Welcome to
The Inklings Project
The Inklings Project is an intercollegiate initiative that invites people to pursue meaning and joy by entering into the world of C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and the other Inklings.
About the Inklings Project
Under the University of Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute, the Inklings Project is an inter-collegiate initiative that invites people to pursue meaning and joy by entering into the world of C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and the other Inklings.
The idea for the Inklings Project was planted at Brown University. Over a decade ago, Dr. Timothy Flanigan, a physician and professor at Brown’s medical school, created an undergraduate seminar titled “Beyond Narnia: The Literature of C. S. Lewis.” Students from all backgrounds and academic disciplines found themselves reading and discussing Lewis’ books, from philosophical works to fantastical fiction. Today, the course is widely popular, providing an atmosphere for meaningful dialogue and connection.
The Inklings Project was founded to encourage and support faculty who hope to provide an Inklings course on their own university campuses.
Our Goal: To encourage & support faculty who teach the Inklings
The Inklings Project endeavors to support college and university faculty as teachers of Inklings courses—to provide opportunities to thrive as educators and to grow in fellowship with those who share a mutual love for the Inklings. We accomplish this primarily through the Inklings Project Fellowship. Awardees will be named Inklings Project Fellows for one academic year. Benefits of the Fellowship include:
a grant in the amount of $1,500
support and resources for creating or innovating upon an Inklings-related course
access to a rich community of Inklings scholars
invitations to Inklings-related events and workshops
participation in an in-person gathering at the Wade Center at Wheaton College, with special access to Inklings resources
Interested in applying to be an Inklings Project Fellow? Visit https://www.inklingsproject.org/apply.
Why the Inklings?
The Inklings were a group of individuals (including C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien) in the 1950s who gathered in and around Oxford University once a week to discuss ideas, literature, art, and whatever they were working on at the moment.
The Inklings were chosen as the focus and namesake of the project both for their works and for their model of fellowship. The Inklings Project was founded on the belief that entering into the world of the Inklings—especially through their stories and fairytales, which are deeply formed by the Western literary tradition—can help individuals better know and understand their own world around them. The initiative aims to encourage university professors and students of all disciplines and backgrounds to engage in genuine discussion about goodness and evil, joy and pain, heroism and meaning, through delving into and discussing the works of the Inklings together.
Get involved in the project.
We are currently connecting with individuals who would like to get involved in the Inklings Project. If you are interested in learning more or starting an Inklings course at your university or college, please reach out to us by emailing info@inklingsproject.org or sending us a message below.