Tim Drake on The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe for Catholic Exchange

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The highlights?

Will It Be Faithful?

The question everyone wants answered is whether the movie retains the Christian elements found in the book.

“Is this faithful to the book in its story and imagery?” asked Quam. “Absolutely,” he responded. “The Christian story is in the movie. People will discover the truth from this film, but they will need help.”

In an effort to help audiences understand the imagery and metaphors, Vista, California-based Outreach Inc., has created devotional guides and booklets, free sermons, promotional materials, a collection of C.S. Lewis experts, and a list of 18 ideas to help churches use the film for Christian outreach. [CE readers will be interested in similar materials provided from a Catholic perspective
here.]

One of the promotional postcard designs shows the book’s character Lucy Pevensie standing alongside the lit lamppost in Narnia’s endless winter. Along the top, the postcard asks, “What if there were no Christmas?”

Catholic Evangelization Initiatives

Catholics hope to use the film as a springboard as well.

Randy Mueller, faith formation director at Nativity parish in St. Paul, and youth minister Robert Fischer attended the screening.

“We hope to promote it in the parish, but we don’t yet know how,” said Mueller. “I’m hoping to work with the archdiocesan evangelization initiative to reach those who have left the Church and those who have never been churched.”

Among Mueller’s ideas are buying bulk tickets for screenings for families, and a showing for teens, followed by a Narnia party. [Click on this link to find out how to be a
parish promoter.]

Hoping to reproduce the success of their Passion of the Christ book, which sold more than a million copies, Ascension Press is releasing A Guide to Narnia: 100 Questions About the Chronicles of Narnia just in time for the release of the film.

“This has been a curious relationship between Disney and the Christian community,” said Quam. “Disney wants the church to promote their movie, but they don’t want it coming out that they are producing a Christian movie.”

Key proponents of the film — Michael Flaherty, president of Walden Media, director Andrew Adamson, and even Lewis’s stepson — have sought to reassure potential moviegoers that the film is faithful to the story.

“People told us that The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was the No. 1 children’s book,” said Flaherty. “But they also told us, ‘You must be faithful to this book.’”

“We made the commitment that Lewis’s values are intact in the film,” added Adamson, whose previous box office credits include Shrek and Shrek 2.

Excellent. I had hoped that Disney would not allow the insidious tentacles of political correctness to strangle this project. Looks like the company has allowed Lewis to be Lewis.

Why is C.S. Lewis and his first Chronicles of Narnia story so important at this time of the year? Simple: His story can help our consumerist culture remember why Christmas is Christmas. While Aslan remains an imperfect Christ-figure, he's still a potent one. Mr. Lewis wisely demonstrates the Love and Forgiveness that our heavenly Father offers us in his Son. During time of the year where Reasonable Christmas brick-batters once again attempt to secularize the nation, we need a brilliant work of pop-culture art to remind us just who makes Christmas the celebration it is.

Do we forgive those that tresspass against us? Or do we demand contrition and stomp our feet for justice? Are we reaching for our charity or our legal team? Can we accept that Mercy encompasses justice, or do we demand the right to clothe our vengeance in justice? We already know the decision our Savior demands that we make. Will we listen?

Christ stands in our midst, patiently awaiting us to response to his call. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe may provide the medium that allow more people to answer him. I can't wait to see it!