(12/8/2005)

Christianity in Disney's Chronicles of Narnia Movie

Is C.S. Lewis adaptation an opportunity for Christians, or just using Christians?

BY BOB ELLIS

DAKOTA VOICE

The C.S. Lewis classic "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" is coming to theaters December 9 in a release that is being compared to Lord of the Rings a few years ago.

The movie, rated PG due to a few scenes which may be frightening for very small children, is based on a fantasy series, said to have sold over 100 million copies, written by Christian theologian C.S. Lewis in the late 1940s and 1950s. Walt Disney Pictures has produced the $150 million film with top-notch special effects, and it’s being compared to the Lord of the Rings movies not only because both authors were Christians and were actually friends, but also because the Narnia film is said to be of the same quality and appeal as J.R.R. Tolkien's Rings. Also, like Rings, it has great appeal for adults and children alike.

The story features the adventures of four children in World War II London who discover a wardrobe that transports them to a mystical, magical world. There, they find themselves caught up in the conflict between the great and benevolent lion Aslan and the evil White Witch. The land, under the curse of an eternal winter, is inhabited by talking wolves, dwarfs, centaurs and other creatures. The children join Aslan in the fight to free Narnia from the snowy spell of the White Witch.

The Narnia chronicles are said to contain Christian allegory such as the lion Aslan as Jesus Christ, the White Witch as Satan, and a number of others. However, Lewis didn't intend for this to be a strict parallel:

"I did not say to myself ‘Let us represent Jesus as He really is in our world by a Lion in Narnia’; I said, ‘Let us suppose that there were a land like Narnia and that the Son of God, as he became a Man in our world, became a Lion there, and then imagine what would happen.'"

Commercial ventures from the movie are already under way. A line of jewelry produced by Bob Siemon Designs is already marketing 16 different items ranging from about $5.00 to $68. Disney-MGM Studios has announced a spectacular attraction at the studio to open the same day as the theatrical release of the film. Guests will enter the frozen world of Narnia through a giant wardrobe and be surrounded by a wintry landscape, enormous trees, and a replica of the lamppost as seen in the movie. In the distance, they will see the house of Mr. Tumnus, one of the central characters, beneath a rock bluff outcropping and the White Witch's Castle. All in all, guests will feel as though they have entered the magical world of C.S. Lewis' story. Guests will exit through a gallery that showcases elaborate creatures, costumes, armor, storyboards, props and set pieces used in the making of the film.

The film is being heavily marketed to churches, somewhat reminiscent of "The Passion of the Christ." A number of church and organizations around the country, including the Mission America Coalition, are sponsoring "Narnia Sneak Peek" events which offer church leaders a "sneak peek" at key clips from the movie, and advice on outreach opportunities. Focus on the Family also hosted a sneak peek for about 700 people on Nov. 17 at their ministry headquarters in Colorado Springs. The Barna Group, known for its surveys of Christians and Christian living, is offering a film screening one day prior to the official release date of the movie.

Many Christians see the Chronicles of Narnia movie as an opportunity to reach out to unbelievers with the truth of the Gospel through a powerful theatrical illustration. Some Christians also see this as an opportunity to send a message to Hollywood that clean, positive movies will sell—and sell big. They want the moviemaking establishment to realize that, like the Passion of the Christ, stories of faith can have broad appeal and reap healthy monetary rewards.

However, some caution churches not to be too quick to unconditionally endorse the film. According to an article by Rhoda Tse in the Christian Post, Abram Brook, the editorial writer for Leadership Magazine, is questioning whether the church is being used by the film industry. According to the story, Brook said, "There is a ponderable difference between supporting a movie about the Crucifixion that had input from a broad range of Christian scholars, and endorsing a film that will be seen by some as Christian allegory, or, eventually, nice movies that have vague Judeo-Christian underpinnings."

While Christians need to be cautious about allying themselves too closely with any message other than that of the Bible, the release of the Narnia movie seems to be a good opportunity to make a statement for those Christians who believe in engaging the culture, rather than retreating from it.