PHILOSOPHICAL WRITINGS
CHRISTIAN THEMES IN THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA
INTRODUCTION
I can barely stress enough what brilliant Christian thinkers C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien were. For example, Lewis was so intelligent that the University of Cambridge created a professorship for him to draw him away from Oxford. This was no small honor. Cambridge has won more nobel prizes that all the universities in America combined. Whether they are right or wrong, their credentials alone demand that we at least listen to what they have to say.
In the writing of their 2 greatest works, The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings, Lewis and Tolkien are not interested in writing on a minimalist scale. They are not writing an episode in the lives of their characters to focus on one little aspect of the Christian faith. Rather they are taking the great themes of Christianity and painting on a vast canvas. When a person understands what Lewis and Tolkien are doing, they are swept up in the grandeur not only of the magnum opera of these 2 men; they are swept up in the grandeur of Christianity itself. Their works are so incredibly grand in nature and scope because of their source material, Christianity itself.
What we want to do is look at the different Christian themes operating in The Chronicles of Narnia. We shall see that although he uses the language of children in The Chronicles, this book is by no means a children's book.
VARIOUS THEMES IN The Chronicles of Narnia
The Use of Fantasy Versus Realism
Before looking at the various Christian themes contained in The Chronicles of Narnia, we first have to deal with the issue of why Lewis is using the literary genre of fantasy as the medium he uses to communicate Christian themes. The primary reason is that the contemporary "realistic" novel cannot portray ultimate evil. You will find no demons in the works of Hemingway or Fitzgerald, all contemporaries of Lewis and Tolkien. For Hemingway and Fitzgerald what you see is all there is in real life. Lewis and Tolkien, however, believe that there is much which lies beneath the surface. In The Lord of the Rings Gandalf informs Frodo that there are unseen forces at work in the world, good as well as evil. Fantasy allows Lewis to depict ultimate evil, for example, in the person of the White Witch.
Moreover, fantasy can take you to other dimensions which the "realistic" novel denies. We have reduced the world to being nothing more than its basic components. For example, a star is nothing more than gases on fire. The bright-lit moon is nothing more than a chunk of rock. Now that's romantic! Yet Lewis (in agreement with Scripture--Rev. 9:1ff.) states that stars are actually angels (The Last Battle). Which is right? Lewis is. You may look at something and call it a mixture of eggs, flour, chocolate powder, lard, and sugar; I, on the other hand, am going to call it chocolate cake. Your description of that something is blah; mine on the other hand is magical. Moreover, when I taste that something, it doesn't take like eggs, flour, chocolate powder, etc., to me; it tastes like chocolate cake.
The ultimate example of this is the something some would calling a walking mass of carbon, cartilage, blood, saliva, fluids, electricity, etc.; I would call that something "a man," that is, a person with feelings, a vision, a future, and a relationship with God. Lewis is right. Fantasy allows me to deal with true reality.
Christian Themes in The Chronicles of Narnia
Verses to Consider
Gen. 3:14 "And the Lord God said to the serpent, 'Because you have done this, ____________________ are you more than all cattle'"; Gen. 3:17 [To Adam]: "______________ is the ground because of you."
Overview of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe
Four children one day enter a magical world through wardrobe. Now this magical world is covered with ice and snow because of the curse laid upon it by the White Witch. She has not only covered it with snow and ice; she has also turned into stone any animal or creature which rejected her rule.
Now one of the children, Lucy, has already been in Narnia and has told her 2 brothers and sister about it. They did not believe her though. The wise professor in whose house they were living though challenged the older brother and sister to believe their younger sister. Why? First because she wa obviously NOT mad and second because she had never shown a propensity for lying.
When the 4 enter Narnia, the younger brother Edmund betrays the other 3 to the White Witch. He, like Lucy, had previously gotten into Narnia and, unlike Lucy, had fallen under the spell of the White Witch. She had promised to make him king over Narnia if he would bring the other 3 to her. Little did he know that a prophecy had foretold that 4 children of the race of Adam would enter Narnia one day, bring the witch and her curse to an end, and then rule upon the four thrones located at Cair Paravel.
The race is now on. Will the White Witch destroy the four children? Although Peter the older brother believes it is his duty ONLY to restore Edmund and return home to England, the inhabitants of Narnia, talking animals, inform him that he has a greater purpose in being in Narnia, to lead them to victory over the White Witch. Although Peter feels inadequate to the task, the talking animals assure him that the Great Lion Aslan is going to assist him in this war against the witch.
The 4 children are ultimately reunited in the camp of Aslan the Great Lion. There though they receive a severe shock. Because Edmund had betrayed the other 3 to the witch, she by divine right has claim to the blood of Edmund. She has every right to kill him. If she is not allowed to exercise that right, all Narnia will punish in fire and water. Aslan offers Himself to the White Witch in exchange for Edmund. The White Witch takes up this offer first because she believes that she will be able to do away with the Lion once and for all and second because she believes that once the Lion is out of the way, she will be able to control Narnia forever.
The White Witch kills the Lion who has freely offered Himself as a sacrifice for Edmund. She then amasses an army to wipe out the army Peter and the other 3 children have assembled. A massive battle ensues between Peter and the White Witch.
In the meantime something has happened which the White Witch never conceived of happening. Since the Lion had been faultless of any treachery and since He died for someone else, the Law of the universe dictated that He would rise from the dead more powerful than ever. When Lucy and her sister Susan see the risen Aslan, He invites them to accompany Him to the castle of the White Witch where she has turned a large group of creatures into stone, creatures which can assist Peter in his battle against the witch. When the 3 arrive at the witch's castle, he breathes upon the stone statues and turns them back into living creatures who now join the fray against the witch.
The 2 girls, Aslan, and the other creatures arrive at the right moment. Edmund, Peter, and the army of Narnia are being beaten badly by the White Witch. As the White Witch is about to strike down Peter, Aslan pounces upon her, destroying her and her rule over Narnia. The story concludes with Aslan crowning the 4 children as kings and queens over Narnia. Aslan leaves Narnia with the understanding that one day He will return.
Explanation of the Themes
Introduction
Naturally the White Witch represents ultimate evil, Satan, while Aslan represents Christ. In the Bible Jesus is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah; moreover, the death and resurrection of Aslan clearly identifies Him as Christ. (If Aslan's statement "It is finished" does not convince you of the Christian nature of this movie, then I don't think anything will; it was one of Jesus 7 sayings from the cross.)
The 4 Children are needed to break The White Witch's Spell over the Land of Narnia
The witch's spell over Narnia naturally refers to the curse which Adam and Eve brought to the earth because of their rebellion against God (Gen. 3). What is interesting though is that it takes 2 sons of Adam and 2 daughters of Eve to help break that spell. In the 6th book The Magician's Nephew a human boy, a son of Adam, brings the White Witch into Narnia. Aslan declares: "Because Adam's brought her into Narnia, Adam's race must help get her out." Paul says practically the same thing: "Since by a man came death into the world, so by a man came life" (1 Cor. 15:21). We helped bring about the curse; therefore, we must participate in lifting the curse (hence the animals imploring Peter to lead them into battle because they cannot lead themselves).
Now although the children are essential in leading the army into battle, they ulimately don't win the battle. In fact if Aslan had not arrived on the scene, Peter and Edmund would have been killed. Aslan does arrive though and destroy the White Witch and her army. Although we MUST be involved in this battle because we are responsible for the mess in this world, we are not going to win it. Christ Himself will win it; however, He still demands that we participate because it is OUR war.
The Logic of Christianity
One little episode that is normally overlooked is that between the professor and the 2 older children Peter and Susan. They question Lucy's sanity whenever she informs them she has been to Narnia; on the other hand, they believe Edmund who claims that he and Lucy were just pretending when they claimed they were in Narnia. The professor first points out that Lucy is obviously NOT insane. Second he asks the 2 who tends to lie, Lucy or Edmund. When they reply that Lucy never lies, then he encourages them to believe her. Why? Because she is neither mad nor lying.
In the same way you people 2000 years ago who were obviously NOT mad and who didn't lie in other areas of their lives claiming they met the risen Jesus. Simply because others did not meet the risen Jesus doesn't mean He did not rise from the dead. There are a lot of things I have not experienced which are nevertheless true. If a sane, truthful person told me they met the risen Jesus, then I should assume they had met the risen Jesus.
Moreover, millions of sane, truthful people tell me today that they have met the risen Jesus in their own lives. Because they are sane and truthful, we can assume they have met the risen Jesus. This provides evidence then that there is a risen Jesus, the ultimate claim of Christianity.
Grace and Forgiveness
Probably one of the most touching elements in the book/film is that of grace and forgiveness. Although we know nothing of what Aslan said to Edmund, we know that it changed Edmund forever (this is highlighted in books 2 and 3 of the Chronicles). Whereas it is easy to see the grace and forgiveness that is extended to Edmund, many overlook the grace extended to Peter. When Aslan compliments Peter for bringing his family safely through, Peter replies that he had not brought them ALL safely through. At that point in the book Edmund is under the control of the White Witch. Peter to his credit takes the blame for Edmund's defection. Yet Aslan does not condemn him; rather He extends grace to him.
The New Creation
One of the effects of the curse/spell the White Witch has placed upon Narnia is that she has turned her enemies into stone, an apt symbol of the deadening effect Satan has had on the human race. Aslan's breath upon the stone statues bring them to life. In the same way the breath of Christ gives new life to people. Just like Christ breathed upon Adam and made him a living soul, so Christ breathes upon us again and this time gives us eternal life (John 20:22).
The Final Battle
Many misunderstand the purpose of the battle at the end of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Some reviewers of the movie wrongly thought that this battle represents the Second Coming of Christ. That episode does not occur until the 7th book in The Chronicles called The Last Battle. Rather this battle sequence correctly understands the cross/resurrection as a battle between Satan and Christ (Col. 2:15; Rev. 12:7-9). On the cross Jesus takes on Satan and accomplishes a great victory over him. The cross was like D-Day. Just as D-Day spelt the end for Nazi Germany, so the cross spells the the beginning of the end for Satan. The end has not yet appeared. It will occur only after Christ returns.
Aslan Places the Children on the Thrones of Narnia
The crowning moment of the book/film literally occurs when Aslan makes Peter, Susan, Lucy, and Edmund kings and queens over Narnia: "Once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen of Narnia." (Similarly Tolkien crowns Aragorn at the end of The Lord of the Rings.) Nice little touch or a true reflection of reality? It is a true reflection of what God has in store for His sons and daughters. At the very beginning of the Bible God says that He has put all things in subjection under his feet. Because of his sin though Adam abdicated his place as lord over creation. That position is not lost forever though. Jesus by becoming a man has identified Himself with us. As a result He not only took our sin and death upon Himself, He also swept us up with Him into His destiny. God has not only crowned Jesus, He has also crowned those who have accepted Jesus as Lord of their lives (Rev. 3:21; 22:5; Rom. 5:17). It is our destiny to reign with Christ.
Life is a Journey
Last but by no means least is the principle that life is a journey, a pilgrimage. The 4 children have a destiny, a journey laid out for them, if they are only willing to take up the path set out before them. (This same theme runs in The Lord of the Rings in which a journey is set out for Frodo.) In the same token the Christian life is a journey. Jesus says: "Follow Me." He doesn't reduce the Christian life just to going to church and paying your tithes. He bids us follow Him. He says: "I came that they might have life and might have it abundantly." The question I have to ask myself is if I am willing to embark on the journey He has for me.
Gen. 2:7 "Then the Lord God formed man of the dust from the ground and ______________ into his nostrils the ___________ of life; and man became a living being."
John 20:22 "And when He had said this, He ___________ on them and said: 'Receive the Holy Spirit.'"
1 Cor. 15:21 "For since by a man came death, by a ______________ came also the resurrection."
Col 2:15 "Disarming the rulers and authorities, He publicly exposed them to disgrace as He triumphed over them by means of the ____________."
Rev. 3:21 "He who overcomes I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My ______________ as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His ________________."
Rev. 3:5 "And there shall no longer be any night; and they shall not have need of the light of a lamp nor of the sun, because the Lord God shall illumine them; and they shall _______________ forever and ever."