The Screwtape Letters: Confronting Evil in Our Time – Practical Christian Living & Spiritual Warfare

If you’re tired of pretending everything is fine, this is the book you need. Confronting Evil in Our Time - Now on Amazon https://amzn.to/3XgCodLThis episode of The Screwtape Letters podcast explores the tension between conflict, silence, and the slow emotional drift that happens when people suppress honesty instead of engaging in truthful conversation. Building on the previous discussion about the “illusion of strength,” the hosts examine how bottling up emotions, avoiding difficult conversations, and staying silent in relationships can create resentment, disconnection, and spiritual stagnation. They challenge the idea that avoiding conflict is always holy, emphasizing that real growth often comes through honest dialogue, correction, and “iron sharpening iron.”The conversation dives deeply into how fear drives silence—fear of rejection, fear of losing relationships, fear of confrontation, and fear of not being liked. Through personal reflections, the hosts discuss codependency, people-pleasing, and the struggle to express opinions openly without guilt or shame. They connect this to faith, warning against shallow Christianity that discourages questions or disagreement. Instead, they encourage listeners to engage scripture deeply, think critically, and pursue truth with humility rather than simply conforming to groupthink or social expectations.Ultimately, the episode reframes peace not as the absence of tension, but as the result of truth handled with love and courage. Silence may feel safe in the moment, but over time it disconnects people from authenticity, intimacy, and healing. The hosts encourage listeners to reflect on the conversations they are postponing, the emotions they are burying, and the fears driving their avoidance. Through scripture, counseling, and Christ-centered relationships, they emphasize that peace comes not from suppressing truth, but from facing it faithfully and lovingly.Subscribe and join us and our guests on this journey.Show site www.screwtapeletterspodcast.comTruth @screwtapeletterspodcastX @screwtapepodcstIG @screwtapeletterspodcastFacebook https://linktr.ee/screwtapeletterspodcastPodcast management by www.globalcreativegroup.com

Ian Faith offers a thoughtful and appreciative review of The Screwtape Letters on stage, presented by Max McLean and Fellowship for Performing Arts at the Herberger Theatre in Phoenix. Approaching the production with both deep familiarity and cautious expectation as a longtime student of C. S. Lewis, Faith finds that the adaptation successfully honors Lewis’s original intent. Rather than leaning into satire or comedy, the play focuses on spiritual warfare, subtle temptation, and moral reflection, using irony and inversion exactly as Lewis intended. The result is a contemplative experience that provokes self-examination rather than shock or humor.The production itself is praised for its discipline, design, and execution. With only two actors on stage for a continuous 90 minutes, Gregory Allen Jackson and Anna Reichert deliver commanding performances marked by precision and endurance. The staging, featuring a tilted platform, symbolic set elements, and restrained but effective lighting and sound, creates a vivid vision of Hell without overshadowing the text. Faith, not typically a theater enthusiast, emphasizes that the talent and craftsmanship alone make the performance exceptional, rating the acting a perfect ten.Faith concludes that the play succeeds across a wide audience, from devoted Lewis readers to those entirely new to The Screwtape Letters. While the most immersed fans may wish for greater depth, he considers this a natural limitation of the medium rather than a flaw. The production works especially well as an entry point into Lewis’s ideas, inspiring reflection, conversation, and further study. Ultimately, Faith views Screwtape on Stage as an important and faithful work that challenges Christians to grapple seriously with temptation, faith, and salvation, and strongly encourages audiences to see it when it comes to their city. Rating 9.5 out of 10 well worth the time and money. It will enrich your life.If you’re tired of pretending everything is fine, this is the book you need. Confronting Evil in Our Time - Now on Amazon https://amzn.to/3XgCodLFor tickets and show times: www.screwtapeonstage.comSubscribe and join us and our guests on this journey.Show site www.screwtapeletterspodcast.comTruth @screwtapeletterspodcastX @screwtapepodcstIG @screwtapeletterspodcastFacebook https://linktr.ee/screwtapeletterspodcastPodcast management by www.globalcreativegroup.com

The episode centers on the idea of catharsis, its roots in Greek tragedy and how it shows up today in social media outrage, reality TV, and public emotional outbursts. Ian and Galen contrast classical and modern understandings of catharsis with Christian wisdom, arguing that while emotional release is often celebrated as healthy or therapeutic, unrestrained emotion can become destructive when detached from truth, reason, and moral order. They frame catharsis as something that, when unchecked, stands in opposition to civilization itself.Drawing from C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters, particularly Letter 22, the hosts explore how evil reacts violently to genuine goodness. Galen explains that Screwtape’s explosive response to a wholesome woman illustrates how evil cannot tolerate what is pure, ordered, and joyful. This insight is connected to modern cultural and political reactions, where perceived wrongs often provoke irrational fury rather than thoughtful engagement. They also reference contemporary thinkers and events to show how emotional manipulation, through media, fake news, and outrage cycles, fuels chaos and societal breakdown.The conversation concludes with a call for wise emotional restraint and civil discourse, especially among Christians. Citing Scripture such as Proverbs 29:11, Ian and Galen emphasize that wisdom governs emotion rather than venting it freely. They discuss the role of social media as a catalyst for unhealthy catharsis and stress the importance of responding with love, discernment, and truth instead of rage. The episode wraps with reflections on the mission of the podcast and the encouraging reception of their book, Confronting Evil in Our Time, reinforcing their aim to help listeners navigate a culture increasingly driven by unchecked emotion.If you’re tired of pretending everything is fine, this is the book you need. Confronting Evil in Our Time - Now on Amazon https://amzn.to/3XgCodLSubscribe and join us and our guests on this journey.Show site www.screwtapeletterspodcast.comTruth @screwtapeletterspodcastX @screwtapepodcstIG @screwtapeletterspodcastFacebook https://linktr.ee/screwtapeletterspodcastPodcast management by www.globalcreativegroup.com

This episode is an in-depth interview with Max McLean, an award-winning actor, producer, and founder of Fellowship for Performing Arts, whose career has been devoted to bringing Christian literature and Scripture to life on stage, screen, and audio. McLean is best known for his acclaimed portrayal of Screwtape in the stage adaptation of The Screwtape Letters and for portraying C. S. Lewis in The Most Reluctant Convert. He shares his own conversion story as an adult, describing how reading Scripture, especially the Gospel of John, and Lewis’s writings profoundly shaped his faith, awakening him to both the beauty of Christ and the reality of spiritual deception.Beyond the stage, Max's voice has become a cherished companion to countless listeners through his narration of The Listener's Bible in multiple translations, earning him multiple Audie Award nominations. He's also recorded spiritual classics like Pilgrim's Progress and Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. Max has been honored with the C.S. Lewis Foundation Award for his contributions to dramatic arts and faith-based storytelling. He lives in New York City with his wife Sharon and their two daughters, and continues to create work that bridges faith, literature, and the transformative power of live performance.The conversation explores McLean’s creative journey, his philosophy of faithful adaptation, and the challenges of translating Lewis’s deeply word-centered works into theater and film without losing their theological weight. He explains how The Screwtape Letters was adapted as a predator–prey drama with clear spiritual arcs, remaining true to Lewis while making it accessible to modern audiences. The episode closes with reflections on Lewis’s enduring relevance, current and upcoming projects, including national tours and film development, and a shared conviction that Lewis’s work remains vital for confronting evil, cultivating humility, and pointing people toward truth in an increasingly deceptive age.If you’re tired of pretending everything is fine, this is the book you need. Confronting Evil in Our Time - Now on Amazon https://amzn.to/3XgCodLFor tickets and show times: www.screwtapeonstage.comSubscribe and join us and our guests on this journey.Show site www.screwtapeletterspodcast.comTruth @screwtapeletterspodcastX @screwtapepodcstIG @screwtapeletterspodcastFacebook https://linktr.ee/screwtapeletterspodcastPodcast management by www.globalcreativegroup.com

In this special episode, Ian and Galen examine the recent freedom movement in Venezuela through a moral and biblical lens, challenging listeners to look beyond politics and international law to confront clear acts of evil. They frame the situation as a test of moral clarity, comparing inaction in the face of oppression to ignoring the abuse of an innocent victim. By drawing on contemporary and historical examples, Ian urges listeners to reassess how justice, sovereignty, and intervention should be weighed when human dignity is systematically violated.Ian then traces the theme of freedom throughout Scripture, from God’s deliverance of Israel in the Exodus to the cycle of rescue in Judges, and ultimately to Christ’s mission to proclaim and bring true freedom. He emphasizes that God consistently hears the cries of the oppressed and acts to break both visible chains, such as political tyranny, and invisible ones, including sin, fear, shame, and spiritual bondage. Revelation, he notes, culminates this story by revealing and defeating the corrupt powers that enslave humanity.The episode concludes with reflections drawn from C.S. Lewis and historical figures, stressing that courage is essential to freedom and that true liberation comes through submission to God, not autonomy from Him. Ian calls listeners to celebrate the hope and joy sparked by Venezuela’s deliverance while remaining vigilant and compassionate toward those still suffering under oppression elsewhere. Ultimately, he frames freedom as a core biblical and moral imperative, one that demands courageous action, moral discernment, and a willingness to confront evil wherever it appears.If you’re tired of pretending everything is fine, this is the book you need. Confronting Evil in Our Time - Now on Amazon https://amzn.to/3XgCodLSubscribe and join us and our guests on this journey.Show site www.screwtapeletterspodcast.comTruth @screwtapeletterspodcastX @screwtapepodcstIG @screwtapeletterspodcastFacebook https://linktr.ee/screwtapeletterspodcastPodcast management by www.globalcreativegroup.com

Hear the story about a family man who had stage 4 metastasized cancer in multiple forms, how he heard the voice of God and what He told him, and how he was healed through his faith in Christ.After enjoying Christmas with your family. If you’re tired of pretending everything is fine, this is the book you need. Confronting Evil in Our Time - Now on Amazon https://amzn.to/3XgCodLThis interview with Dan Thompson is bonus content by Ian and Galen for the Screwtape Letters Podcast. Dan shares his powerful testimony of healing through faith in Christ after receiving a cancer diagnosis.Dan introduces himself as a family man, married for 17 years with three children, and recently found out he is to become a grandfather. He describes his background as a lukewarm Christian raised in the Roman Catholic faith. Dan’s faith was dramatically activated when he received a shocking cancer diagnosis two years and three days prior to the interview.The diagnosis came unexpectedly when Dan visited an urgent care facility for back pain and difficulty breathing. A CT scan revealed small-cell lung cancer that had metastasized to his liver and lymph nodes. Additionally, he was diagnosed with unrelated colon cancer. Dan underwent surgery for colon cancer and received treatment for the other cancers, eventually achieving remission for the lung, liver, and lymph node cancers. Today he is “Cancer Free.”Throughout his journey, Dan experienced a profound spiritual moment on the first night in the hospital. When he asked God “Why now?”, he heard an audible voice answer, “For my glory.” This experience became a cornerstone of his faith during his battle with cancer. Dan approached his diagnosis with the mindset that it was “not his fight” but God’s, refusing to accept a prognosis and instead trusting in divine intervention.Dan’s story is marked by his unwavering faith, his use of both traditional and alternative treatments, and his conscious decision to avoid researching his condition online. The interview concludes with Dan acknowledging that his doctors have used the term “our miracle patient” to describe his recovery, highlighting the remarkable nature of his healing journey through faith.Subscribe and join us and our guests on this journey.Show site www.screwtapeletterspodcast.comTruth @screwtapeletterspodcast X @screwtapepodcst IG @screwtapeletterspodcast Facebook https://linktr.ee/screwtapeletterspodcastPodcast management by www.globalcreativegroup.com

In this episode, Ian continues his Christmas series by walking listeners through the journey of Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem and the birth of Jesus. He explains the historical and biblical context behind Caesar Augustus’ census, which required Joseph to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem, fulfilling Old Testament prophecy. Ian highlights Joseph’s obedience to earthly authority while remaining faithful to God’s plan, underscoring how divine purposes often unfold through ordinary, even inconvenient, circumstances.Ian then explores the practical and geographical realities of the journey, describing the distance, terrain, and dangers Mary and Joseph likely faced, especially with Mary late in pregnancy. Drawing from Scripture, historical records, and even non-canonical writings like the Gospel of James and Pseudo-Matthew, he discusses ancient travel conditions, desert hardships, and early Christian traditions surrounding Jesus’ birth. While affirming the authority of the biblical account, Ian notes that historical and archaeological evidence supports parts of the Gospel narrative and its setting.The episode culminates in a reflection on the humility of Christ’s birth in a stable, emphasizing the profound contrast between the divine nature of Jesus and the lowly circumstances of His arrival. Ian reflects on the miracle of God becoming human, born in a manger under the open sky, and the faith of Mary and Joseph amid uncertainty and hardship. He closes by pointing listeners toward the wonder of creation and the meaning of Christmas, setting the stage for the next episode, which will focus on the Magi and the shepherds.Join us for EPISODE 4 — “Those Who Found Him: Shepherds and Magi”After enjoying Christmas with your family. If you’re tired of pretending everything is fine, this is the book you need. Confronting Evil in Our Time - Now on Amazon https://amzn.to/3XgCodLSubscribe and join us and our guests on this journey.Show site www.screwtapeletterspodcast.comTruth @screwtapeletterspodcastX @screwtapepodcstIG @screwtapeletterspodcastFacebook https://linktr.ee/screwtapeletterspodcastPodcast management by www.globalcreativegroup.com

The heart of this story unfolds around two remarkable women, Elizabeth and Mary, whom God chose to carry the most significant children in human history. Elizabeth, long barren and advanced in years, receives a miraculous promise through the angel Gabriel that she will bear a son, John the Baptist. Her husband, Zechariah, encounters the angel while serving in the temple, and though he doubts the message, God’s plan moves forward. Elizabeth conceives and quietly withdraws for five months, overwhelmed by God’s mercy in removing her reproach and granting her a child who will prepare the way for the Lord.Six months later, the same angel appears to Mary, a young virgin in Nazareth, announcing an even greater miracle, she will conceive Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. Though troubled and unable to understand how this could happen, Mary responds with humble obedience: “I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” When Mary visits Elizabeth, the miracle becomes visible in a powerful moment of confirmation: John leaps in Elizabeth’s womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, instantly recognizes Mary as the mother of her Lord. Their meeting becomes a sacred exchange of faith, joy, and divine purpose shared between two mothers chosen by God.Together, Elizabeth and Mary represent a unified miracle, two women linked not only by family but by destiny. Their stories highlight God’s faithfulness, the fulfillment of ancient prophecy, and the personal courage required to embrace His calling. Elizabeth’s long-awaited child and Mary’s virgin conception stand as twin testimonies that nothing is impossible with God. Their obedience, trust, and shared journey form a powerful prelude to the coming of Christ and the unfolding of God’s redemptive plan for the world.Join us for EPISODE 3 — “The Journey: Bethlehem and the Birth of Jesus”After enjoying Christmas with your family. If you’re tired of pretending everything is fine, this is the book you need. Confronting Evil in Our Time - Now on Amazon https://amzn.to/3XgCodLSubscribe and join us and our guests on this journey.Show site www.screwtapeletterspodcast.comTruth @screwtapeletterspodcastX @screwtapepodcstIG @screwtapeletterspodcastFacebook https://linktr.ee/screwtapeletterspodcastPodcast management by www.globalcreativegroup.com