Page 5 - St. Joseph Messenger November 2020

A Group Called “The Inklings”

Restoring Christian Teachings to the World

B
ooks and literature have always been a
worthy topic of conversation. Discussion
groups abound in libraries and bookstores,
but it’s not likely that any of them are as notewor-
thy as the discussion of a group of Oxford scholars
who dubbed themselves “The Inklings.” This
group of Christian friends modeled themselves
after an earlier movement in Oxford, England
led by St. John Henry Newman. The aim of this
earlier (A.D. 1833) movement was to restore the
Anglican community to the traditions and teach-
ings of the early Church. The later “Oxford Move-
ment,” began in A.D. 1919 in the college quarters
of C.S. Lewis. J.R.R. Tolkien C.S. Lewis

The discussions begin solicitor in England, one of his earlier published
C.S. Lewis, author of such beloved works as the works, Poetic Diction, had a profound influence
Chronicles of Narnia, and a later convert to on Lewis.
Christianity first met in his college rooms with his
good friend Owen Barfield to read aloud and dis- Another Friend is Added
cuss issues and writings of the time. They were The next notable to join the group was someone
“friendly adversaries,” who approached things who has had a resurgence of popularity in recent
from different angles. Their discussions took place years. In A.D. 1925 J.R.R. .Tolkien joined the
not to discredit each other’s notions, but to arrive faculty at Oxford University. It was not long until
at the truth of the matter. As Barfield once said, he met Lewis and became a member of his
“We were always arguing for truth, not for victory, discussion group. Although Lewis had been
and arguing for truth, not for comfort.” warned early in life never to trust a papist (Roman
Catholic); nevertheless, he and Tolkien became
Their meetings involved fast friends.
what Lewis called
“rational opposition.” Other Members Join the Group
They each considered the The Inklings met every Thursday evening in
other a worthy opponent. Lewis’s rooms. The discussions were usually
Barfield compared lively and were informally “chaired” by Lewis or
arguing with Lewis to his brother Warnie when he was not serving in the
“wielding a peashooter military. The group included Charles Williams,
against a howitzer.” whose theological thrillers greatly influenced
Although most of Lewis. Also participating were Nevill Coghill, a
Barfield’s writing was translator of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, John
done after he retired Wain, a novelist, poet, and dramatist, and Gervase
from his career as a Mathew, a writer and lecturer in Byzantine studies.

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