The Lion, the Witch, and the Theology of C.S. Lewis

2932 Words6 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Analysis the chronicles of narnia the lion the witch and the wardrobe

What child could know while watching The Chronicles of Narnia in theaters they were also getting a bible lesson? These tales unearth the theology of writer C.S. Lewis through the heart-felt emotions of joy and sorrow, terror and triumph in this fantasy world better known as Narnia. This is the work of renowned writer C.S. Lewis. C.S. Lewis is remembered and recognized by more people as a Christian apologist of the early and middle 20th-century because of the way his writing thrives with biblical images which present Christian theological ideas in a friendlier way for younger audiences.

“One can almost hear the start of the adventure and feels compelled to follow in the footsteps of Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, in The Lion, The Witch, And the Wardrobe, siblings who run from the inevitable horrors of the London Blitz”, to the outskirts of the area where they stumble upon a house of an old Professor. An empty room with nothing but an old, dusty wardrobe sparks the curiosity of young Lucy. After the other three children leave, Lucy decides to scope out the inside of the wardrobe. “As Lucy steps inside she finds herself in the middle of a wood[s] in [the] winter in the magical world of Narnia.” (Ford. www.uctv.ucsb.edu) The Chronicles of Narnia are, without a doubt, the most recognized works of the writer C.S. Lewis. Although they are recognized by a lot of people as just simply children’s fantasy novels, a lot of adults, students, and theologians see so much more in these mere childish novels. In the Narnia Chronicles, Lewis wants his audience to envision Jesus Christ himself through the character of Aslan the lion and through the use of the symbolic lion, Lewis is able to tell his tale of certain memorable events in the lifetim...

... middle of paper ...

...in the Biblical Scripture quotes contained throughout my essay. Books of the Bible that were referenced or quoted include: Genesis, Job, Romans, Gospel of Luke, Proverbs, Hosea, and Revelation.

"Notes on Essays and Books of C. S. Lewis." C.S. Lewis. Ed. Paul F. Ford. St. John Seminary, 2006. Web. 9 Dec. 2010. . This website is composed of many files in .pdf format which better discuss specific details of C.S. Lewis' life, works, and theological beliefs.

"Why Bother with C.S. Lewis?, Spiritual Life, Christian Living, Page 0." Jesus Christ, Bible Study Tools, Online Christian Living Resources. Web. 10 Dec. 2010. . I used this article to better formulate an understanding of C.S. Lewis' works and how they relate to theology. This is an online forum article.

Show More
Related

  • The Contradiction between Beliefs and Actions in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

    2137 Words  | 5 Pages

    · Lewis, CS. Mere Christianity. New York: Doubleday, 1982. · McBride, David. The Story of the Church.

    Read More

  • The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S Lewis

    1294 Words  | 3 Pages

    C.S Lewis is the author of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Warrdrobe. Lewis was born on November 29, 1898, in Belfast, Ireland. He was born Clive Staples Lewis to Flora August Hamilton Lewis and Albert J. Lewis. Lewis’s mother passed away when he was on ten years old. After his mother died he went on to get his pre-college education at boarding schools and he also received help from a tutor. Lewis served in World War I with the English Army, but unfortunately was sent home when he was wounded. Lewis was a graduate of Oxford University with a focus on classic philosophy and literature. As a child, he was disappointed with the Christian faith, but when he became older he found himself embracing Christianity. During World War II, he gave popular radio broadcasts on Christianity and they won many converts. Lewis’ speeches were collected in Mere Christianity. In the year of 1954, C.S. Lewis joined the staff of Cambridge University as a literature professor. He met an English teacher by the name of Joy Gresham and in 1956 they married each other and became a happily married family. The two were joyful during their marriage; unfortunately in 1960, the wife became ill with cancer died. Lewis began publishing his works in the mid- 1920s. Lewis started to publish The Chronicles of Narnia during the 1950s. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was the first in the seven book series to be released. This was the story of four siblings who discovered a wardrobe with a magical land in the back of it (“Clives…”). In The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Lewis describes Aslan, Edmund, and Lucy.

    Read More

  • Meals On Wheels

    2103 Words  | 5 Pages

    Nichols, John. The. The Very Fundamentals of Christian Faith. Core 9 Lecture - "The. Shen Auditorium, Rensselaer, Germany.

    Read More

  • Mere Christianity Analysis

    902 Words  | 2 Pages

    In C.S Lewis’s Mere Christianity, Lewis provides his thoughts and beliefs on the subject of Christianity by setting up a logical breakdown of why Christians and humans in general behave the way they do. The first book Right And Wrong As A Clue To The Meaning Of The Universe has a lot to be discussed with in it. It describes the simple law of human nature and the concept of right and wrong.

    Read More

  • C. S. Lewis Mere Christianity

    288 Words  | 1 Pages

    Mere Christianity is a book written by C. S. Lewis. It was originally written and published between 1942 and 1944 in three separate parts as a series of wartime broadcasts on Christian faith. This series was to be aired for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Later, these speeches were gathered into a book that is known today as Mere Christianity and was published in 1952 by HarperCollins Publishers, New York, NY, 10007.

    Read More

  • Protest Atheism: The Myth that Denies God's Existence Due to Evil

    1850 Words  | 4 Pages

    "EXPLORING THEOLOGY 1 & 2." EXPLORING THEOLOGY 1 2. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 May 2014.

    Read More

  • Mere Christianity and The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

    984 Words  | 2 Pages

    After his conversion, C.S. Lewis' writings became less modernistic. Many of his most famous writings, such as Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and The Chronicles of Narnia series contain his Christian worldview (Stewart 1), which was completely opposite of the mode...

    Read More

  • Christian Truths in the Screwtape Lettters by C.S. Lewis

    913 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...e, is the end; Despite all the odds Lewis highlighted important truths of Christian faith through the story of a demon who is not good at being a demon. Wormwood’s helper shows us those truths in thirty-one irrational letters. A message of light brought forth through darkness.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Mere Christianity By C. S. Lewis

    1483 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it” (Lewis, “Mere Christianity”). C.S. Lewis, a renowned broadcaster, essayist, lecturer, novelist, theologian, and Christian apologist, used his writing to create a significant effect on the Christian movement. During his lifetime, Lewis went through an amazing transformation from an avid Atheist to a strong Christian, and dedicated his career to sharing the truths of Christianity in his writing. Lewis utilized Christian apologetics to explain and defend his views of Christianity, and made the idea of Christianity more accessible to

    Read More

  • The Beliefs that Effect Christianity

    1212 Words  | 3 Pages

    Rourke, Nancy. “Christianity Notes.” Religion 101 Notes Christianity. Entry posted April 14, 2011. https ://angel.canisius.edu/section/default.asp?id=43760%5FSpring2011 (accessed April 18, 2011).

    Read More

  • Analysis Essay On C.S. Lewis's Narnia

    1589 Words  | 4 Pages

    C.S. Lewis uses a secondary world, Narnia, to convey complex, thought-provoking messages to readers of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. This paper examines the way a selection of Narnia's key characteristics prompt debates over logic and faith, comment on the nature of spiritual and metaphysical journeys, allow readers to broaden their conception of their own capabilities, encourage new reflection on the story of Christ and help to clarify conceptions of good and evil.

    Read More

  • Play: Freud's Last Session

    1099 Words  | 3 Pages

    C.S. Lewis was the 20th century’s most popular proponent of faith based on reason. As a child, he created an imaginary world where personified animals came to life, and later, he wrote the book, Chronicles of Narnia. How did he transform from a boy fascinated with anthropomorphic animals into a man of immense faith? His transformation to the Christian religion happened as his fame began to flourish. People wrote him, asking him about his claims about the truth of Christianity (Belmonte, Kevin). As I attended the drama of Freud’s Last Session, I was engrossed into the plot of the play and was constantly thinking about how it pertained to the objectives of the World Literature class. I not only connected the content of the play to its context, but I also reached out to apply the context to a discussion on a broader scale. I then discovered why the context of literature is imperative for true understanding of the w...

    Read More

  • Symbolism In The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe

    635 Words  | 2 Pages

    C.S. Lewis created a story of a fictional world called Narnia that was inside of a wardrobe. There were four siblings who found this world, once inside they saw numerous creatures like witches and centaurs that were symbols for something bigger. C. S. Lewis uses Christian symbolism in The Lion Witch and the Wardrobe through the characters of Aslan, Edmund, and the White Witch.

    Read More

  • The Nature and Authority of Scripture

    1337 Words  | 3 Pages

    Kerr, H. (1990). Readings in christian thought (2nd ed.). H. T. Kerr (Ed.). Nashville: Abingdon Press.

    Read More

  • An Analysis of the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

    1088 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Narnia Chronicles have already established themselves as timeless works of literature. They appeal to both the atheists and the God-fearing, to both the uneducated and to scholars; to children and adults. An understanding of the Biblical allegory in these books is not essential to their appreciation. A critical analysis of these works, however, does allow the reader to more fully appreciate Lewis' unique gift to simplify complex narratives and craft beautiful children's fantasies. This, in turn, allows the reader to gain both a deeper understanding of Lewis as a skilled creative writer, and a deeper satisfaction of his art. To be able to appreciate C.S. Lewis as such an artisan can only add to one's enjoyment of his works.

    Read More

More about The Lion, the Witch, and the Theology of C.S. Lewis

Open Document