Well, it took about 35 years from the time I first read C.S. Lewis to get around to visiting the enchanted land of Narnia. In between were many years of pleasure and stimulation in reading and re-reading Mere Christianity, Miracles, The Problem of Pain, The Four Loves, Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, and even the “space trilogy” and his enigmatic novel, Till We Have Faces.But never The Chronicles of Narnia.
I didn’t really have reasons for not reading the Nania books (the most popular of all of Lewis’ work), I just never made the trip. But when taking up the gauntlet to teach a 20th Century Christian Writers course at Grace University this semester, I noted the publicity surrounding the film and added The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to the required reading list. That, of course, obligated me to finally read it too and, once started, I told the students I’d go through them all.
I now have.
And -- I’m sorry I waited so long.
I was deeply impressed with Lewis’ ability to shift shapes and language, plot and characters, myth and orthodox Christian theology from his apologetic talents to the simply-worded but eminently profound stories of Narnia. To be a famous defender of the Christian faith (as well as an esteemed Cambridge professor of linguistics and literature, an expert translator of the Greek classics, and a popular BBC broadcaster) and yet humbly stoop to write The Chronicles of Narnia in order to express the simple beauty of Jesus for children is a superb example of God’s grace working in a man. And yet throughout my journeys in Narnia this last couple of weeks, I too was constantly moved closer to God – proof that Lewis’ challenge was so deftly written as to engage the soul of those way past childhood as well.
Sure, there were times where the excitement levels dipped a bit but for a series of seven books designed to carry so much meaning amid the various adventures, Lewis achieved remarkable success. The plots were inventive and compelling. The characters were wonderfully and realistically drawn. Yes, realistically. For even though the adventures included so many magical creatures, each elicited genuine recognition from the reader. We saw even in Lewis’ Talking Dogs, Elves, Giants and Centaurs the ring of truth. Virtues (and yes, vices) that we instinctively “realized” were presented to us in gripping, memorable ways.
And what characters! Edmund was a very vivid portrayal of selfishness but then as vividly a person forgiven and morally transformed…the longing for home and significance as seen in Bree, the talking Narnian horse…the nobility and gallantry of a hero anyone could emulate in the mouse, Reepicheep…and, of course, Aslan himself of whom I could write many paragraphs. Lewis uses Aslan to stimulate his readers to penetrating meditations on the great Savior and King, Jesus.
Lewis has been criticized by a few Christians for incorporating magic and creatures from ancient myth into his stories. I can understand such criticism and certainly Christians must be very careful in how they utilize the things of the world in our sub-creations and especially in our practical worldviews. But Lewis pulled it off well and the message The Chronicles of Narnia presents is unabashedly Christian. No syncretism here. No compromise. And certainly no surrender. Indeed, the Narnian Christianity is a tough one – clear, combative and challenging to the max, whether the challenge involves the real agonies of suffering or the call to do battle with the enemies of God.
As we discussed The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in the Grace U. class the other night, I could see how Narnia had affected these young men and women very deeply – first from their childhood engagement with the books (often read aloud to them by their parents) and secondly as adults who saw the meaning of Narnia more intelligently (and thus to greater purposes) than ever. I envied them their long relationship as travelers in Narnia but I quite enthusiastically thank the Lord I finally took the leap myself: a leap that took me through the wardrobe, into the painting of the Dawn Treader, and through the ancient walls surrounding Experimental School.And to walk in Narnia again? No doubt, I’ll continue to do so until, that is, the fiction is surpassed by the awesome fact itself.
