Narnia
Narnia
Narnia
NARNIA
CONTENTS THE STORY BEHIND
Narnia:The Fantasy
THE STORIES
World Of C. S. Lewis . . . 2
T
he writings of C. S. Lewis
The Man Behind have been translated into
The Stories. . . . . . . . . . . 3 over 30 languages. His
Spiritual Truth books continue to sell more
Clothed In Symbol . . . . . 5 than a million copies a year. The
Parallels Between Chronicles Of Narnia alone have
Aslan And Christ. . . . . . . 7 sold over 100 million copies.
Spiritual Parallels In The So what is it about the
Chronicles Of Narnia . . . 11 celebrated imagination of this
The Magician’s controversial and widely loved
Nephew . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 former atheist and Oxford
The Lion,The Witch, professor of English that has
And The Wardrobe . . . . 15 inspired spirituality and
The Horse intrigued both children and
And His Boy . . . . . . . . . 17 adults for decades?
Prince Caspian . . . . . . . 20 In the following pages, RBC
The Voyage Of Research Editor Dennis Fisher
The Dawn Treader . . . . 22 provides summaries and
The Silver Chair . . . . . . 25 explanations for the Chronicles
that we hope will introduce
The Last Battle. . . . . . . 28
many not only to the world of
An Ongoing Story . . . . 31 Narnia but, more important, to
the story behind the stories.
Martin R. De Haan II
Managing Editor: David Sper Cover Photo:Terry Bidgood
Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas
Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.All rights reserved.
© 2007 RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan Printed in USA
Q1121 Narnia pp 5/24/07 3:26 PM Page 2
I
maginary lands of they reflect the common
white knights, maidens themes of the world we live
in distress, and fire- in? Or do they also resonate
breathing dragons may with the spiritual reality of
sound like a child’s world a world beyond our five
of fairy tales and bedtime senses?
stories. But today, the
wonder of fantasy is
capturing the imagination There’s something
of adults as well. in the human
The last episode of
The Lord Of The Rings film
psyche that
trilogy earned 11 Oscars responds to a
and was the second highest world of fantasy
grossing movie of all time.
The Star Wars movies
marked by quest,
have generated billions of struggle, defeat,
dollars by using stunning and victory.
cinemagraphic effects to tell
an ancient story that took
place “long ago, in a galaxy Oxford scholar
far, far away.” C. S. Lewis found echoes
The popularity of these of a spiritual world in
films indicates that there’s ancient stories that
something in the human changed his life forever.
psyche that responds to a After forsaking atheism to
world of fantasy marked become a follower of Christ,
2
© 2007 RBC MINISTRIES
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O
bserving how humbled in the hope of
characters respond an enduring change of
to Aslan, the Christ heart. Though he is
symbol, is the key to finding wild—that is, all-
the story behind the stories powerful and free—he
of Narnia. These relational delights to be at the
insights are rooted in the center of the dance
dominant role of Aslan in of those whom he has
the Chronicles. Narnia made; he welcomes the
scholar Paul F. Ford help of others, both
observes: beast and human, to
The beholding of accomplish his plans;
[Aslan’s] beautiful and he is the very often
face sustains one all unnoticed storyteller
one’s days, and the behind every person’s
recognition of that face story, guarding the
with love and awe at the privacy of each, keeping
end of time opens out faith with all (p.55,
onto an eternity of joy. Companion To Narnia).
To be addressed by Bound together by this
him as “dear heart” overarching theme, The
11
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T
he story behind yielded heart into greater
The Chronicles Of obedience.
Narnia is a love Finally, the anticipation
story. By watching Aslan, of a new Narnia helps us
we are reminded of the recapture the anticipation
heart of the One who of being with the Lord Jesus
died for us and rose in a new world where new
bodily from the dead to adventures await us.
be declared as the King That’s the message of
and Savior of all who The Chronicles Of Narnia,
will trust Him. The Bible and that is why they will
proclaims that the Lord endure in challenging the
Jesus Christ is our Creator, mind and stirring the hearts
King, Savior, and Friend. of children and adults alike.
The Chronicles help At the end of the last
us appreciate with a fresh book we hear the great
understanding the real story lion say:
behind the stories. For “The [school] term is
31
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