Welcome back to another episode of Five Minutes in Church History.

This episode was suggested to me by my friend Kent.

The Weight of Glory is currently known as an essay of that title and a book of essays

of that title by C.S. Lewis. But let's look at

when this first occurred. In fact, let's look at the when, the where, and the what of the weight

of glory. First, the when. It was originally a sermon preached on June 8, 1941, and the University Church of St. Mary and Oxford.

The date is important.

On September 3, 1939, Britain declared war.

From the summer and fall of 1940 was the Battle of Britain, and the battles and the air raids continued. So in England, there is immense

tension from the constant bombings, from everything being rationed, and by so many of the people

being mobilized for the war effort both at home and abroad. England is a nation at war against one of the world's most ruthless and tyrannical

rulers. The date is also important because it is the second sermon that Lewis ever preached. His first

sermon was preached a month after war was declared, October 22, 1939. it was titled, None Other God's Culture in Our Time.

It was also preached at St. Mary's in Oxford.

It is known today as learning in war time.

So we have the when.

How about the where?

Well, we already mentioned that it was preached at Oxford, the University Church of St. Mary.

Look it up.

It is breathtaking.

This church stretches back to 1086.

It was in fact the first building of Oxford University when it was established in 1252.

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