[elbucko]

He was a professor in the academy, with a specialty in medieval literature, which gave him a mental framework shaped by the whole scope of intellectual history and Christian thought.

This doesn't surprise me. Mallory's, "Le Morte de Artur", the Life of King Arthur, is a wealth of Christian thought. From lust and pride, to fall and redemption, the story of Arthur is, IMHO, the basis for the Christian fantasies of Lewis and Tolkien.

[Puddleglum]

If I remember correctly, Lewis was an English professor because that was the first open position for which he could apply. He was equally prepared to become a lecturer in Philosophy, and had a keen eye trained on the Ancients/Moderns debate during his education. Naturalism and Spencerism would have fallen under his notice, I think.