Right now there is a lot of talk about the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, especially with the release of movie "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe". These books are allegories of Christianity. Do these works have any place in a Christians home? How is an allegory different from a parable? Are modern day parables, made up by man, appropriate to get across the Gospel? Is there ever a place for works of fiction in making a point?

Redfog

Ellen on allegories;

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Success in the winning of souls does not depend upon age or circumstances, but upon the love one has for others. Consider John Bunyan imprisoned in the Bedford jail. His enemies think they have placed him where his work for others must cease. But not so. He is not idle. The love for souls continues to burn within him, and from the loath-some dungeon there is sent forth a light that has shone to all parts of the civilized world. There he wrote his wonderful allegory of the pilgrim's journey from the land of destruction to the celestial city. This book, "The Pilgrim's Progress," portrays the Christian life so accurately, and presents the love of Christ so attractively, that through its instrumentality hundreds and thousands have been converted. {RH, May 30, 1912 par. 11}

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Sister White recommended in one of her books that people read "Pilgrim's Progress", which kind of surprised me at first. I saw the movie Narnia this week, realizing it's a Christian allegory where the lion represents Christ and the witch represents Satan and his ravages on earth. In the movie, there is a bad, traitorous brother, Edmund, who is deceived by the evil ruler of Narnia. But Aslan the lion agrees to give up his life on an altar to save the boy. Aslan is resurrected eventually and Edmund changes. When I got home i lay down on the couch to reflect on this, and began a reverie of my own youth, realizing for the first time how trying I was to my family. I was defiant and sarcastic, and blamed my relatives for a lot of trouble of my own making. Seeing the majesty, power, and love of Aslan as Christ made Christ more real to me in this mmoment. Of course, I don't see a lion, but Christ as human. I confessed in tears. I then felt forgiven and a great load taken off from many years past. So, if that is what Narnia inspires people to do, it would seem there is something positive about it. I certainly didn't get anything like that from "Harry Potter" or "Lord-of-the-Rings"

To be fair, The Chronicles of Narnia are not Christian Allegories. Lewis said,

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Some people seem to think that I began by asking myself how I could say something about Christianity to children; then fixed on the fairy tale as an instrument; then collected information about child-psychology and decided what age group I'd write for; then drew up a list of basic Christian truths and hammered out 'allegories' to embody them. This is all pure moonshine. I couldn't write in that way at all. Everything began with images; a faun carrying an umbrella, a queen on a sledge, a magnificent lion. At first there wasn’t anything Christian about them; that element pushed itself in of its own accord. It was part of the bubbling.
Of Other Worlds, 1966

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The bubbling that Lewis was referring to is a statement he made earlier about Christianity; he asserted that Christianity was like air under water. No matter how much water is on top, Christianity will come to the top.

[ December 13, 2005, 12:45 AM: Message edited by: Dave Hoover ]

Personally I find these stories quite good, and they also have a good lesson with them. I was quite amazed when I read the book called "C. S. Lewis: Letters to Children." Lots of children understood what was behind these stories, and lots of children say they have come closer to Jesus because of them. One that was extra interesting was a parent that wrote Lewis because she was afraid her son would love Aslan more than Jesus. Lewis wrote back,

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Laurence can't really love Aslan more than Jesus, even if he feels that's what he is doing. For the things he loves Aslan for doing or saying are simply the things Jesus really did and said. So that when Laurence thinks he is loving Aslan, he is really loving Jesus: and perhaps loving Him more than he ever did before.
C. S. Lewis: Letters to Children

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I loved the stories of Narnia when I was young, because my mother was very careful in explaining what the stories meant. Now that I am older, I very much enjoy C. S. Lewis' nonfiction and adult works. "A Grief Observed," "Mere Christianity," and "The problem of pain" are outstanding books, and I believe that God gave the man quite some insight. It fascinates me how an avid atheist can become a devout Christian.

Interesting posts on here. Restin I was especially touched by your post.

Growing up I was not allowed to read fiction, therefore I never read any of the Chronicles of Narnia however as an adult I've learned to enjoy and love the books having read them several times. You can pick up a book and be through it in an hour or two and feel good about it. Even when there is not any allegorical stuff going on there is still a message of right and wrong. Yes they are light reading and really written for kids however I think most adults can still enjoy them and gain something from them.

Redfog

From some of the posts I have read here, I am sure there will be those who disagree with this one. I almost did not post because of causing dissention, but I realize there are some things one just has to speak out about if they are convicted. And I am.

I imagine most have seen the Review, with the garish pictures. And, this below is quoted there, part of which is from Lewis himself. I have to say that I never thought I would see our church paper, which our pioneers heavily sacrificed to print in its' beginnings, ever have something like this printed in it.
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"Perhaps Lewis provides a clue in talking about the process by which he wrote his children’s stories. He emphasized that his stories were primarily stories.

“Some people think that I began by asking myself how I could say something about Christianity to children,” he wrote, “then fixed on the fairy tale as an instrument; then collected information about child psychology and decided what age group to write for; then drew up a list of basic Christian truths and hammered out ‘allegories’ to embody them. This is all pure moonshine. I couldn’t write in that way at all. . . . At first there wasn’t even anything Christian about them; that element pushed itself in of its own accord. It was part of the bubbling.”

Perhaps sometimes we need to focus less on being evangelistic and more on simply being. Lewis sought to create a simple story, and his faith bubbled into it naturally. Direct evangelism is important, but, paradoxically, it may at times get in the way of our being most real and most effective, as well as adding a burden of guilt to our daily interactions." The Adventist Review
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As far as these books and the movie being spiritual and bringing the "symbolism of Christ" to the children, this is what our local paper said:

"Most young readers don't care about the symbolism, or even notice it. They're just wondering what magic awaits on the next page. Moreover, Lewis scholars say, the author felt that the stories should simply be enjoyed--preferably by a child hiding under the covers with a flashlight."

"Lewis' theology makes his stories of magic acceptable even to the conservative Christians who object to the witchcraft of Harry Potter, said Joe Barnhart, a philophy professor at the University of North Texas."
The Paducah Sun

I saw today that this movie had grossed much more than the Harry Potter movie this week. Maybe Satan has thought he would try being a bit more subtle with his "magic."

Does this sound a bit familiar to us, how for every truth, Satan has a subtle counterfeit waiting. Yes, Jesus IS called "the Lion of the tribe of Judah," but do you think the Bible writer had this movie in mind when he wrote that?

In His Love,

Dora I for one do agree with you and yes when you have a conviction on something like this you need to speak up. Our church is being deceived by all this garbage. And yes I call it garbage. It is nothing like Pilgrims Progress at all. Oh sure you will find your few that say there are great christian morals to be found in them. However just like that paper said..the young people and I may say older people too are reading them more for the "magic" in them. It matters not the excuses they make up for reading them and going to see them at the theater. We are being lulled to sleep.

Dora for standing up for God's true principles. Amen

Avalee and Dora, have you read the children's books and adult books by Lewis?

I think overall it is good material. But the quality of a dramatized version of the children's books depends on the producer in the same way that a dramatization of the passion depends on the producer. The story line is being interpreted through someone else's eyes.

In which ways is Lewis different from J.R.R. Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings) and J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter)? I have read none of these but it seems all of them portray some kind of struggle between good and evil.