PIF… Past Events
PIF 2024
July 15 -19 2024
Celebrating our golden anniversary at
St. Andrew’s Abbey
“ C. S. LEWIS, PRAY-ER AND TEACHER OF PRAYER.”
Our founder, Dr. Paul Ford, led a five-day retreat, “C.S. Lewis, Pray-er and Teacher of Prayer,” at the Abbey where our society first met 50 years ago! Under Dr. Ford’s personal guidance, we explored the teachings of C.S. Lewis about prayer as they are revealed in his book Letters to Malcolm Cheifly on Prayer.
Dr. Ford is an internationally recognized authority on the life and writings of C. S. Lewis; his award-winning book Companion to Narnia (HarperCollins) is now in its fifth edition. He was the editor of Words to Live By (HarperSanFrancisco, 2007) and Yours Jack: Spiritual Direction from C.S. Lewis (HarperOne, 2009). He is a professor of theology and liturgy at St. John’s Seminary, Camarillo, California.
Dr. Jim Prothero - 2024 Recipent of the Paul Ford Award
Our council voted to present the Paul Ford Award, named after our founder, to Dr. James Prothero. The award is given to an individual who has significantly contributed to Lewis Scholarship in teaching and writing. Dr. Prothero, one of the original members of the society, has published a book about Lewis’s theology titled Sunbeams & Bottles: The Theology, Thought, and Reading of C.S. Lewis.
From Left to Right: Paul Ford (founder/presenter), Hope Langevin (Director), Jim Prothero (council member), and Edie Dougherty (council member).
Jim Prothero (left) standing next to Paul Ford upon being presented with the Paul Ford Award.
PIF 2023
“A Novel Tea: Perspectives from Lewis’s Library”
PIF 2023 was held at one of our favorite meeting places, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Monrovia, Californian an ideal location with it’s famous Lewis Stained glass window.
Our Guest Speakers
Dr. Diana Pavlac Glyer
Diana Pavlac Glyer is an author, speaker, and teacher whose work centers on C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien and how their friendship influenced their creative work. Some of her best-known books are The Company They Keep and Bandersnatch. Diana’s presentation for PIF, “Books at the Heart of a Friendship: The Major & the Missionary.” Was based on her recent book, The Major and the Missionary: The Letters of Warren Lewis and Blanche Biggs.
Pastor Will Vaus
Will Vaus is the Senior Pastor of The First Congregational Church of Yarmouth, the oldest congregation on Cape Cod. He is the author of fifteen books, including Mere Theology: A Guide to the Thought of C. S. Lewis and My Father Was a Gangster: The Jim Vaus Story. His presentation was “My Journey with C. S. Lewis and Other Companions.” He also spoke to us about the top ten books that influenced C. S. Lewis.
Caeden Spilman
Caedon Spilman is a Senior Creative Designer at Azusa Pacific University. For three years, he has led the marketing and branding of the Honors College. In 2023, Caedon collaborated with four other APU Honors College students to write “Letters from Jack: Practical Advice from the Pen of C. S. Lewis” and was awarded the Aristotelian Friendship Award by the Honors College that same year. His presentation, “Reading, Writing, and Creating: Advice from the Letters of C. S. Lewis,” was based on that work.
PIF 2021
With Covid-19 still looming in May of 2021 we held our PIF online via Zoom. Our guest speakers were Dr. David and Dr. Crystal Downing (pictured right).
Dr. Crystal Downing discussed her newest book, “Subversive”. The book is about one of Lewis’s good friends, Dorothy Sayers.
Sayers is an interesting, dynamic personality. She was an author who Lewis’ admired, not only for her sill as a writer, but for her courageous presentation of the Christian Faith. Her writing, at the time was considered controversial in many Christian circles.
PIF 2019
2019 PIF Keynote Speaker
Pictured above, Sorina Higgins, (far right) was our keynote speaker and her topic was: “The Inklings Among Other Arthurs”.
2019 PIF Awards
Pictured above from right to left: Dr. Diana Glyer of Azusa Pacific University was awarded the first Paul F. Ford Award for excellence in Lewis scholarship and teaching.
Our Director, Dr. James Prothero (center) presented the awards.
Society Secretary, Edie Dougherty, won the first Golden Lion Award for service.