Exploring the Eternal Goodness

If you knew David Neuhouser well enough, you would recognize that behind and beneath the gentle, shy, soft-spoken demeanor of this self-diagnosed introvert was an adventurous, even fearless soul, who refused to be categorized or boxed in by the expectations of the world around him. As person after person who knew him testifies, he was a true gentleman, as well as being a gentle man. But he was also a man of courage and a certain feisty attitude; a person of integrity who unapologetically, if quietly, lived out his beliefs. Of course, one of those beliefs was that the writings of C. S. Lewis, George MacDonald, and other authors have great value for students, for the scholarly community, and for the wider world.

In 1997, due to David's perseverance, the Brown Collection of books by and about C. S. Lewis and related authors came to Taylor University and the Lewis and Friends Colloquium began. A former colleague who worked with Dave in the early years of both the collection and the colloquia writes in his tribute:

"David's dream was to make Taylor University a center for the study of Lewis, MacDonald, and the Inklings, and he showed a quiet determination to travel anywhere, cultivate scholars, network with collectors, gently cajole donors - whatever was necessary to bring his vision to fruition."

Twenty years and ten colloquia later, as the work he started continues, we can only be thankful for his bright vision and his quiet determination. This book of selected writings reflects his scholarship in math and literature, as well as his musings on beauty and the imagination. The twenty-one tributes from friends and colleagues are just a small indication of the many lives he has influenced. The publication of this volume is meant to acknowledge David L. Neuhouser for his wide-ranging contributions to scholarship and to honor his life of friendship, encouragement, and genuine goodness.