Narnia & the Moral Imagination: Summer Intensive Led by Dr. Shannon Valenzuela
This course offers an extended study of C. S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia, attending especially to Lewis’s vision of the imagination and his understanding of education—its purpose, its promise, and its distortions. Far from being merely children’s literature, the Narnian stories present a rich account of human formation: how human beings come to perceive reality rightly, how they are misled, and how they may be restored through truth, discipline, and grace.
Particular attention will be given to The Silver Chair, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and The Last Battle.
Program Details
Over the course of the week, participants will form their pedagogy through seminars, lectures, and small group discussions.
Location
Schedule
The program will take place from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. each day from June 15 to June 19th, 2026.
Technology Free
To preserve the leisurely character of the retreat and encourage contemplation, participants are asked to refrain from digital device use.
Cost & Registration
Cost: $50
Valor faculty and staff may attend the course free of charge.
About the Leader
Dr. Shannon Valenzuela is Affiliate Assistant Professor of Humanities and English at the University of Dallas, where she also serves as Assistant Director of the Saint Ambrose Center for Catholic Liberal Education and Culture and contributes to the Classical Education graduate program. Her teaching focuses on the classical liberal arts tradition, with courses in pedagogy, epic, tragedy, and the formation of students through great books. In these roles, she works closely with educators to deepen both intellectual and pedagogical formation within a Catholic and classical framework.
Dr. Valenzuela received her B.A. in English and Classics from the University of Dallas and her Ph.D. in medieval literature from University of Notre Dame. Her scholarly work is grounded in medieval studies while extending into broader questions of narrative, culture, and the formation of the human person. She has been actively involved in classical education initiatives, contributing to the renewal of liberal arts education through teaching, program development, and faculty formation.
In addition to her academic work, Dr. Valenzuela is an accomplished creative writer and screenwriter. She is the author of speculative fiction, including The Silesia Chronicles trilogy and the novel Final Origin, and she created The Quest, a television series produced in collaboration with the University of Dallas and EWTN. Her essays and articles have appeared in outlets such as the National Catholic Register. Across both her scholarly and creative work, she is especially interested in the power of narrative to illuminate the dignity, mystery, and vocation of the human person.