Novelist Leif Enger Cheerfully Refuses Despair

“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.

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“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

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