Ruth Jackson is joined again by Dr Paul Anderson, Professor of Biblical and Quaker Studies at George Fox University. Paul, a prolific scholar and founding member of the "John, Jesus and History" project, shares insights from his paper presented at the 2024 conference at George Fox University. Together, Ruth and Paul explore Lewis’ classic essay "Fern-seeds and Elephants", in which Lewis critiques biblical scholarship with his memorable “four bleats.” Paul reflects on Lewis’ concerns about critical naturalism, the dismissal of miracles, and the tendency to “read between the lines” while missing the heart of the text. The conversation also considers Rudolf Bultmann’s influence, the challenges of theological education, and how Lewis’ reflections remain relevant today.

For more on Paul Anderson:

George Fox University: https://www.georgefox.edu/academics/undergrad/departments/religion/faculty/anderson.html

Amazon author's page:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Paul-N.-Anderson/author/B001HODFI2?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true
 
Academia and Digital Commons Pages: https://georgefox.academia.edu/PaulAnderson
 
The JJH Homepage: https://johannine.org/JJH.html
 
The Fourth Quest paper: https://sats.ac.za/conspectus/conspectus-32/
 
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Released on 25 Aug 2025