Lessons from C. S. Lewis

[Jenamarie]

I haven't read much of C. S. Lewis work, but what I have read I've loved (Mere Christianity, and the Narnia books). Just today I finally "got" one of the points he was trying to make in his Narnia books. I'd never understood why the Narnians often said of Aslan "He is not a tame lion," For all of my life I've percieved Christ as being a bit of a bleeding heart. Always nice, always peaceful, the kind of person who would give anyone a hug. Of course the clearing of the Temple went against that view, and I could never get the two "Christs" in my mind (the bleeding-heart and the Temple-clearer) to meld. Today while reading Jesus the Christ I finally got it. He's not a tame lion. He's not going to conform to the expectations of men. He has perfect discernment, we do not. He has perfect judgement, we do not. He knows exactly who the pure in heart are, and who the hypocrites are. He knows when violence or a harsh word is necessary, and when it's best to remain silent. Mankind can never, and will never, rein Him in to fit their "idea" of a perfect God, because fallen man has no inkling of what makes a perfect God. In our Fallen state we couldn't grasp it. When we return to Him we will fully see His wisdom, but for now we can only slightly comprehend, and rely on the Spirit to fill in our gaps of understanding.

[Guest tomk]

I agree with this. I believe that God reveals Himself to us by degrees. He does it individually. We come unto Him "one by one" and learn of Him "one by one."

Yes, I agree, His response is always measured, and appropriate to the circumstances and to our spiritual maturity.

[Flyonthewall]

There are a lot of things in the Chronicles of Narnia that are paralelled in or from the gospels. The "Not a Tame Lion" point is one of them. Some are more obvious than others.

You expressed your understanding of it far better than I could. Thanks for putting it into words.

[Jenamarie]

There are a lot of things in the Chronicles of Narnia that are paralelled in or from the gospels. The "Not a Tame Lion" point is one of them. Some are more obvious than others.

You expressed your understanding of it far better than I could. Thanks for putting it into words.

Please share what other paralles you've noticed! This is only the second one from the Narnia books that I've picked up on (I'm a little dense ). This, and the obvious sacrifice of Aslan are the only "Christian" themes I've picked up on. I don't know how The Horse and His Boy, or Prince Caspian or any of that ties into Christianity.

[Flyonthewall]

Please share what other paralles you've noticed! This is only the second one from the Narnia books that I've picked up on (I'm a little dense ). This, and the obvious sacrifice of Aslan are the only "Christian" themes I've picked up on. I don't know how The Horse and His Boy, or Prince Caspian or any of that ties into Christianity.

It's been a while since I read the books, so let me put my thinking cap on.

In the Last Battle -

- the ape puts on the lion skin to present himself as Aslan (wolf in sheeps clothing)

- the dwarfs will not be taken in no matter what( Lewis' view on athiesm)

- the Telmarine that worships Tash, and lives his belief as best he can, is actually a follower of Aslan. (There are actually a couple of paralells in this - All good comes from God, and You are judged by your actions in relation to your understanding of right and wrong)

- the dwarfs inside the hut thinking it was still a stable, but everyone else saw something else (blinded to the things of God)

- the inside of the hut is larger than the outside (there is more in store for us in the hereafter than the here-and-now (eternal reward))

I don't remember which book this is in, but:

Aslan told the children that they were brought into Narnia, and by knowing him there, it would allow them to know them in their world.

I'm headed out the door right now, but there are a lot of paralells in each book. I'm sure others can help me out and give some more examples.

[WillowTheWhisp]

"Further up and Further in" (I think it is the title of a chapter in the Last Battle - it's a while since I read it.) seems to me to be a parallel to the Kingdoms of Glory and the levels of exhaltation in the Celestial Kingdom, which may seem odd as CS Lewis was not LDS.

[Moksha]

Jesus like all of us had to come to grips with sides of the human condition that are less than divine. Zapping a little tree because it had no fruit out of season is an example of anger.

We all have anger inside us. We all have the capacity for desecration. However, we also have the capacity for tenderness and building great things. Jesus helped point us to the things that really matter - love, forgiveness and mercy. They help us return as the shining children of God to his kingdom.

[WillowTheWhisp]

"always winter but never Christmas" - the reign of the white Queen. That could be the Apostacy.

[HiJolly]

I love the visionary dream (my opinion) "The Great Divorce" that C.S. Lewis had. What a great book!

HiJolly

[mightynancy]

In the last battle, Narnia is transformed into itself, only better...this could parallel the Earth being renewed and receiving its paradisiacal glory. :)