What C.S. Lewis Teaches Us About Heaven, Hell, and the Choices We Make Now w/ Andrew Swafford

Andrew Swafford, professor of theology at Benedictine College and author of Next Stop: The Afterlife, joins us to explore how C.S. Lewis's The Great Divorce illuminates the reality of heaven, hell, and purgatory and why every ordinary choice we make is quietly shaping our eternal destiny. Andrew also shares the pivotal yes that changed his own life: a football scholarship to Benedictine College, an unexpected encounter with Christ, and the discovery that going all in with Jesus never costs you who you are—it makes you more fully yourself.What We Talk About:How a football scholarship became the setting for Andrew's conversion and why he says the risk of faith always produces a deeper, truer version of who you already areWhat makes The Great Divorce such a powerful entry point into thinking about heaven and hell, including Lewis's insight that heaven is more real than earth, and what that means for how we love and live right nowThe unforgettable characters in The Great Divorce—Pam the grieving mother and the man with the lizard—and why even the highest loves in us must be surrendered to God if they are to be transfigured in gloryWhy the small, ordinary choices we make at home—in marriage, parenting, and the hidden moments no one sees—are where eternity is truly won or lost, and why repair matters far more than perfectionHow to stay rooted in Jesus when the culture feels heavy and overwhelming: think local, pray more than you worry, and keep the Eucharist at the center of your lifeChapters:00:00: Welcome and Introduction02:24: Andrew's Journey to Yes: Football, Conversion, and Going All In04:17: Introducing Next Stop: The Afterlife06:39: The Great Divorce, Purgatory's Joy, and the Transformation God Desires07:22: What Makes The Great Divorce Such a Powerful Entry Point09:42: Why C.S. Lewis Chose Story Over Straight Theology11:22: Heaven Is More Real Than Earth14:43: Recognizing Our Own Attachments: Pam and the Man with the Lizard18:38: Small Daily Choices and Eternal Destiny21:29: The Gift of Repair in Family Life25:01: Heaven, Hell, and the Choices We Make Now29:32: Staying Centered on Jesus in a Heavy CultureResources Mentioned:Next Stop: The Afterlife by Andrew SwaffordThe Great Divorce by C.S. LewisThe Screwtape Letters by C.S. LewisThe SwaffordsPaloma&FigProduced by Saint Kolbe Studios.Send us Fan MailSupport the showFollow Paloma & Fig on Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn. Learn more at www.palomaandfig.com. Join in the conversation by joining our  Facebook group, A Resounding Yes!