The Wonders of Creation - (Hansen Lectureship) by Kristen Page (Paperback)

About the Book

In this insightful exploration of Narnia and Middle-earth, Biologist Kristen Page discovers what we these beloved fictional landscapes might teach us about our real-life landscapes and how to become better stewards of God's good creation.

Book Synopsis

"Highly recommended for fans of Tolkien and Lewis, for those who love literature and ecology, and really for all of us whose capacity for wonder will be expanded by this delightful little book." - Jonathan A. Moo, professor of New Testament and environmental studies at Whitworth University

When an author of fiction employs the imagination and sets characters in a new location, they are in a sense creating a world. Might such fictional worlds give us a deeper appreciation for our own?

Many readers have found themselves, like the Pevensie children, transported by C. S. Lewis into Narnia, and they have traveled from Lantern Waste to Cair Paravel and the edge of the sea. Thanks to J. R. R. Tolkien, readers have also journeyed with Bilbo, Frodo, and their companions across Middle-earth from the Shire to the Lonely Mountain, the forest of Mirkwood, the mines of Moria, and the very fires of Mount Doom. But as often as we enter these fictional worlds as readers, we eventually return to our world refreshed with sharpened insight.

In The Wonders of Creation, biologist Kristen Page explores the beloved fictional landscapes of Narnia and Middle-earth in order to discover what we might learn about real-life landscapes and how to become better stewards of God's good creation.

About the Series

The Hansen Series celebrates the literary and spiritual contributions of seven British authors whose works have captivated readers across generations: Owen Barfield, G. K. Chesterton, C. S. Lewis, George MacDonald, Dorothy L. Sayers, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Charles Williams. These seven authors were all deeply involved in the friendships and intellectual exchanges that shaped the Inklings, a mid-twentieth-century group of Christian writers and thinkers in Oxford, England. This series invites readers to deepen their engagement with these timeless voices and their enduring influence on literature, faith, and the life of the imagination.

Review Quotes

"The Wonders of Creation is a creative, insightful, and well-written book. It is, furthermore, a timely tome that shows how fictional landscapes, such as those created by C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien, can inspire us to care for the damaged landscapes of our world today. Drawing on careful readings of Lewis and Tolkien, ecologist Kristen Page weaves a tapestry of reflections on ecological literacy, lament, and wonder, to which Christina Bieber Lake, Emily Hunter McGowin, and Noah Toly offer short responses. The thoughtful writing in The Wonders of Creation will foster our care of our home places."

Steven Bouma-Prediger, Hope College, author of For the Beauty of the Earth

"For anyone who grew up mentally wandering the forests of Narnia or Middle-earth, this book will be a joy and a revelation--you'll be reminded just how deep those images went into your heart. I'm pretty sure the best place to read it is with your back against a tree trunk on a sunny day--but if it's cold and snowy out, these pages will summon that summer in your soul."

Bill McKibben, author of the Flag, the Cross, and the Station Wagon

"I am looking forward to a day in which science and the arts will end their centuries-long separation. In particular, I think the science of ecology is the best-known living discourse for recovering the ethos of premodern approaches to the cosmos. I read this book with highlighter in hand, eager to find a way into this promising dialogue."

Jason M. Baxter, associate professor of fine arts at Wyoming Catholic College and author of The Medieval Mind of C. S. Lewis

"In this timely book, Kristen Page issues a compelling prophetic call for conservative evangelicals who have often ignored climate crisis warnings--and also love Lewis and Tolkien--to care for God's good creation. She shows how losing ourselves within the beauty of Narnia and Middle-earth's imaginary landscapes can awaken our capacity for ecological wonder and humility, leading us to extol the glory of God and respect the imago Dei in all of creation. Page and her conversation partners model how scholars in science, theology, and literature might come together to address crucial issues of our time."

Gary S. Selby, professor of ministerial formation at Emmanuel Christian Seminary and author of Pursuing an Earthy Spirituality: C. S. Lewis and Incarnational Faith

"Kristen Page's exploration of Narnia, Middle-earth, and our own wondrous earth is sure to inspire readers to return to the tales of Lewis and Tolkien and see afresh the beauty and brokenness of the world just outside their front door. Page is an engaging and insightful guide to these landscapes, and her reflections are enlivened by thoughtful responses from colleagues at Wheaton. Highly recommended for fans of Tolkien and Lewis, for those who love literature and ecology, and really for all of us whose capacity for wonder will be expanded by this delightful little book."

Jonathan A. Moo, professor of New Testament and environmental studies at Whitworth University

About the Author

Noah J. Toly (Ph.D., Delaware) teaches environmental politics and is director of urban studies and assistant professor of politics and international relations at Wheaton College in Illinois. Previously he served as policy fellow at the Center for Energy and Environmental Policy in the University of Delaware's School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy.

Kristen Page (PhD, Purdue University) is Ruth Kraft Strohschein Distinguished Chair and professor of biology at Wheaton College. Her work has appeared in scholarly journals, including The Journal of Wildlife Management, Journal of Parasitology, Journal of Wildlife Diseases, and Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Christina Bieber Lake (PhD, Emory University) is the Clyde S. Kilby professor of English at Wheaton College. She is the author of Beyond the Story: American Literary Fiction and the Limits of Materialism, Prophets of the Posthuman: American Literature, Biotechnology, and the Ethics of Personhood, and The Incarnational Art of Flannery O'Connor.

Emily Hunter McGowin (PhD, University of Dayton) is associate professor of theology at Wheaton College. She is the author of Quivering Families and Christmas, and coeditor of God and Wonder. Her articles have appeared inChristianity Today and The Week. She is a priest and canon theologian in the Anglican diocese of Churches for the Sake of Others. She and her husband, Ron, also a priest, live in Chicagoland with their three children.