From December 1941 until October 1942, the BBC broadcast a series of radio dramas written by Dorothy L. Sayers. Against the backdrop of World War II, the plays presented twelve episodes in the life and ministry of Jesus, from thevisit of the magi to his death and resurrection, collectively affirming the kingship of Christ.

Noted for their use of colloquial English as part of Sayers's effort to bring the Gospels to life in a new way for listeners, the plays were both controversial and incredibly successful, bolstering the morale of the country during the war. They were subsequently published in 1943, and they stand among Sayers's most beloved works to this day.

In this new critical and annotated edition, scholar Kathryn Wehr brings fresh insights to the plays, their background, Sayers's creative process, and the ongoing significance of the life of Christ today. Listen again, or for the first time, to the story of the man who was born to be—and still is—king.



Dorothy L. Sayers (1893-1957) was a playwright, scholar, and acclaimed author. She is best known for her detective novels featuring Lord Peter Wimsey; her plays including The Zeal of Thy House and The Devil to Pay; works including The Greatest Drama Ever Staged, Creed or Chaos?, and The Mind of the Maker; and her translation of Dante's Divine Comedy.







Kathryn Wehr (PhD, University of St Andrews) is a creative artist and scholar. Her written work has appeared in several journals and publications, including Logos: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture, VII: Journal of the MarionE. Wade Center, The Journal of Inklings Studies, and Transpositions: Theology, Imagination, and the Arts. She is also the managing editor of Logos: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture.



Acknowledgments

Abbreviations

Editor's General Introduction

Title Page of 1943 Edition

Dedicatory: The Makers

Foreword by Dr. J. W. Welch

Author's Introduction

Production Note by Val Gielgud

Note on Music



The Man Born to be King

Kings in Judaea

The King's Herald

A Certain Nobleman

The Heirs to the Kingdom

The Bread of Heaven

The Feast of Tabernacles

The Light and the Life

Royal Progress

The King's Supper

The Princes of this World

King of Sorrows

The King Comes to His Own



General Index

Scripture Index