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The
Chronicles of Narnia
The Lion, The Witch &
The Wardrobe
Walt
Disney Pictures
Walden Media
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Theme:
Separation and Restoration
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Insights:
The opening scenes of the new
Narnia movie are among the most powerful in the film;
and, interestingly enough, they are not found in the
original story by C. S. Lewis. The film begins with a
droning noise, the engine sound of World War II German
bombers making a nighttime air raid on London.
What happens in these first
scenes establishes the theme of the movie: war brings
separation first and foremost from the father. With the
father out of the way, the family is vulnerable to the
enemy's attack. The Pevensie family goes into the bomb
shelter (grave-like in appearance) to escape the falling
bombs, but the real damage has already been done. The
smashed picture of their father is the visual evidence that
a family has been broken and all the relationships
shattered. Affliction now pierces the heart and opens
the door for the real enemy to enter.1
Peter, the
eldest, is forced to assume the paternal role, making him
harsh and bossy. Edmund responds to Peter's new
authority with rebellion, while Susan shuts down and becomes
joyless and critical. The youngest child, little Lucy,
goes into hiding under a blanket of fear.
'"Within my heart I made
closets, and in them many a chest,' writes the
seventeenth-century religions poet, George Herbert, in
Confession."
"'Closets are dark, and chests within closets even darker,'
but then the poet goes on to describe the
afflictions God sends (such as grief) as being able to make
closets into halls and hearts in highways.'"2
The Professor's spare room and
the wardrobe within it are the closet and chest in Herbert's poem,
Confession; the places in a heart where
afflictions (like grief) take up residence.3
The children must go into the wardrobe; for what they first
encounter in Narnia has everything to do with what happened
in the bomb shelter. Lucy is kidnapped by fear (Mr. Tumnus), and Edmund's rebellion and insubordination open him
up to a witch who masquerades as a Queen (I
Samuel 15:23).
It is no secret that C. S.
Lewis, the 20th century's foremost Christian apologist,
wrote The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe as a
Christian allegory. Aslan, the great lion, is the
Christ figure that sacrifices his own life in order to
redeem the Sons of Adam and the Daughters of Eve. What
does seem to be secret, however, is a real
understanding of the Christian story itself.
Unfortunately, the Christian Gospel is presented today as
nothing more than a sure ticket to get you into "heaven"
when you die.4
The Lion, The Witch and The
Wardrobe film beautifully portrays the full measure of
the Gospel; the "Good News" is all that was lost in
separation from the Father is now being RESTORED through the
sacrifice of His Son. The Sons of Adam and the
Daughters of Eve are not only redeemed, but their true glory
will be revealed. (Note how each child is assaulted in
their unique glory; i.e. Edmund the traitor is really Edmund
the Just, Lucy the fearful is Lucy the Valiant, etc.)
They will exercise dominion over a renewed Earth as they
were originally intended to do (Genesis
1:26-28). After all, the prophecy is "All things
will be made new", not as so many read it, "All new things."
(Revelation
21:5).
The Lion, The Witch and The
Wardrobe is not a myth or a fairy tale. It is a
parable, a way of seeing and hearing the Truth. It is also
a great invitation, for all one has to do is open the door.
"Behold I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My
voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will
dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I
will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I
also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne." (Revelation
3:20-21).
Notes:
1.
Beauty and
affliction are the two things that pierce the heart.
Simone Weil
2. From the book, Heart, by Gail Godwin; pg 196; William Morrow
Publisher
3. C.
S. Lewis was considered a scholar on the writing's of
George Herbert.
4. See Chapter 3 of
The Divine Conspiracy
by Dallas Willard for further insights
into how the Gospel is presented today.
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