About this episode
“Probably doomed and perplexingly merry.” That’s how Leif Enger describes one of the characters in his new novel, I Cheerfully Refuse . While the story brings words like dystopian and apocalyptic to mind, it bears witness to a deep sense of hope and even optimism. How and why? That’s the topic of this episode of The Russell Moore Show featuring Enger. Moore and Enger talk about what inspired I Cheerfully Refuse , including classic tales like The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe . They talk about how Enger explores despair in fiction and the real world, the nuances of suicidal behavior, and how to combat the unbearable overwhelm caused by a 24-hour news cycle. They discuss Enger’s writing process, how religion emerges in his life and books, and where the two differ in their understanding of evangelism. Tune in for a gracious, rich episode that turns our eyes toward the light that the darkness will not overcome. Resources mentioned in this episode include: I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger Leif Enger The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis “ A Weird, Wonderful Conversation with Kim Stanley Robinson ” “ The Story of Orpheus and Eurydice ” Walker Percy Garrison Keillor David Copperfield by Charles Dickens Zero at the Bone: Fifty Entries Against Despair by Christian Wiman “ Clergy on the Rocks ” The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to questions@russellmoore.com . Click here for a trial membership at Christianity Today. “The Russell Moore Show” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Producers: Erik Petrik, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper Host: Russell Moore Producer: Ashley Hales Associate Producers: Abby Perry and McKenzie Hill Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens Audio engineering by Dan Phelps Video producer: Abby Egan Theme Song: “Dusty Delta Day” by Lennon Hutton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices