Square Halo Books at The Trust Performing Arts Center in downtown Lancaster will present its fifth annual conference, “Return to Narnia,” on March 8-9, 2024.
With creativity, collaboration and community at the forefront, the conference’s keynote speaker is Matthew Dickerson, author of Square Halo’s newest published book, “Aslan’s Breath: Seeing the Holy Spirit in Narnia.” Many have seen connections to God the Father and Jesus the Son in the beloved Narnia tales, but the presence of the Holy Spirit in that land have perhaps been more elusive.
For his keynote address at 7 p.m. March 8, Dickerson will share reflections on finding the breath of the Spirit that fills us as conference attendees enter the doors of Narnia again.
The conference, set for The Trust Performing Arts Center at 37 N. Market St. and The Rabbit & the Dragonfly at 51 N. Market St., will also feature a songwriter workshop, a theatrical performance of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” a live recording of a Square Halo podcast, a book table highlighting numerous Square Halo titles and a concert by Sarah Sparks, whose album, “Into the Lantern Waste,” was inspired by Narnia. Breakout sessions and collective lectures, exploring topics such as art, writing, Scripture, reading as worship, music and more, will feature previous Square Halo writers and friends.
“We believe the banquet hall to be just as important as the lecture hall so we will also have communal times like pub night and dinner at local restaurants,” said Ned Bustard, Square Halo director and conference organizer.
Conference registration opens at 11 a.m. Friday, March 8, when early arrivals can create custom collage pins with Horst Arts. Additional conference highlights over the two-day event include the following:
A wide array of speakers will offer their insights at the ‘Return to Narnia’ conference, including keynote speaker and author Matthew Dickerson, center.
Friday, March 8:
- 1 p.m.—Opening lecture with David Bisgrove, contributor to “A City for God: Essays Honoring the Work of Timothy Keller.”
- 2:30 p.m.—Breakout sessions I
- 3:30 p.m.—Breakout session II
- 4:30 p.m.—Dinner on your own at local restaurants
- 7 p.m.—Keynote address with Matthew Dickerson on “Breath and Wind in the Darkness” about the imagery of Aslan’s breath in “The Chronicles of Narnia,” the Holy Spirit in creation and the implications of a created Spirit-filled world.
- 9 p.m.—Pub Night
Saturday, March 9:
- 8 a.m. —Continental breakfast
- 9 a.m.—Opening lecture with Matthew Dickerson on “The Breath of a Fellow Traveler,” a talk on Shasta, a main character in “The Horse and His Boy,” and God’s gentle presence in our lives during times of grief and sorrow, even when He is unseen.
- 10:30 a.m.—Breakout sessions III
- 11:30 a.m.—Lunch at The Trust
- 1 p.m.—The Collective
- 2:15 p.m.—Breakout sessions IV
- 3:30 p.m.—Optional afternoon activities
- 4:30 p.m.—Dinner on your own at local restaurants
- 6:30 p.m.—Closing lecture with Matthew Dickerson on “The Lion’s Claws and our Dragon Skin,” which will focus on other imagery of the Holy Spirit in Narnian stories, especially in the un-dragoning of Eustace and what that illustrates about God’s transforming work in our lives.
- 7:30 p.m.—Concert with Sarah Sparks
Lancaster Bible College Professor Dr. Geoffrey Reiter, Interim Arts & Sciences Department Associate Chair and Coordinator of Literature, will be one of the breakout session speakers at 10:30 a.m. March 9, talking on “Jack’s Junk Food—Lewis’ Lesser-Known Genre Influences.” At LBC, Reiter teaches courses such as World Literature, Dramatic Literature, Science Fiction, Major British Writers, Shakespeare, Christian Perspective: Explorations of the Fairy Tale, and Poetry, Fiction and Drama.
His poems and short stories are published frequently in literary journals, and he is also a contributor to Square Halo’s “Ordinary Saints: Living Everyday Life to the Glory of God,” a collection of 40 essays to celebrate Square Halo Books’ 25th anniversary, as well as the Associate Editor of the Christ and Pop Culture website. Reiter’s session will take attendees on a tour of C. S. Lewis’ more obscure literary influences in the realms of fantasy, science fiction and horror.
Tickets for the “Return to Narnia” conference, as well as information on local lodging, may be found at the Square Halo website, squarehalobooks.com. A $100 discount is available for Lancaster Bible College students who register through the Student Affairs Office by Feb. 23.