S3E35 – AH – “After Hours” with Rev. Brian McGreevy

In anticipation of next season when we read through The Screwtape Letters, I sat down with Rev. Brian McGreevy to talk about this book and his own C.S. Lewis podcasts.

S3E35: “After Hours” with Rev. Brian McGreevy (Download)

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Time Stamps

00:00 – Entering “The Eagle & Child”…
00:12 – Welcome
00:35 – Biographical Information
01:20 – Drink-of-the-week
01:45 – Quote-of-the-week
03:53 – More biographical information
05:58 – Contact with C.S. Lewis
07:10 – Growing interest in Lewis
08:44 – Why is Lewis great?
09:22 – Unorthodox teaching methods
11:23 – Origin of The Screwtape Letters
14:00 – The Cosmic Trilogy connection
15:59 – Main themes and ideas
17:14 – Theme: Habits
18:40 – Theme: Pleasure and Beauty
21:39 – Theme: Prayer
27:55 – Theme: The Will
28:46 – Theme: Little Sins
30:46 – Theme: Humility
31:21 – Theme: Church Life
35:20 – Theme: Muddling Language
37:15 – Theme: Time ownership
40:01 – Cancelling The Guardian
40:51 – The Impenetrable Cloud
42:19 – “Last Call” Bell
42:31 – Rev. McGreevy Online

YouTube Version

After Show Skype Session

Today’s “Skype Session” is different from the usual sort of video and non-Pints With Jack related. Matt sat down with one of the co-founders of Hallow, a Catholic meditation app:

Show Notes

• I shared some biographical information about Reverend McGreevy:

Reverend Brian McGreevy is Assistant to the Rector for Hospitality Ministry at the historic St. Philip’s Church in Charleston, South Carolina, which was founded in 1680. He is married to his wife, Jane, and they have four children. He began by studying law at Emory University and worked at an international finance and insurance trade association for over 15 years, becoming the Managing Director International. He and his wife later went on to run a Bed & Breakfast, and subsequently he felt a call to join the priesthood in the Anglican church. He has recorded a podcast on the life of C.S. Lewis and is now teaching a weekly class at his church on The Screwtape Letters.

Biographical details of Rev. Brian McGreevy

• For the drink-of-the-week, I drank a glass of McAfee’s Benchmark bourbon (basically hand-sanitizer for your throat) and Rev. McGreevy drank some Fentimens Ginger Beer.

• For the quote-of-the-week, I chose a passage close to Rev. McGreevy’s heart:

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints” 

Ephesians 6:10-18

I asked Fr. Brian to explain why he has his class read this passage every session when they study The Screwtape Letters.

• Brian shared with us a bit more of his life-story. He has definitely had a varied life! When talking about ordination, I referenced the ordination of St. Jerome’s brother:

• I asked Rev McGreevy how he first came into contact with C.S. Lewis. Fr. Brian explained how he came to lecture of C.S. Lewis and start some podcasts. I asked Rev. McGreevy about his more unorthodox teaching methods.

• Many people love C.S. Lewis, but often for different reasons. I asked Brian about this and he said that he loves Lewis principally due to his emphasis on Joy.

• I explained why we invited Rev. McGreevy onto the show in anticipation of next Season when we will be studying The Screwtape Letters.

• Fr. Brian shared some of the backstory to The Screwtape Letters and we spoke about one Preface where Lewis connects the letters to his Cosmic Trilogy.

• We spent the majority of the remaining time talking about the themes and ideas found in The Screwtape Letters…

• Brian spoke about habits and referenced the book, The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction.

• Brian explained about the idea in Screwtape that pleasure and beauty are pointers to the Kingdom of God.

• We discussed the various themes surrounding prayer.

• When talking about the will and choice, I referenced the Casting Crowns song, “Slow Fade”:

• We discussed the anthropology put forward by Screwtape, about the Patient being composed of a series of concentric circles – the imagination, the intellect and the will.

• We spoke about “small sins” and referenced Lewis’ idea of Heavenly & Hellish Creatures from The Weight of Glory:

It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which,if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. 

C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

• We discussed about Screwtape’s treatment of church life.

• We spoke about Screwtape’s attempt to subvert language through connotation and confusing terms.

• Finally, Fr. Brian told the story of the clergyman who cancelled his subscription to The Guardian magazine after thinking that the letters from Scrwetape published there were meant to be understood as truth. He also mentioned the impenetrable cloud which Screwtape hates.

•  You can find out more about Rev. McGreevy on the St. Philip’s Website. You can listen to his two podcasts on Apple Podcasts. The first is on C. S. Lewis and the Christian Life and the second is on C. S. Lewis and The Screwtape Letters.