destruction of it. What part does the media play?? Will they be for or against the NICE?
The gang begins by talking about fireplaces and fuzzy socks. Haha! In this episode we remember and honor the life and death of Lewis as Nov 22nd is the anniversary of his passing. Nina and Wes have visited his grave and even placed a toy lion there in homage.
Once we get into THS we pull at many threads; mainly those involving the two protagonists: Jane and Mark. The are the feminine and masculine examples of the Everyman Archetype. The story masterfully weaves a fairy tale around these two as an epic battle over humanity and the world (Nature) are at stake. The core battlefield is the usage and application of Language. We see quickly how easy and devastating it is to follow the path of Relativistic Linguistics. This is a thriller and page turner that you won’t want to miss.
The innocence of the Green Lady, the deviance of the Unman, and the doubt and inadequacy of Ransom make for tantalizing dialogue. Lewis keeps us on the edge with gut wrenching questions and thoughts. One of thoughts Ransom has is devastating in our real fight against evil: “How could Maleldil expect him to fight against this, to fight with every weapon taken from him, forbidden to lie and yet brought to places where truth seemed fatal?” We’ve all been there!!
What philosophical and theological quandaries this book poses. Lewis is constantly bringing up the Steelman version of his opponent’s argument. He sets himself the impossible task, and yet emerges victorious. “Ransom, Ransom…Ransom…” These words spoken by the Unman still unnerve me every time I read it.
This is the introduction to the 2nd book in the Ransom Trilogy. This one begins without the Science aspect and moves directly to the Spiritual; Ramsom’s space craft is made by Maleldil. And he’s on a secret mission from Maleldil. He is brought to a new world, a new Eden and pondering the question, “Could man do what God desired freely, without falling, so God could fully bestow what he planned?”
Wes and the gang wrap up the end of this first book of the trilogy. There so many spiritual and metaphysical mysteries that Lewis delves into. He is a master of pulling apart complex topics with poignant dialogue. It is so interesting to see the dichotomy between Weston and Ransom in the judgement of the Malachanrian Oyarsa. We dissect both men’s responses and what we can pull from it to inform our lives.
The Green Lady in all her purity, the new Eve, is wrestling with Ransom, the interstellar sinner, over “right thinking” about reality. To listen to one smudged by sin/experience and one unmarred, still walking with God in the Garden, we really get to see that disobeying did bring some “new” knowledge but was that worth the price humanity must bear? Could that suffering be avoided in the new Eden? What happens when lying is introduced into a world that knows only truth? Will Ransom be her undoing? Is he the serpent?
Wes Mullins and the gang pull these themes apart in another exiting VFF meeting at our favorite haunt, Drinklings Coffee house.
Ransom finds himself encountering the Hross, the Sorn, and sea monsters. He learns an extraterrestrial language and valuable lessons. Lewis is a master at dialogue. He creates an imaginative atmosphere and then brings in poignant questions to allow us to wrestle with them via Ransom, Weston, and Devine.
The gang breaks all this down while discussing other books and movies that correspond to the topics Lewis brings up.
We are introducing Lewis’s Sci-Fi or Ransom Trilogy. “Out of the Silent Plant is the first in the series. It is also his 2nd book to be published. “Pilgrim’s Regress” was the first, 1933. This book was published five years later. For many in the group it was their first time reading the series. The book is a catalysts for so many other things he will do stylistically and with atmosphere in the rest of his literature. I hope you enjoy our thoughts on the subject.
What can we learn from an ancient text? A lot!! This is the foundational work that has allowed us to enjoy “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit.” JRR Tolkien was a Beowulf scholar and is so fun to see things words “middle-earth” and reading about throne room scenes that seem to be straight from Rohan! Many think that a book like this is too hard but once you get into the characters and themes you will find the relevant and relatable!
This Tolkien’s translation, but we reference Seamus Haney’s as well. Tolkien’s is like the KJV and Haney’s like the NIV or Message.
This intro is chock full of goodies. I hope you enjoy!!
This is the final and most thrilling installment of “The Nobel Prize on Literature!” This book was “red beef and strong beer” for all of us! Amid all of his counsel Solzhenitsyn leaves us with illuminating hope, “One word of truth outweighs the whole world!” I believe it and I try to live speaking the truth...or at least not lying! Do you??
This is definitely worth a listen!
Solzhenitsyn talks about cultural and social value judgments. He discusses the benefits to cultures being dynamic and not clones of each other. Technology and the speed of information can be detrimental to the heart of a people who are not conditioned for it. Listen in as the VFF gang engage with the questions and thoughts raised by Solzhenitsyn in this section.
Part three of our society’s insights into the book. There are some strands of disagreement within the group about the efficacy of Solzhenitsyn’s philosophies and how they could be applied in today’s world. I love that we are a philosophically diverse group, it truly allows for us to wrestle our own prejudices and heresies in real time.
If you haven’t read this book then you are missing out. It is filled with “earned wisdom” from an artist who survived hell and offers the truths that sustained him, and defeated tyranny. Not many can say their words helped bring down and evil empire.
In this episode we discuss chapter 2 of the 38 page bombshell of a book. He begins with a quote from Dostoyevsky, “Beauty will save the world.” Then he unpacks the brilliant and illuminating truth of it. It is a must read and this is an entertaining listen as our VFF gang break it down from the limits of our own personal heresies and prejudices!! Enjoy!
This is a beginning discussion on Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and his Nobel Prize lecture on Literature. He did not give the speech as he would have been arrested had he given it. It was his book, “The Gulag Archipelago” that helped take down the USSR and Stalin. He spent many years in these Gulags as a political dissident. This may be the most important book you read this year. We begin by talking about the meaning and power of art and the place of the artist among the nations.
Part One is the Jack and Beren take on “A Wrinkle in Time.” We discuss the purpose of literature like L’Engle, Lewis, and Tolkien.
Beren and Jack discuss the their closing thoughts on A Wrinkle in Time. This was the first time Jack had read Wrinkle in Time as an adult and it solidified many of this literary theories. Both our hosts had a great time reading the book and pull at the theological and philosophical threads to uncover and reveal many truths to help sustain the human heart throughout our human experience.
Randy and Wes take on the similarities between Tolkien’s “On Fairie Stories” and Lewis’s “On Stories.” It is a killer convo that delves deep into what drives stories and why “good” stories are necessary for human’s to be able to understand and live their lives more fully. This is not one to be missed. (Sorry for the background noise, Drinkling’s neighbor didn’t know we were doing a podcast. It was quite humorous!)
JRR Tolkien is not as well known for his essays but there was one that Randy and Wes wanted to discuss as Verum Fabula Fellowship gets ready to delve into Fairy Tales and Myths. In "Perilous Tales from the Perilous Realm" Tolkien has an essay on Fairie Stories where he dissects the difference between Fairies and Fairie. The element or essence of Fairie is atmospheric and has nothing to do with tiny, winged creatures who perform magic. It is a fascinating look into the underpinning of "Lord of the Rings" and how great minds view myths, fiction, and fairie stories.
Randy and Wes rabbit trail today via Zoom on topics from Frankl, life’s mysteries, to their daily lives. Verum Fabula Fellowship recently read “Man’s Search For Meaning” and this is a follow up to that discussion. Since we are on Covid restrictions and the group is meeting via Zoom we have only been recording the meeting for posterity sake and not for podcasting. Randy and Wes will try and pick up the slack on the books we cover via the Jack and Beren Show.
Randy and I took this podcast into nature...at an approved social distance. We were at my nearly finished cabin near Hickman Creek. It was a great time of cohesive rabbit trails yet we delve into core beliefs that anchor both of us. It is a real and raw moment that should not be missed.
Randy and I are socially distant at Drinklings Roastery, his coffee cafe and roasting facility in Wilmore, Kentucky. We discussed Covid-19 and other rabbit trails. We feel like rabbit trails are our bread and butter and very Inkling-esque ... as they rabbited nearly every time in the Rabbit Room of the Eagle and Child pub. Walter Hooper noted once that the Inklings met and talked about "Public Schools and Sherlock Holmes." It was good enough for them, so we'll keep the format going! Enjoy!
Episode IV was the best Star Wars movie hands down. We hope this is the best "Transposition" episode!
Lewis evokes thoughts of creativity and priority of information that aid us in exploring reality to discover Truth via the brain and the mind.
"And the sceptic's conclusion that the so-called spiritual is really derived from the natural, that it is a mirage or projection or imaginary extension of the natural, is also exactly what we should expect; for, as we have seen, this is the mistake which an observer who knew only the lower medium would be bound to make in every case of Transposition. The brutal man never can by analysis find anything but lust in love; the Flatlander never can find anything but flat shapes in a picture; physiology never can find anything in thought except twitchings of the grey matter. It is no good browbeating the critic who approaches a Transposition from below. On the evidence available to him his conclusion is the only one possible."
Randy and Wes invite Asbury University Adjunct Professor David Whitaker, a core member of the VFF, to discuss his Lewis and Tolkien influences. We delve in to parenthood, childhood, and Narnia (of course). This is really worth the listen as the three of explore ourselves as both the influencee and the influencers. This is a can't miss episode!
Randy and Wes wrap up "Transposition." Lewis ends with Hope. Yes, we are limited. Yes, we can never get close to the mountain (Leaf By Niggle) or get to the Island (A Pilgrim's Regress)...But we can get close to Truth and take a transpositional approach so close that a paper drawing of fire can seem to warm one's hands.
We have reached to end of Transposition for now. I am sure we will all personally travel back and revisit it again and again. There are so many deep truths in this essay. As will all challenging essays on should end with hope and Lewis does not disappoint.
"Transposition can be in its own way adequate. I said before that in your drawing you had only plain white paper for sun and cloud, snow, water, and human flesh. In one sense, how miserably inadequate! Yet in another, how perfect. If the shadows are properly done that patch of white paper will, in some curious way, be very like blazing sunshine: we shall almost feel cold while we look at the paper snow and almost warm our hands at the paper fire."
Maybe, out inadequacy is uniquely adequate given our "translucent" existence, wherein we are awaiting our solidness in Real Narnia. Maybe, Art, Literature, Music, etc. are the perfect expression for humanity to engage in to seek out and pursue the "echo of a tune not heard." Proverbs says it is the Glory of God to conceal things but the Glory of Kings to seek them out.
CoFounders of VFF, Randy Hardman and Wes Mullins, continue to reprise their roles as Jack and Beren (Lewis and Tolkien). Randy and Wes met at Drinklings Roastery in Wilmore, Kentucky and quickly found out that they had a lot in common with the two authors. Randy had been more influenced by Tolkien and Wes more by Lewis, it was a match made for the Eagle and Child!
In today's episode, Randy and Wes discuss in-depth some of the themes that VFF brought up on Monday's reading of "Transposition." The issues like the Ontological Argument and is your brain your mind (and many more.) Then Wes asks Randy why and how Tolkien has been such an influence on him. The answer is so rich and deep that everyone needs to hear it.
Further Up and Further In
Tonight we wrestled with this notion of higher and lower transpositional propositions. In short, we seem to unconsciously vacillate between interpretations that we construct from higher and lower sources. How many misinterpretations are we guilty of by applying 1-to-1 correlation to things like love, sex, marriage, friendship, etc.. If we only apply 1-to-1 correlations to every similar sensation and emotion then wouldn't we become erratic in our decision making? Would I have to engage romantically with every person with whom I had fluttering feelings of attractedness?
We are three podcasts in and we still have one more to go...or maybe two. Enjoy!
“We can’t speak outside of the things derived from our experience. We use that
information to impose on the spiritual world instead of coming up with
something new.” -David Whitaker (Member)
Wes submits that the proposition that communication is discoverable and expressed through linguistics and language. This suggests that there are objective truths and meanings wherein humans are experiencing and trying to express. What is available to us as resources to ensure we get closer to truth and falsity? We are about to go deep!! Come on in, the water is fine.
Randy has rejoined VFF and we have started up our "Jack and Beren Show" wherein we discuss things on our minds and hearts stemming from theology to literature to philosophy. It is similar to what happens on Monday nights with the gang but this gives Randy and I chance to dive deeper into certain aspects that we may not be able to on group discussions. Also, we may not even get to the topics of what we are reading, it is sort of an open topic structure for this show. However, Randy comes from a very Tolkien-esque manner (his focus and delight are Tolkien and his works) and I from a very Lewisian manner (Lewis is my focus and my delight).
In this episode, we talk about last year, the coming year, and our current reading of Transposition.
The first Verum Fabula Fellowship meeting of 2020 and it did not disappoint. We began our review of "Transposition." It is an essay written by CS Lewis in 1949. The crux of essay lay in the question of why is the religious, spiritual, and metaphysical experience(s) only expressed in the language of the physical, known experiences of humanity? If you will, why are abstractions best expressed in standard rhetoric? Does language offer the writer/speaker and reader/listener a 1-1 ratio of expression to reality? Does the seeming limitation of language prove the non-existence of such experiences based on there not being adequate language to express them properly
These are some of the questions we dive into; this is a fascinating essay. Enjoy!
We are finishing up "Leaf by Niggle" and it has been an incredible journey. We finally get to attempt to answer does art have purpose? What happens to the art of earth?
Wes, David, Katlyn, Nina, Chris, and Janelle discuss the final chapters of Tolkien's great allegorical work.
PhD Candidate Derek King presents his talk and focus of PhD study "The Hiddenness of God" at VFF. Derek is currently studying at St. Andrews University. He proposes to bring in CS Lewis's anticipation of the Modern Problem of Divine Hiddenness in "Till We Have Faces." The essay he presents in this talk actually was published in "The Journal of Inklings Study."
"Leaf by Niggle" Part Ii. Niggle, the impasioned painter and the lackluster gardener, is still on the docket. We are discussing further into the text and seeing how Niggle deals with distractions and interruptions to his work. The questions still remains does art have value beyond aesthetics? Is art a waste of relational and practical capital?
Join us as we go further up and further in.
JRR Tolkien wrote this short but powerful book after seeing a tree had been felled by its owners. Tolkien seemed to morn the trees passing as an injustice, to which may be only he and some owls would miss the great poplar. This poplar passing affected him and one day in 1947 he woke up and penned "Tree and Leaf", which we now call "Leaf By Niggle."
It is the story of a distracted painter who becomes obsessed with painting only a single tree and the leaves on that tree; he even built a shed for the painting. The distractions array from his pesky neighbors, mundane chores, and procrastinating to pack for his upcoming journey.
We, the members of VFF, did a deep dive into the book, this being Part I or III, and began to ask questions like:
What is the purpose of art? When does passion or obsession become unsustainable? What are your "real" duties in life? What responsibility do you have to your neighbors and society? How does God view our distractedness?
J Wesley Mullins and Phd Candidate Derek King discuss his upcoming talk on "The Hiddenness of God" at VFF. Derek is currently studying at St. Andrews University. He proposes to bring in CS Lewis's anticipation of the Modern Problem of Divine Hiddenness in "Till We Have Faces." The essay he presents in his upcoming talk actually was published in "The Journal of Inklings Study."
This is a preview discussion where the Keynote speakers get to introduce themselves to the VFF listeners and set their intentions for their Keynote address.
(the end audio is a bit funky, we were trying a new functionality that couldn't be edited out. Thanks for being patient with us.)
Hello and Welcome to Verum Fabula Fellowship Podcast. Wes Mullins and Randy Hardman the hosts. It is our goal to bring you content that cultivates and enriches your daily interactions and encourages the refinement of character and intellect. The terrain we cover ranges from Literature to Philosophy to Theology. It is our hope that through these lenses we can offer insight into the human experience and the human condition that is empowering and transformative.
In this episode, CoFounder JW Mullins gives a Keynote Address on his thesis about Lewis and Doyle; it will be the first time it has been made public. Hopefully, you will find Wes does his best Watson impersonation and presents the conclusion in true Sherlockian fashion.
JW Mullins (Jack) and Randy Hardman (Beren) tackle "Sola Scriptura", inerrancy, and the authority of the Bible. This was an interview of Randy and a debrief of his keynote address that was given at Drinklings Roastery and at a VFF Meeting. We were unable to record the keynote this time.
The topic is a very controversial one in Christendom in both America and Europe, in both the Catholic Orthodoxy and the Protestant Reformation. It was not our goal to come to any sort dogmatic conclusion, rather cultivating grounds for better questions and better dialogue.
Hello and Welcome to Verum Fabula Fellowship Podcast. I am Wes Mullins and I am Randy Hardman, and we will be your hosts today. It is our goal to bring you content that cultivates and enriches your daily interactions and encourages the refinement of character and intellect. The terrain we cover ranges from Literature to Philosophy to Theology. It is our hope that through these lenses we can offer insight into the human experience and the human condition that is empowering and transformative.
Today's Podcast is just the raw audio of the discussion seminar. This is only for posterity and for members of the Fellowship at this time.
Hello and Welcome to Verum Fabula Fellowship Podcast. Wes Mullins and Randy Hardman are the hosts. It is our goal to bring you content that cultivates and enriches your daily interactions and encourages the refinement of character and intellect. The terrain we cover ranges from Literature to Philosophy to Theology. It is our hope that through these lenses we can offer insight into the human experience and the human condition that is empowering and transformative.
Verum Fabula Fellowship is located in the beautiful town of Wilmore, Kentucky and the podcast takes place at Drinklings Roastery on Main Street. This is also where the Fellowship meets regularly and where members are encouraged to present new thoughts and ideas, engage with interesting and important topics in discussion seminars, and interact with and listen to Keynote speakers invited in to challenge us intellectually and spiritually; it is a true intellectual collective. Please rate this podcast on iTunes and (if we’ve said things that are helpful) be sure to tell all your Lewis and Tolkien friends about us). And with no more ado, here we go...Further Up and Further In.