C.S. Lewis Summer Institute

There are two major issues with the public education system in the United States:

  1. Our schools are increasingly promoting an “anti-God” world view. Our students are taught that Christianity is mythology, that morality is subjective, and that Truth does not exist.
  2. Our schools have increasingly embraced an educational model that forces students to memorize information, as opposed to one that teaches them to think and write critically.

We are offering this summer program in an effort to address both of these issues.

The Program

  • We will meet for twelve 2-hour sessions (with thirty minutes for a group lunch) over the summer on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 am to 12:30.
  • Classes will occur at Bryan and Liz’s home in Surprise, AZ.
  • Readings will be assigned prior to each class. During class we will conduct Socratic discussions on these texts. These seminars will enhance critical thinking skills while pointing students towards the Truth of Christianity.
  • Students will engage in a substantive research project that will involve selecting a research question (related to our summer readings) and writing a major research paper. Individual writing coaching will be provided to all students through feedback on rough drafts.
  • The cost of the program is $300 + book costs
    • All fees (except book costs) will be waived for those in financial need.
  • There will be a minimum of four students, and a maximum of twelve students in the class. Students must be in high school.

Readings

  • The Letter of James
  • Mere Christianity: “In the classic Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis, the most important writer of the 20th century, explores the common ground upon which all of those of Christian faith stand together. Bringing together Lewis’ legendary broadcast talks during World War Two from his three previous books The Case for Christianity, Christian Behavior, and Beyond Personality, Mere Christianity provides an unequaled opportunity for believers and nonbelievers alike to hear this powerful apologetic for the Christian faith.”
  • The Screwtape Letters: “The Screwtape Letters by C.S.  Lewis is a classic masterpiece of religious satire that entertains readers with its sly and ironic portrayal of human life and foibles from the vantage point of Screwtape, a highly placed assistant to “Our Father Below.” At once wildly comic, deadly serious, and strikingly original, C.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters is the most engaging account of temptation—and triumph over it—ever written.”
  • Out of the Silent Planet: “The first book in C. S. Lewis’s acclaimed Space Trilogy, which continues with Perelandra and That Hideous Strength, Out of the Silent Planet begins the adventures of the remarkable Dr. Ransom. Here, that estimable man is abducted by a megalomaniacal physicist and his accomplice and taken via spaceship to the red planet of Malacandra. The two men are in need of a human sacrifice, and Dr. Ransom would seem to fit the bill. Once on the planet, however, Ransom eludes his captors, risking his life and his chances of returning to Earth, becoming a stranger in a land that is enchanting in its difference from Earth and instructive in its similarity. First published in 1943, Out of the Silent Planet remains a mysterious and suspenseful tour de force.”
  • Perelandra, C.S. Lewis: “The second book in C. S. Lewis’s acclaimed Space Trilogy, which also includes Out of the Silent Planet and That Hideous Strength, Perelandra continues the adventures of the extraordinary Dr. Ransom. Pitted against the most destructive of human weaknesses, temptation, the great man must battle evil on a new planet — Perelandra — when it is invaded by a dark force. Will Perelandra succumb to this malevolent being, who strives to create a new world order and who must destroy an old and beautiful civilization to do so? Or will it throw off the yoke of corruption and achieve a spiritual perfection as yet unknown to man? The outcome of Dr. Ransom’s mighty struggle alone will determine the fate of this peace-loving planet.”

Meeting Dates

  • June 4th
  • June 6th
  • June 11th
  • June 13th
  • June 18th
  • June 20th
  • July 1st (Monday)
  • July 3rd (Wednesday)
  • July 9th
  • July 11th
  • July 16th
  • July 18th

About the Teachers

Bryan Baker is an Arizona Department of Education “highly qualified” teacher of English Language Arts and History. He currently teaches A.P. courses in American History, American Government, and World History at BASIS Goodyear High School. Before that he taught Humane Letters (emphasis in American History and Literature) at various Great Hearts preparatory academies. Before becoming a teacher Bryan was an Intelligence Officer in the U.S. Army, and he is currently a Captain in the Army Reserve. Bryan holds degrees in History and Political science from the University of Arizona and he is currently wrapping up a Master’s degree in International Security through the same institution.

Liz Baker works at Archway Classical Academy – Glendale, where she teaches literature to 5th-grade and 1st-grade students. In addition to her teaching duties, Liz develops Bible Literacy curricula for all grade levels at her school. Liz holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Business from Liberty University, and she is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Biblical Studies through Rawlings School of Divinity. Liz has a passion for youth ministry and she has been involved in such ministries nearly continuously since 2009.

If interested in the program, please send an email to podcastktr@gmail.com stating the following: student name, age, and current school. We will add you to an email list and let you know if we have enough interest to hold the class.