Aslan Is on the Move

Opening tonight at a theater near you is Disney’s blockbuster The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The movie is based on a children’s book about four schoolchildren who pass through a magic wardrobe into the land of Narnia. There they have many adventures as they battle the White Witch who has usurped power and oppressed the strange inhabitants of the land. And there they meet Aslan the Lion, the rightful ruler of Narnia. Aslan defeats the White Witch only after giving his life to atone for the treachery of one of the children... and then returning to life. If that story line seems a little familiar, it is supposed to be.

The seven-book series The Chronicles of Narnia was written by C. S. Lewis, one of the most prolific and influential Christian writers of the 20th century. In books like Mere Christianity, Lewis presented a rational defense and explanation of the Christian faith. His books that had a great impact on his generation, and they continue to influence many today. The Chronicles of Narnia was intended by Lewis as a "suppositional story" as in "suppose the Son of God had come to another world." In this story, Aslan does not represent some messiah-like figure; he represents the Christ who dies for the guilty and rises again to defeat evil. Lewis saw the Narnia tales as a way to "baptize the imagination" to prepare the way for the gospel story. Narnia is a fanciful place filled with many strange creature and events, but you’ll recognize the plot!

I am curious to see what Disney does with Lewis' book. I recently re-read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to refresh my memory of the story. I’m really looking forward to seeing the movie.

Update: I saw it last night, and it was wonderful! Not only did it not try to remove the metaphor, it even added a few! (After the dramatic battle in which Aslan kills the White Witch, he turns to Peter and says, "It is finished!" Not in Lewis' book, but it seems like I have heard that before somewhere). I guess the most lavish praise I can give it is that Lynn loved it, and the last fantasy movie she liked was The Wizard of Oz! See the movie!