The Abolition of Man: Living in the Shadow of That Hideous Strength

In the fourth and final lecture in the series, we revisit That Hideous Strength using Lewis’s philosophical essay, The Abolition of Man, as our guide. Lewis delivered The Abolition of Man as a series of lectures at Durham University to defend the notion of objective value against the growing influence of subjectivism. In this lecture, we explore how the plot of That Hideous Strength follows the argument of The Abolition of Man. The two main characters, Mark and Jane Studdock, each have to overcome their subjectivism through a life-altering encounter with objective value in order to save their marriage and, ultimately, save their souls. Along the way we consider the role of education in shaping hearts as well as mind, the relationship between the affections and the emotions, the nature of art criticism, and the meaning of fruitfulness. Recorded September 3, 2026 at Truro Anglican Church in Fairfax, VA. Ryan Shelton (PhD, Queen’s University Belfast) is a specialist in John Milton and the early modern literary cultures of trans-Atlantic Puritanism. He serves as the Director of Worship and Arts at Truro. #CSLewis #ThatHideousStrength #RansomTrilogy #SpaceTrilogy #TheAbolitionofMan