Lilith

About this episode

The episode explores George MacDonald’s novel Lilith, discussing its literary style and spiritual themes.

In this episode of The Classical Mind , Fr. Wesley Walker and Dr. Junius Johnson explore George MacDonald’s 1895 fantasy novel, Lilith . The discussion navigates the tension between MacDonald’s occasionally “fumbling” literary style and the profound, “mythopoeic” power of his spiritual vision. The episode also touches on MacDonald’s universalist leanings and his belief that even “evil that is good for you” acts as a redemptive force. Ultimately, the episode highlights how Lilith challenges readers to move beyond a dry love of books to a lived experience of the supernatural reality they represent. We want to keep up the conversation with you! To receive new episodes and support our show, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Endnotes: * Junius: Phantastes by George MacDonald * Wesley: Our Next Work: Inferno by Dante Alighieri This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe

People in this episode

Host: Fr. Wesley Walker

Guest: Dr. Junius Johnson

Topics covered

• fantasy literature
• spiritual vision
• redemption
• George MacDonald
• mythopoeic power
• universalism

Keywords

• Lilith
• George MacDonald
• fantasy
• spirituality
• redemption
• literary analysis
• mythopoeic

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Lilith, Phantastes, Inferno

More episodes of The Classical Mind

• The Importance of Being Earnest with Dr. Grace Hamman · June 9, 2026 · 1h 8m
• Paradiso with Dr. Jonathan Juilfs · May 12, 2026 · 1h 25m
• Purgatorio with Heidi White · April 28, 2026 · 1h 24m
• "The Tapestry": A Conversation about a New CiRCE Language Arts/Grammar Curriculum with Buck Holler · April 1, 2026 · 14 min
• The Inaugural Classical Mind Battle of the Books · March 16, 2026 · 30 min
• Inferno · March 10, 2026 · 1h 16m