{"id":6,"date":"2015-05-27T19:06:22","date_gmt":"2015-05-27T19:06:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cslewis.org\/programs\/retreat\/?page_id=6"},"modified":"2026-05-28T16:10:24","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T16:10:24","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.cslewis.org\/programs\/retreat\/about\/","title":{"rendered":"About The C.S. Lewis Retreat"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The C.S. Lewis Retreat is a three day retreat designed to engage mind, spirit, and imagination in the tradition of C.S. Lewis. Registrants are drawn from many walks of life and include scholars, artists, clergy, campus ministers, lay readers, and writers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you are a new reader of C.S. Lewis or someone who has read his works for many years, you are welcome at the Retreat!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visit our Upcoming Events<\/a> and Events Archive<\/a> pages for information on future and past Retreats.<\/strong> See the menu above to view information about the current Retreat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The C.S. Lewis Retreat as a Joint Program of the C.S. Lewis Foundation and C.S. Lewis College
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The C.S. Lewis Retreat has a special role within the spectrum of the Foundation\u2019s and College’s events.  In the warm, informal setting of Camp Allen, The C.S. Lewis Retreat offers a haven of intellectual, artistic, and spiritual fellowship that is rooted in the mission of the Foundation and the educational goals of C.S.L. College. The C.S. Lewis Foundation launched the retreats in 2001. C.S. Lewis College has long been part of the events (since 2010) by sponsoring the Academic Roundtables and Great Books sessions, becoming a full co-host in 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether our attendees come with a bent toward writing, reading (study\/scholarship), or growing in Christian devotion, this time together is specifically designed to nourish and equip each attendee to fulfill their calling.  From our plenary sessions to prayer and worship services to workshops and hosted groups to Bag End Caf\u00e9, a warm welcome and the spirit of hospitality abound. No small wonder that it is a vital gathering much anticipated and cherished by attendees and staff alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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History<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The C.S. Lewis Foundation\u2019s Retreats in the Southwest had their origin at a one day conference held at the Texas Military Institute in San Antonio in June 2001. It was over that weekend that an Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese suggested we should convene an annual retreat at the Camp Allen Conference and Retreat Center in Navasota, Texas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2003<\/strong>, the C.S. Lewis Southwest Regional Retreat launched at Camp Allen on the theme \u201cDiscovering Reality with C.S. Lewis.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Retreat was successful, and in subsequent years, we were encouraged to regularly convene the Retreat at Camp Allen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2004<\/strong>: \u201cWrestling with Culture: C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien as Spiritual Mentors\u201d
2005<\/strong>: \u201cAslan on the Move: Narnia Revisited\u201d
2006<\/strong>: \u201cGrowing Up with C.S. Lewis (and Staying Young with Jack!)\u201d
2007<\/strong>: \u201cSeas, Islands, and Solid Ground: Navigating the False Infinites with C.S. Lewis\u201d
2008<\/strong>: \u201cRedeeming the Time: Overcoming \u201cScrewtape\u201d in our Everyday Lives\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2009, we launched the Writers Workshop as an addition to the Southwest Regional Retreat. Since artistic expression inspired by the Holy Spirit is an essential element of the Foundation\u2019s mission, incorporating a second part of the event for writers was a natural progression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2009<\/strong>: Retreat: The Company We Keep: Creativity & Community with C.S. Lewis & the Inklings
<\/em>Workshop: More Than A Hobby: Letting Community Take Your Creativity to a New Level<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2010<\/strong>: Retreat: The Weight of Glory: Reflections on Longing & Belonging
<\/em>Workshop: Writing Past the Watchful Dragons<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2011<\/strong>: Retreat: Fling Wide the Gates: C.S. Lewis & the Pursuit of Joy
<\/em>Workshop: On Stories: Imagination to Incarnation<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beginning in 2012, responding to feedback from our registrants, The C.S. Lewis Retreat fully integrated the separate Retreat and Writers Workshop elements into a single program featuring two tracks (a Readers of Lewis track and a Writers track).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2012<\/strong>: Choosing Heaven: Eternity in the Here & Now<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2015<\/strong>: Of This & Other Worlds: C.S. Lewis & the Call of Deep Heaven<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2019<\/strong>: The Joyful Journey: Lewis, Tolkien, & the Creative Power of Friendship. <\/em>With C.S. Lewis College incorporated in the state of California and growing as a nonprofit organization, the College became official co-host of the Retreats. The College has long had a presence in the programming (particularly since 2010) and sponsored the various Great Books Seminars and Faculty Forum Academic Roundtables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2021<\/strong>: Feeding on the Truth: C.S. Lewis & the Psalms.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2023<\/strong>: Remember the Signs: Faith, Knowing, & the Real in The Silver Chair<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Event Structure<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Intellect<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n