Back to Narnia

I wrote in an earlier post of how much I loved the new Disney flick The Chronicles of Narnia. I don't remember ever enjoying myself at a movie as much, and I can't wait for the girls to get home from Searcy so I can go see it again (to take them, of course). And I'm about halfway through reading Prince Caspian, the sequel to Wardrobe in the Narnia saga. I know these are children's books, but then I'm not a very deep person.

The question I'm pondering today is "Why did I like the movie so much?" Why do movies like The Passion of the Christ and Chronicles of Narnia create so much interest among Christians? Is it because they create a context in which we can share our faith with others? I can see discussing the movie with an unbelieving friend and saying, "You know the basic plot of the movie HAS been done before..." That is what several Christian marketing companies are banking on; I've gotten several offers of materials to use the movie to advertise the church and the faith. I don't think that is a bad idea.

But I do have to wonder a little if part of the reason that many of us see The Passion and Narnia as such positive things is because they somehow validate faith. Here are two incredibly popular movies (likely two of the best-selling of all time) that are based in different ways on our faith. The popular media is generally pretty negative to Christianity, but here are two cases it at least gives lip service to God. Well isn't that great? Maybe. I do hope that we don't need Hollywood to pat us on the back and tell us that its really OK to be believers after all! Faith has always placed us at odds with the world of the seen. Christianity has always been a counter-culture. Following God always leads us beyond the world, and the world is not going to make it easier to follow Him.

I hope everyone will see The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I hope there will be those who will indeed have the imagination baptized, to use Lewis' words, and their hearts opened to the story of the true Lion of Judah. I hope that we will all take advantage of any opportunity we have to speak a word to others about Jesus. But let's not expect the world to make this easy for us. That is not going to happen!