Life As A Narnian

Joe Rigney, of the Desiring God blog, recently posted a series of comments on fairy tales and how we can grow spiritually from our exposure to C.S. Lewis' "The Chronicles of Narnia."

He begins with a note about Learning to Breathe Narnian Air. Lewis is best known for his work in the Chronicles, but somewhere along the way the deeper spiritual truths evident in his work have been lost and these wonderful books have become stories for children. While accessible to children, they are far from exclusively for children. In fact, Lewis is well-known for challenging the assumption the modern idea that the term "fairy tale" is synonymous with "nursery rhyme" or a child's storybook.

Taking this one step further, next is Are Fairy Tales Just for Children? which looks at Lewis' love for fairy tales as a means to create an image that one enjoys more with age, rather than less (like one would with a children's book). The books are loaded with real truth, deeply woven into a beautiful story that captures the attention and brings excitement (as good fantasy should).

Three Objections to Fairy Tales takes fairy tales to a new level by quoting Lewis on the subject and addressing concerns about escapism and false views of the world.

The most recent post goes back to the heart of the topic, namely seeing Narnia as a place to explore theology and experience God more deeply (Narnia Helps Us Live Better Here). The Chronicles are not allegories. Aslan wasn't slain as a substitute for Edmund in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" to parallel Christ's death in our world. This was a completely different world, and that's how Christ manifested in that world. It's not an allegory, but instead supposes God's role in another world that exists alongside our own, not as a reflection of ours.

This is exciting stuff. I look forward to digging back into these stories soon on my own and then again with our little one whenever he/she arrives!