Father of the Inklings

It all started as an attempt on my part to stay ahead of the game. I was using Michael Phillips’ The Eyewitness New Testament as a key ingredient of my morning time. I found the order of presentation, together with the thoughtful exploration and commentary, intriguing, challenging and intensely thought provoking. Being an avid reader of George MacDonald, whose works were often edited by Phillips to make them more readable to contemporary audiences, I expanded my experience of this prolific author by adding his novel, Rift in Time to the mix. I loved it. And so I began including Phillips in my repertoire of compelling Christian authors whose thinking and spirit ran along the same lines as my own, only in greater depth of understanding and ability to communicate.  Having worked my way through Volume 1 of The Eyewitness New Testament and now halfway through Volume 2, and not wanting to lose momentum, I decided to head over to Amazon and get the third and final volume on its way. To my dismay, the title wasn’t listed.

Perplexed, I went to Phillips’ facebook page on the whim that I might catch his attention if I sent him a message asking about the “missing” volume. Somewhat to my surprise, he wrote back saying that he was working on it and hoped to have the book on its way before too long. I seized on the opportunity by offering to serve as a proofreader. He accepted. And so began our acquaintance. True to his word, Michael’s wife, Judy, sent me a proof copy of the book and over the next few weeks I served as a proofreader.

Since that time, Michael and I have exchanged a few emails, including one in which I proposed that he consider podcasting as a means of further sharing the insights I’d found in his non-fiction work with all those around the world who might be eager to listen. Words that mean a great deal to me and that have made a significant impact on my life. Words that are in keeping with other bold thinking Christians such as George MacDonald and C.S. Lewis, an author whose thinking, of his own hearty admission, was greatly impacted by MacDonald.  I had included Phillips’ work, The Commands, in my morning time and, thinking that the commands of Jesus might be a good starting place, attached in an email to Michael a recording of my reading of one of the commands as an example of what a podcast episode might look (or rather sound) like. Although I had hinted that he might want to do the recording himself, Michael opted to accept my offer to read his work and enthusiastically consented to the creation of a Father of the Inklings podcast site as a complement to his own Father of the Inklings literary website. And so the podcast was born!

So if you happen to be one of those who relish the opportunity to better know and obey the Father of Jesus Christ, there are multiple ways you can listen to the podcast’s episodes. You can subscribe to Father of the Inklings on iTunes, visit the podcast site itself, or go to the Listen page here on my own site.

Like most beginnings, the podcast is a work in progress. And for me, it’s a labor of love. Your expressions of support and ideas concerning future direction are both invited and welcome!

~m