Expressions of the Christian Faith in Narnia -- Part 3

In this, the long delayed third installment of my series on Expressions of the Christian Faith in Narnia, I’ll be discussing the third book in C.S. Lewis’s Narnia trilogy entitled, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. For Background, you can see the previous entries in this series: Introduction, Part One, Part Two.

The adventures of this third book take place after those of Prince Caspian. In this story, we once again see Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, but we also meet their cousin – the spoiled brat Eustace Scrubb. As this story begins, Edmund and Lucy are visiting with their aunt and uncle – Eustace’s parents, when suddenly they are sucked into the world of Narnia. Immediately, the children find themselves in the ocean, only to be rescued by the nearby Narnian vessel, The Dawn Treader. Aboard the vessel they meet none other than King Caspian X, their friend from their previous visit to Narnia.

The children soon discover that Caspian is on a voyage to explore the sea and search out seven lost Nobles who had been loyal to his father. The Dawn Treader is the first of Narnia’s sailing vessels since the time when the Pevensies had ruled Narnia centuries before. Along the journey, the friends encounter many islands, reclaiming some and discovering others.

There are a few themes which Lewis discusses in the book, but perhaps one of the most central themes is that of sin and redemption. Eustace learns a valuable lesson and is changed, from a spoiled, bullying, rotten, greedy person, into a truly good and decent human being.

One of the first places that the Narnians visit are the Lone Islands, which are the rightful domain of the King of Narnia. It is here that Caspian and the others encounter one the first of the lost Nobles. It is also here that he saves them from slavers who have infested the islands. The lord tells Caspian that the governor of the islands will probably not be happy to see the king, so they devise a plan whereby Caspian and the others land on the main island where they parade through the city up to the governor’s palace. Here, a time of reckoning takes place for the governor and his men.

When Caspian meets the governor, Gumpas, it is clear that the man has forgotten that it is he who serves the King. He has become pompus and enthralled by his own power. When Gumpas protests at the King’s reminders of unpaid tribute and refuses to take responsibility for the abolition of slavery in the Islands, Caspian deposes him, replacing him with the loyal Lord Bern, whom he makes Duke of the Lone Islands.

This episode is a picture of the reckoning which will take place at the end of the age. The Bible tells that the rightful King of all creation will return, and this time He will not permit Himself to be refused. Instead He shall judge each of us. We all will be called to give an account of what we have done on that day of reckoning.

As the Dawn Treader makes its way eastward over the sea, the crew encounters a number of islands. The events occurring on the ship are told both by the narrator, and occasionally from the selfish perspective of Eustace via his diary. One of the islands that the crew encounters serves as a location for repairs and resupplying the ship. As the crew is hard at work on this seemingly uninhabited island, Eustace steals away to avoid the work. He becomes lost and encounters an old dragon just as it breathes its final breaths. He discovers its cave and falls asleep amidst the pile of loot. However, upon waking, Eustice soon discovers that he himself has become a dragon! Finally, he must reveal himself to his friends. He cannot speak, but communicates his true identity to them by writing on the sand of the beach.

For many days Eustace lives as a dragon. He is miserable and outcast from the group. He finds ways to make himself useful, but he behaves, according to his dragonish nature, in ways that disgust even himself. Eustace longs to be a boy again, but through this time he recognizes how badly he had treated everyone around him, and that they merely had his best interests at heart.

One night Eustace meets Aslan, who invites him to a small pool in a distant clearing. Aslan tells Eustace to disrobe and bathe. Eustace tries in futility to remove the dragonish scales, discovering layer upon layer of them covering his body. Finally, he submits to Aslan, who removes the scales and washes him, making him a boy again. Only this time, Eustace is a new person. He has been reborn, changed forever by Aslan.

I find this part of the story to be particularly moving. I did not always, but more and more I see that I am Eustace. I see how "dragonish" I can be, but God cuts through all of that in a unique way. When we allow Him to, He can clean us and change us. And like Eustace, once we've encountered God, we are changed for the best.

The company encounters a number of other islands. One of these they name "Deathwater Island," for it is here that they discover a pool which has the power to turn anything its water touches to gold. As they confront their own greed, they discern the golden figure of a swimmer at the bottom of the pool. Here, they realize they have found another of the lost nobles. They also learn a valuable lesson of the destructive nature of greed.

On another of the islands, the crew of the Dawn Treader encounters a race of invisible people who claim to be under the spell of the magician who rules the island. As the friends so find out, the magician is not evil, rather he has the best interests of the other inhabitants at heart, only they are too simpleminded and stubborn to realize this. Still as a loving master, he cares for them in after a paternal fashion. On this island the children, especially Lucy, learn quite a bit. However, one of the most significant things here is the relationship of the magician with the simple servants. While he, somewhat symbolic of God, cares for them and wants what is best for them, they are dissatisfied and rebel against him -- to their own detriment. While they are humorous and obviously quite stupid, sometimes we can identify with them.

The next island the crew encounters is a dark island, where they take a lone stranger aboard. He is quite insistent that they must not go ashore, for this is an island where nightmares become real. As they turn and row with all their might away from the island, they learn that this is yet another of the lost nobles of Narnia.

The final island on their journey is where they find the final three nobles; having discovered the first on the lone islands, the second as the dying dragon, the third turned to gold, and the fourth rescued from the dark island. When they encounter the final three, the men are seated at a magic table, deep in an enchanted sleep. The master of the Island is Ramandu, who had once been a star, but then grew old and descended to this island. Each day he and his beautiful daughter sing as the sun rises and a flock of birds come from the sun bearing a fire-berry which they give to Ramandu and he grows younger until one day he will be a baby and once again return to the sky as a star. Each evening on this island a magical banquet appears upon the table-- Aslan's table. Upon the table lies a stone knife, which they learn to be the same knife with which the White Witch killed Aslan. It has been brought here to be "kept in honour while the world lasts."

The friends learn that the three nobles sleep because they had taken up the knife against one another in a disagreement many years ago. In order to rescue the sleepers from their sleep, the crew must continue east to the end of the world, and leave one of their own, then return.

Caspian falls in love with the daughter of Ramandu, and promises to return for her. The Dawn Treader continues to the edge of the world, encountering mer-people, beautiful flowers floating on the sea's surface, and discovering that the water at the end of the world is a kind of "living water," which they drink and are sustained.

At long last they come to the end of the world. Here it is Reepicheep the mouse who volunteers for the adventure of traveling past the end of the world, to "Aslan's country." He and the children part ways with the crew, and go their separate ways. The children find that they are able to walk, for the water is shallow here, to a strange place where they encounter a lamb, who offers them a breakfast of fish (cf. John 21) and then turns into a lion -- Aslan. He reveals that He is known by another name in our world (i.e., God) and that Edmund and Lucy will not return to Narnia. After this, He sends the children home.

Especially toward the end of the book, Lewis's symbolism of God and Aslan are more and more clear. The lion who is also a lamb is a clear reference back to the God of the Bible, who Himself is portrayed as both. It is here that Lewis, via Aslan, reveals at least part of his purpose with the books. Aslan says, "I am [there]. But there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there." Indeed, Lewis sums up the purpose of his books, namely, that readers might learn about God by learning about Aslan and Narnia.

Expressions of the Christian Faith in Narnia – Part 2

After a hiatus due to school work and life in general, now I continue my series on the Christian themes in C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia.

In Part One of the series, I outlined the story of book one, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and I attempted to highlight some of the spiritual themes of the first book in the Narnia series. This week I’ll look at book two – Prince Caspian. It seems especially timely that I should be discussing this series as the buzz is growing about another children’s series entitled His Dark Materials. The movie version of the first book in that series, The Golden Compass has gotten a lot of discussion of late.

Of the other, atheistic, series I have little to say now. However, Kevin Bussey has a brief discussion of the topic here. I will say, however, that I find it interesting that Nicole Kidman, herself a catholic, would be involved with this movie, but then what do I know about movies and moviemakers? Having said my piece, let us move on to Prince Caspian.

In this, the second Narnia book, the Pevensie children return to the magical land of Narnia to find that hundreds of years have passed, while only a few months have gone by in our world. Their beloved land has been taken over by the Telmarines, who have sought to remove every vestige of magic from the land. They fear the talking animals and magical creatures, and so they have driven them into hiding.

Among these Telmarines is a young man named Caspian whose uncle, Miraz, the king has raised him. The boy, Caspian, grows up under the tutelage of a Doctor Cornelius, who, unbeknownst to the king, is part dwarf. He reveals to Caspian the truth about Narnia, and that it is a magical land, and was once inhabited by the magical creatures. Caspian has a fascination with the “old Narnia” and longs to learn more of the old days. As he learns more, he also finds that Miraz is a usurper. His father, King Caspian IX, was the ruler before his death, and since that time Miraz had proclaimed himself king. This becomes crucial to Caspian when he learns that his aunt, the Queen has given birth to a son – and so he must flee into exile in order to save his own life.

As Caspian enters the mountains, he encounters the remnants of the “old Narnians” – the talking beasts and magical creatures. They recognize him as the true king and form a resistance.

Meanwhile the Pevensie children return to Narnia and encounter one of the old Narnians, who tells them of Caspian. They set out on their way to meet up with Caspian and his army, with many trials along the way. It is this part of the story which deals with the matter of faith. As they journey to meet Caspian, they lose their way. Lucy, however sees Aslan, while the other children cannot. She reveals that He wants them to follow Him. As the others believe her, putting their faith in Aslan, they are able to see Him too. Thus, in the story we recognize a critical spiritual truth that, believing is seeing.

Meanwhile, Caspian and his advisors must decide if they will trust in Aslan to send them aid in their cause, or whether they will turn to dark magic. Thankfully, they make the right decision, just as the Pevensies arrive. Perhaps the biggest of the issues that faces the characters in this book is the struggle of faith. The Telmarines generally have made a decision not to believe in Aslan or in “Old Narnia,” as a result they live their lives in a decidedly un-magical fashion. However, so many of the “old Narnians” themselves have lost faith in Aslan. He has not been seen in Narnia for many years, and so some have decided not to believe in Him.

The action comes to a climax in a single-combat match where Miraz faces off against Peter. The scene is somewhat reminiscent of a David and Goliath type conflict, pitting a man, Miraz, against a boy, Peter. In the end, Peter defeats Miraz, but it is the Userper’s own treacherous lieutenants who kill him. A battle ensues and the Narnians, let by Caspian, Peter, and Edmund are soon joined by a second Narnian army, reawakened and led by Aslan himself. The Telmarines are defeated and Caspian is recognized as the rightful ruler of Narnia.

As a result of the battle, Narnia is reclaimed by the magical creatures who had inhabited it. Curiously, Lewis introduces a number of pagan mythological figures, namely Baccus and Dionysus. (In this we can be certain that he is no Baptist). However, each of the gods introduced recognizes Aslan as superior. I believe that this is one of several cases where Lewis chooses to use fantastic or mythological elements to advance or enhance his story, but where they serve no real theological purpose.

At the outset I tried to make it clear that these books are not theology books, nor are they to be taken for gospel. They are stories, but they do have a number of elements, as I am trying to show, which are Christian in nature and give the books themselves a Christian bent.

As the story draws to a close, Aslan questions Caspian, much as God comes to Solomon in 1 Kings 3. Aslan asks Caspian if he feels worthy to be king, to which Caspian replies that he is only a boy. Aslan blesses him, acknowledging that his humility is a great virtue and giving him the promise (as God gave to David) that his children would always sit on the throne of Narnia.

Finally, Aslan shows mercy. He shows mercy to the mouse, Reepicheep, by restoring his tail (a mouse’s glory), which had been cut off in the battle. In addition Aslan reveals that the Telmarines were originally from our world. They had entered into Narnia from a magic cave on an island which their ancestors (pirates) had discovered. Aslan provides an opportunity for those who wish to return to that island. And he sends the children back to England.

Expressions of the Christian Faith in Narnia - Part One

Today I’m continuing a series I announced last week. The series is entitled “Expressions of the Christian Faith in Narnia.” Last week I discussed some of the difficulties with such a series, but I hope to bring out some meaningful insights in this and future articles.

In this first installment I’m looking at book one (although the books have been re-ordered in recent versions of the series, this was still the first book): The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

In this book we encounter the four Pevensie children, who are sent to live in the British countryside during the “Battle of Britain” to avoid the Blitz. The children--Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy – move into the home of old Professor Digory Kirke (perhaps a representation of Lewis himself, or one of his own mentors).

While living with the Professor, they encounter a magic wardrobe, through which they gain entrance into the magical land of Narnia. Now, if you’re reading I am going to assume that you’ve read the books, and will feel free to give away some key plot points. When they enter Narnia they learn that the land is being ruled by the cruel, usurping White Witch, who has caused the land of Narnia to exist in perpetual winter (but never Christmas). This White Witch, in most respects represents Satan, whom the Bible refers to as “the prince of this world” (and other similar titles). The true King of Narnia is Aslan, the son of the Emperor beyond the Sea (recognize him as representative of Jesus, who is the Son of God). Aslan has not been in Narnia for many years, though the residents of His lands expect his return and wait with great anticipation (much like the Jews look for the return of the Messiah). There also exists a prophesy that foretells the coming of two sons of Adam, and two Daughters of Eve, who will come to claim the throne of Narnia.

Once they enter Narnia, however, the children realize that their brother, Edmund, has (like Judas) betrayed his brother and sisters to the White Witch. He has done this because the Witch gives him Turkish Delight and offered him the promise of ruling over Narnia at her side. This series of events can be all too familiar for some. While we may not be giving up our right to a throne, or delivering our own flesh and blood to an evil witch, perhaps we have passed up some good things, or exchanged God’s blessings for temporal pleasures. Of course, we know – and Edmund soon finds out—that the Witch has no intention of making good on her promise.

The children are saved, however, by the return of Aslan. At His return, the winter begins to melt away (but not before Father Christmas comes). Aslan’s reappearance forces a confrontation with the Witch. Recognizing (with fear) Aslan’s power, the Witch plays her trump card. She informs Aslan that according to the laws of Narnia, she has rights to the blood of traitors (i.e. Edmund). Aslan recognizes this and purchases Edmund’s freedom by offering Himself in exchange. As Christians we recognize that we were like Edmund – sinners, and were guilty before God. However, God chose to send His only Son—Jesus to die in our place in order to pay the penalty.

That night, Aslan, accompanied by Susan and Lucy, has His own Gethsemane experience. Afterward He proceeds to meet the Witch as the pre-assigned location – the Stone Table. Then, as Susan and Lucy look on from their hiding place, the Witch and her henchmen bind Aslan, shave His mane, and mock him. At this the girls recognize that Aslan, had He so chosen, could have stopped them, but He does not. Finally, the Witch takes her dagger and kills Aslan.

The Witch rejoices at her victory and rallies her army for the final showdown with Aslan’s army, now under the leadership of Peter. Yet, as the dawn comes, the girls (mourning Aslan’s death) recognize that He is not on the table, but has Risen from the Dead! This, of course is a direct parallel to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ). Aslan then frees the captives of the Witch and returns to lead His forces to victory, and kills the Witch.

Afterwards Aslan sets the four children upon the thrones at Cair Paravel, from which they reign in peace over Narnia for many years. Then one day they happen upon the place from which they entered Narnia and all tumble out of the wardrobe to realize that in our world, no time has passed at all.

This story, while much of it is simply a fantastic children’s story, contains great themes of redemption, good versus evil, and tells the story of Christ’s mission to redeem us, His people. We are all Edmund. All of us have done something that makes us guilty before God, and as a result we must pay the price (death – viz, Romans 6:23). However Jesus, like Aslan in the story, came and offered Himself as a sacrifice on our behalf. Neither death nor Satan defeated Him, rather He defeated them, just as Aslan defeats the Witch in the story. The children recognize, just as you and I should, that Aslan (in our case God) rewards those who are His and blesses them. You and I, if we accept Christ’s sacrifice, and give ourselves to Him, will receive blessings in Eternity as we spend it with Him in Heaven.