Today, as part of our Christmas celebration, my grown kids went with us to see the first of the Narnia movies, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, co-produced by C. Douglas Gresham, stepson of C.S. Lewis. We loved it! According to Gresham, "Jack didn't intend the Narnia books to be an evangelistic fantasy. The myths of Narnia are partly those of the great man-made religions - Norse mythology, Hindu mythology, as well as the true myth of Christ. Exposure to man's myths will make young viewers ask questions about themselves - and only later will the seed of faith take root."Hmm. Most interesting. One would guess he would know. But what a different viewpoint from that of so many of us who grew up with the Chronicles! Does it matter? What do you think?Paradoxically, Gresham has not joined the Christian bandwagon gearing up around the film. Won't it at least impart a subliminal Christian message to young audiences, I ask?
"I sincerely hope not," he snorts. "Because - and this is what people always get wrong - it's not a Christian film and the Narnia books aren't Christian novels."
[Btw, I was in my first year of college, November 22, 1963, when C.S. Lewis died and when JFK was gunned down in Dallas. I will never forget that day! So many of us remember exactly where we were and what we were doing when we got the news about JFK. Do you?]
On Nov. 22 1963 I was just 3 days short of being 6 months old. :-)
ReplyDeleteWhen I read the Narnia books as a child, it never occurred to me that there was any sort of religious 'message' in there, Christian or not. But organized religion didn't (and still doesn't) play a role in my upbringing and it was a long, long time ago so I'm planning to read the books again and see what I get out of them this time.
A very Merrry Christmas to you and yours, Ginnie!
C.S.Lewis and stepson Gresham would love what you've written, Christina! Lewis' life is so interesting, especially growing up around JRR Tolkien, Chesterton and MacDonald. What a group to be part of! Wiki says the Narnia books "borrow from Greek, Roman, and Celtic mythology as well as traditional English and Irish fairy tales." Nothing about Christianity! I quite like the idea that these so-called "Christian themes" are elsewhere in our world's other mythologies.
ReplyDeleteI was part of organized religion for 55 years, but not the last 5 years. Hmm. Maybe I'll go back and re-read the books myself! Wonder if I'll see them differently!
Your comment, PG, is better than my post! How very well-spoken and exactly to the point. I love it!
ReplyDelete7th grade, and in Canada, I assume! It really was a world event, wasn't it!
Happy Holidays to you, dear Blogger Friend.
When I was a kid, I read it because I thought it was a neat adventure story into another world. I never really dwelt on its Christian message though I may have been faintly aware that the symbolism was there.
ReplyDeleteI've been interested to hear the different comments on this, Tim, especially from my siblings who read these books as adults and through the grid of a preacher's home. I don't think it ever occurred to us there was anything else BUT a Christian interpretation/allegory. So this whole conversation has been refreshing to me!
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