Faith Lessons from Narnia - The Lion's Call Forum

one child's correspondence with C.S. Lewis

Benisse — Sun, 25 Jun 2023 10:58:04 +0000

When Kathy Keller was a young teenager she wrote a letter to C.S. Lewis about her admiration for his Narnia tales… and he wrote her back, beginning a precious series of letters.
Here is a fascinating podcast
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=TOwPCOAyTVs&fbclid=IwAR3JyWrjzwZpY9vBZWVlQg5fxfoK5-p2mG6ptu5O2516cVaH10gBMKPbbCY>
about their correspondence and how the works of Jack Lewis — and Narnia in particular— baptized her imagination and transformed her world.

Narnia in the Bible

jasmine_tarkheena — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 19:03:43 +0000

I'm sure there are different ways that Narnia can remind you of the Bible. Now bear in mind, there should be no theological dispute.

In The Horse And His Boy, there's a moment where Aslan tells Shasta "Myself" three times, each in a different voice. It's the same concept as when God says, "I am who I am" or when Jesus says "I Am". It's also a good pesentation of the Trinity- deep and low (God the Father), loud and clear (God the Son), and in a whisper (God the Holy Spirit). It's a very difficult concept to grasp.

The Last Battle is the last days. While the White Witch and the Lady of the Green Kirtle has the aspect of Satan, I think Tash in a way could be a picture of how Satan will one day reveal his true nature. "Woe to the Earth and Sea, for the devil has come down to you! He is filled with great anger, knowing he does not have much time!"

Can you think of anything else in Narnia that reminds you of the Bible?

The After life in Narnia

jasmine_tarkheena — Thu, 28 Jul 2022 10:04:11 +0000

As we see in the Chronicles, there is Aslan's Country which represents Heaven. There is a tease of Aslan's Country in Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Reepicheep goes there in a coracle, and we don't see what happens to him afterwards. Two men, Enoch and Elijah, both went to Heaven without dying. Reepicheep going to the Aslan's country in a coracle can almost be viewed as Elijah going into Heaven in the fiery chariot.

As Caspian says in The Silver Chair after Aslan resurrects him to His Country-

“I see what’s bothering you. You think I’m a ghost, or some nonsense. But don’t you see? I would be that if I appeared in Narnia now: because I don’t belong there any more. But one can’t be a ghost in one’s own country. I might be a ghost if I got into your world. I don’t know. But I suppose it isn’t yours either, now you’re here.”

He was saying that he would be a ghost in Narnia because he was not living there anymore. He knew now that he was in Aslan's Country.

The after life is very complex topic. In The Last Battle, when Tirian puts him and Rishda into the Stable, it can almost be seen as they were crossing over to the eternal horizon. Tash shows up to claim Rishda as his "lawful prey." That is not saying it was because Rishda was a rich and powerful man. You might recall a story that Jesus told about a rich man and a beggar who both died; the beggar went to Paradise or Heaven and the rich man went to Hell. I know that Hell is not a very comfortable topic; even some pastors leave it out in their sermons. But since the Bible teaches it, it should be taught. The rich man didn't go to Hell because he was a rich man; it may have been pride and selfishness and cruelty. Rishda being Tash's lawful prey not because he was a Tarkaan or a rich and powerful man could be the same idea as well. Could it have been selfishness and pride and cruelty as well?

As Narnia is coming to an end, every creature in Narnia looks at Aslan. Then they turned either left or right. The decision that each character in Narnia made in life determined where they've spent eternity; the decision we make in this life will also determined where we'll spend eternity.

The description of Aslan's Country is beyond comprehension; the description of Heaven is beyond comprehension as well. You can imagine when John had his vision of Heaven, he had a hard time to take it all in and even described it when he wrote Revelation. The after life is way beyond than what we can imagine.

How Narnia has helped me spiritually

High Queen Netty Baguetty — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 08:52:29 +0000

I grew up watching the Narnia movies and reading a few of the books. Yes, I knew Aslan was a picture of Jesus Christ so I loved the series even more. I just didn't relate to the characters. Some of you know, I backslid for a while during my early teens and came back to the faith later. Now as an adult, I rewatch the movies and Aslan's death always makes me cry. It's the story behind it that moves me to tears. Edmund was going to die. (I still haven't made it to LWW book yet so bare with me) Then Aslan takes his place sorrowfully. He doesn't want to die but he must because it's a life for a life and someone must die for the crimes committed. Now as I'm older and watching this, it breaks me. Narnia showed me and reminded me how much God loves us. I was an Edmund and Jesus took my place at the stone table. He did no wrong but death was demanded because of my sin and he paid the price. The very least I can do is live a life for him and live according to his standards. The change in Edmund is a sign of spiritual growth. He's not who he was before he stepped foot into that wardrobe, he's changed.
Yesterday I watched VOTDT. The struggle with temptation is real. Lucy doing wrong and being tempted for the beauty spell, only to realise there's a price to pay. Aslan then tells her, "You doubt your value. Don't run from who you are." I believe Aslan was clarifying here that he didn't die just for Edmund. "You doubt your value." Lucy then overcoming this temptation with Aslan's help is able to help Caspian and Edmund with theirs. Reep's speech at the end when he's asking Aslan if he can go to his country always makes me cry no matter how many times I've seen it. It reminds me of myself. I'm trying so hard to live a Godly life and satan puts doubts in my head. I know without a shadow of a doubt I'm saved. I trust in God and God alone. Sometimes the question still comes in, "Are you really going to make it to heaven?". I know if I'm trying to walk with God. Trying to do his ways, follow, trust and believe in God and his son, I'll be there. So when reep says, "I know I'm not worthy but I've been dreaming of your country since I was a mousling. With your permission, may I see your country?" I just lose it. And then when Aslan tells him, "My country was made for noble hearts such as yours" I just can't. I cry like a baby. It reassures me that even though I will never be perfect. I will one day be in that celestial kingdom. With my family. It's a hard life here but we must push through as the soldiers we are.
Through Narnia, I've had a closer walk with God. It showed me that he really is our friend. He loves us, watches over us, and will never leave us. He's our friend and guide.

Way of the Lion Apologetics - Tim Skinner

Benisse — Tue, 28 Jan 2020 03:45:05 +0000

I just got introduced to Tim Skinner's Way of the Lion Apologetics on the Narniafans Facebook page and I thought those on The Lion's Call would be stimulated by his focus on Christian apologetics (i.e., defending the truth of Christianity) using examples and images from the Chronicles of Narnia.

Here is a link to the page with links to lectures on apologetics based on various Chronicles of Narnia:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrhS-cFnWX7_Ay3lPBFs-W2XI0ubIOFrZ

Note: the sharing of this link does not imply approval of content on YouTube in general. Please exercise wisdom in what you watch, and be cautious in your surfing.
blessings, Benisse

The Stone Knife

hobbit_of_narnia — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 07:47:44 +0000

In the book, the only weapons it mentions the Witch using during the Battle of Beruna are her wand and the stone knife.
'There were statues dotted all over the battlefield, so apparently the Witch had been using her wand. But she did not seem to be using it now. She was fighting with her stone knife.'
Peter reports that Edmund destroyed the Witch's wand, and also that he was terribly wounded, and we assume that the one happened directly after the other. The movie comes to the interesting conclusion that the Witch stabbed him with the broken end of the wand, but it's quite possible that she used the stone knife instead.
Even though Aslan was killed in Edmund's stead, that didn't mean that Edmund would never suffer hardship again, only that the ultimate price was paid by Aslan. Edmund had been forgiven, but not guaranteed a perfectly safe life as long as he lived.
If Edmund had returned to the White Witch's side again before the battle, he would never have received the wound he did, but he didn't go back. He was, in a way, being persecuted for his faith in Aslan just as many Christians are persecuted for their faith in Jesus. Being a Christian doesn't guarantee a safe life. Jesus himself was persecuted, and so shall we have hardship and opposition, sometimes even in the same forms as those He had.
'Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." '
' "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." '

Dunno if that made any sense. :P I just noticed that last night at like 1 in the morning.

The Question of Emeth

oresen — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 19:20:41 +0000

So the young Calormene who was allowed to make it onto the beach in even though he didn't know (and therefore didn't believe in) Aslan/Jesus... is there a biblical passage supporting that kind of searching-for-an-unknown-Jesus-brings-salvation? wondering if you guys have thoughts on that

Prayers in the Chronicles

Benisse — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 03:48:13 +0000

What examples of prayer have you seen in the Chronicles? (What can we learn from them?)