by Clive Staples Lewis
In my opinion, I don't think we should take Clive Staples Lewis' theology seriously. There are flaws in everyone's theology, I'm especially included, but some are more serious than others. I'm not saying we couldn't or shouldn't learn any good theology and wonderful Christian gems from Lewis. He is a brilliant thinker, a superb scholar of medieval literature, and an imaginative writer, but he is not a theologian in the real sense. Lewis, if you search a little deeper, doesn't believe in the inerrancy of the Scripture, his doctrine of salvation is very inclusive (almost, but not, a universalist), and he has a problematic view on the atonement of Christ (or lack of it) among others.
So, when you read The Chronicle of Narnia series, don't read them as if you're reading theological books and try to decipher every line or scene to find Biblical meanings. Narnia series: 1) is, first and foremost, a children's fantasy literature that is cherished by adults too, 2) written by an author who is, by the way, a Christian (one of my favorite rappers is Nathan John Feuerstein, a.k.a. NF. He said, "I'm a Christian, but I don't make Christian music." Thus when I listened to NF, I don't derive my theology from his lyrics. In the same way, don't treat Narnia as such), and 3) is influenced not just by Biblical themes and allegories but also magic, myths, legends, and fairy tales. From a lighter perspective, Narnia is a place where we can spark our imagination and explore possibility narratives (what a great form of escapism!). From a darker perspective, however, it can be a dangerous place to condition the mind to wild speculations and possibly, witchcraft (this also applies to The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and most novels as a fact). Let the reader apply discernment!
Having said that, I enjoyed reading The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, the second book based on chronological order but the first book in publication order. The illustrations in the book are very helpful. Although I already know the basic storyline based on my previous reading and the movie, it is important to know that the original book edition is always superior to the cinematic experience. Always! This book is special because C.S. Lewis dedicated it to his goddaughter, Lucy Barfield (her name is the inspiration for Lucy Pevensie, the youngest heroine in the book). "My Dear Lucy," Lewis begins, "I wrote this story for you, but when I began it, I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books. As a result, you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound, you will be older still. But someday, you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again..."
My all-time favorite line is this: "Ooh!" said Susan... "Is he [Aslan] - quite safe? I shall feel nervous about meeting a lion." "That you will, dearie, and no mistake," said Mrs. Beaver, "if there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly." "Then he isn't safe?" said Lucy. "Safe?" said Mr. Beaver, "don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Cause he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King. I tell you" ❤
#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeaders #BeChildlike #CSLewis #Narnia #TheLionTheWitchAndTheWardrobe #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain
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