Is Narnia a Christian Story? The Chronicles of Narnia are by one of the best Christian Authors of the 20th Century. Yet when the first book of the series is released as a movie, a surprising number of Christians missed out on seeing it. Why is that? Likey, it is because of the title, “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.”
What’s in a name?
I was surprised and disappointed to find its title caused many Christians and non-Christians to shy away from seeing it. Perhaps some reading this have thought it inappropriate at any age because a witch is one of the characters in the title.
More recent best-selling stories glorify vampires, wizards, and witches. In bad stories, the villainy and its dark powers are enticing and glorified. But in the works of the authors I love, like C. S. Lewis, good is still good, and bad is still bad. Villainy is quickly identified, and its power is ultimately nullified.
Please see the moving and read the books
I am encouraging you to allow yourself to become a child again, and to lose yourself in this seven-chronicle story. The larger story is an awesome parallel universe where its creator and talking animals are really telling their own story but hidden in it is our story. It is not strictly an allegory, but it does have spiritual truth that the author tells in a very entertaining manner. Let us explore some of its parallel important hidden truths.
In the New Testament, the hidden truth of the biblical Christmas story is that the future King is coming as a child. The first book in the story of Narnia starts with it being winter, but never Christmas. Time has in some ways stood still. There is a curse is on the land. It is awaiting the return of Lion-King Aslan to release it from being literally frozen in time.
The suffering of land and creatures in Narnia was because It is under the self-appointed Queen of Narnia, the White witch’s curse. Therefore it is always winter, but never Christmas.
There is a prophecy that can change everything
A prophecy in Narnia told of children who would come and break the curse. Their coming had been looked forward to by Aslan’s faithful and feared by his enemies. This should remind us of our enemy satan seeking out which son of Adam might be the one chosen to crush his head.
Four children leave our world so that they can come to help Aslan in Narnia. But their coming appears to backfire. One of them commits treason and incurs a debt he cannot pay short of losing his life. Edmond is one of the four children who quite literally stumble into the world of Narnia. But Edmund had already hidden evil in his heart, so he becomes easily seduced by the so-called Queen of Narnia, aka the White Witch. In their world, she embodies and depicts evil, the devil’s cunning, and is his scheming handmaiden.
To break her spell over Narnia the Emperor sends his son, Aslan, a Lion. In the Bible story, the squatters refuse to recognize others sent by the Owner, beating and even killing them. Now the son is sent. Surely, they will respect him. Quite the opposite is the case. And in Narnia, the Emperor across the sea’s son is sent. Some remain loyal, others do not. This leads to many harrowing adventures culminating in a great battle between the White Queen and her hordes against out-numbered children, some talking animals, and the remnant of others still loyal to Aslan.
Is Narnia a Christian Story? Yes!
In the Bible, an important and powerful truth is often hidden in a story simple enough for children to comprehend. Therefore, I referenced the story in Mark twelve. This parable really reflects and underlies the entire Old and New Testament, as well as all seven books of the Chronicles of Narnia. The point of the two stories: Who shall rule the Land of the Creator?
At the time of Jesus appearing in Israel, the Hebrew children’s transgressions have already cost them the political rule of their own country, but they are still allowed to practice their religion. Disobedient rulers held the reigns of spiritual authority. In some ways, they were harder taskmasters than the Romans. Jesus likened these religious leaders to the squatters in his vineyard that refused to give what was due to the Owner. Instead, they reason that if they do eliminate the heir, they will inherit the land. And, the religious leaders they resembled did in fact seek to kill the son who they rejected.
I will send my son
In Narnia, the Emperor from across the sea sent his Son, the real Lion King, Aslan. Soon we will find that the Queen hatches a similar plan as the biblical squatters, and for the same reason.
But before redeeming the Land, Aslan finds he must first redeem one of the children. A very important part of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is the story of the redemption of Edmund, and indeed all the Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve, which is the clever name for humans in Narnia. The creator comes in the guise of a creature, Aslan, who brings four children from our world to Narnia. Edmund, who was tempted by the White witch, fell to her and became a traitor to Aslan and to his siblings, Peter, Susan, and Lucy.
Someone does have to pay the price
In Narnia, Edward must die for his transgressions. In a shocking move, Aslan offers his own life for Edward’s. The Queen knows Aslan cannot lie and accepts the offer. She of course plans to still kill Edward and all the children after Aslan is slain. There is a great, ancient stone table near the battlefield. Aslan agrees to be tied to the stone, where he is tortured and killed.
On an ancient altar, a large table of stone, the Lion who could have killed all his enemies gathered to torment him, willingly walks to his sacrifice. He is bound to the altar stone. Her henchmen trolls and other evil creatures torture him, They pull out his mane. The White witch thinks him a fool, and before taking his life with her knife, lets him know she will now slay all the children and rule Narnia forever.
The best reason Narnia is a Christian Story
Some hours later there is an earthquake, and Aslan is resurrected. He tells Lucy and Susan that the Witch knew some truths, but not the truth deepest truth. In Narnia, if an innocent one is sacrificed on the stone, willing to take the place of the guilty, that death will be reversed to life. The stone table is broken in two because it will never be needed again. In the temple in Israel, the veil separating us from the Holy of Holies was rent in two, because it would never be needed again. And with the stone breaking, comes also the breaking of the curse of eternal winter.
Aslan goes on to “make a show openly” of the defeat of his adversary and her accomplices. He bounds into her castle stronghold. His task is to release those with stony hearts who she had frozen as if they are stone statues. These were those made prey by their goodness. But now, breathing on them, Aslan brings life back into the statues. They were in essence, born again!
[God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it [the cross].
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole.
Happily, ever after?
The White Witch reasoned that if she killed Aslan who she thought foolishly agreed to her terms of death in exchange for Edmond’s life, she could do away with all of them and rule Narnia forever. Aslan breaks the power of winter, and of death, restoring even the guilty Edmond. Our salvation also sounds too good to be true. It is like a fairy tale, but only better. It is the one way you really can live more happily forever after.
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