Sterling College C.S. Lewis Center

Beginning today, and running until August 15, 2026, is reading program - run in collaboration with the Sterling College C.S. Lewis Center. For every book by C.S. Lewis you read, you can claim a free donut and a Clive's sticker at Clive's. But sorry, you have to be 18 or under (believe me, I'm as gutted about that as you are!).

There's a reason we chose "no ordinary people" as our focus for our inaugural conference and as our strapline for the Sterling College C.S. Lewis Center. We really do believe it. And so did Lewis, and Lewis invites you to consider the shocking reality that you have never spoken to a mere mortal. Our keynote speaker, presenters, student paper presenters, creative writers, theatre makers and actors, and worship leaders wonderfully engaged with this idea at our Spring conference, and all who attended from across the country reminded us with their presence, their questions, their excitement, and yes even their cookie munching, what this extraordinary reality really feels and looks like. You're all extraordinary. Thank you for being a part of our first C.S. Lewis Conference here at Sterling College this Spring.

Sterling College Hosts First C.S. Lewis Conference on Campus At Sterling College, we believe thoughtful faith and meaningful learning go hand in hand.The inaugural C.S. Lewis Conference was a powerful expression of tha...

We were delighted to be joined by Good Day Kansas on the day of our inaugural conference where they interviewed two of our speakers (Sophomore Ashley Riebel and Lewis scholar Dr. Ricke) as well as our Director (Dr. Waters) and we had chance to share a little of our excitement for the conference statewide. Here's the clip that aired on Good Day Kanas soon after!

Sterling College hosts C.S. Lewis Center Conference - Good Day Kansas KSN's Good Day Kansas Host Avery Osen interviews Dr. Sarah Waters, Ashley Riebel, and Joe Ricke.Sterling College Hosts First C.S. Lewis Conference on CampusS...

So very sad to learn of the passing of Warren Farha of Eighth Day Books, an incredible supporter, champion, and friend of the Sterling College C.S. Lewis Center even before we launched. We are so very grateful we had opportunity to work with him and his team, particularly in planning the Dedication and our inaugural conference where we had a book table from Eighth Day. One particularly wonderful and notable thing was his vision and heart for his homeland, which is to say the Heartland, which is to say Kansas and his desire for intellectual growth and curiosity and caring for a land too often bypassed by plane or interstate. A heart we very much share here at the Sterling College C.S. Lewis Center. He shared with our Director how excited he was for there to be a Lewis Center here in Kansas, and not just for the scholars it might bring, but the fostering of deep discussions prompted by Lewis by those who might otherwise have never had chance to think about these things, to meet Lewis or to meet the Lord to whom Warren (like Lewis) so often nudged readers he encountered towards with quiet encouragement, grins and words of deeply considered wisdom. Another Eighth Day worker, Mr. Sturgill, spoke powerfully at our Lewis Center Dedication about the way Warren deflected any complements he might have received, such as a time when he and Eighth Day were credited with positively impacting the culture in Wichita and fostering intellectual curiosity and careful readers. To which he responded, no, it's not me, it's the books that do that, and the Inklings and their writings most especially - they are the bedrock of our bookshop. And what a shop. The world is emptier without him but we hope and pray we might honor his legacy and echo something of his vision in the ongoing work of the Sterling College C.S. Lewis Center.

We are excited to announce that our summer coloring contest launches today! Alert your children, grandchildren, dig out the crayons and beat the heat with a cooling activity!

Winners from last year's contest already have their beautiful lions displayed in the center, and we are looking forward to adding ships to the display at the end of the summer. Copies of the coloring sheet may be found at Mabee Library - Sterling College and the . Best entries will be judged by Assistant Professor of Graphic Design, Professor Engler, and awards will be given out at our first reading group of the semester, August 24, at 7pm.

You might also want to begin reading The Voyage of the "Dawn Treader" (or re-reading) as this coloring contest ties in with our text for the fall reading groups where we will, month by month work through a chapter, each time, of The Voyage of the "Dawn Treader."

Included in this year's Great Plain's Review, is an interview with two of the key figures, Kirk Manton and Ralph Lindhart from Eastgate Creative behind The Forge of Friendship, ably interviewed by Senior Kurt Keegan when they were here at the Sterling College C.S. Lewis Center and when Sterling College hosted them as part of their preview tour (including a special exhibition put on for the event at Mabee Library - Sterling College on the friendship of Lewis and Tolkien). Here's a flavor, check out the journal for the full interview.

We were delighted that this year the Great Plains Review (a publication from the Sterling College Language and Literature Department, open for submissions each Spring from any and all writers in the Great Plains Region) partnered with the Sterling College C.S. Lewis Center and chose to use our conference theme as their focus. The special "no ordinary people" issue launched at Clive's last Saturday! With a beautiful cover created by Erin Bronleewe Stansbury. (And, coincidentally, the Editor in Chief for this year's GPR was, in the fall, our Lewis Center intern, recently graduated Senior Adam King.

Reminder that our book club meets today! We meet at 7pm in the Sterling College C.S. Lewis Center and Pastor Caleb Barrows of will be leading a discussion of Lewis's short piece, Meditation in a Toolshed. All are welcome.