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Best Companion to Narnia Series
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Can someone recommend a companion book as a teaching resource for the NArnia Series, so as to flesh out the spiritual allergories? I want to read them aloud, but go deep into the allergories, but I need a companion as a resource to help me; not for them to read, but to assist me.
Also, if someone knows the best order to read them, I’d appreciate that info., too. I know they are numbered but I recall someone (I think Bookworm) mentioning there was a different order than following the traditional numbers; plus the benefit of following a different order than is on the book series. Hope that makes sense.
Rachel
We read through the series a couple of years ago and I must say that I was rather disappointed after hearing so much about how they are an allegory for Christianity. So many of the books have incorporated pagan spirituality into them and seem to put it all on an equal footing with the Christian aspects – even going so far as having spirits for the trees and water, etc. For us the books were very enjoyable, but I would be very careful in trying to use them to portray a clean picture of Christianity. In my opinion there is far too much mingling of Christianity with mythology that could confuse a person about the truth of Scriptural Christianity.
Linda
I agree with Linda…except for the part about Aslan being killed and returning to life, I didn’t see much else in the series that was Christian. Thank you for saying that Linda…I thought it was just me
A great, newer series that is definitely total Christian allegory is The Terrestria Chronicles. http://www.talesofcastles.com/
Nanci
You’re welcome Nanci! I’m always very hesitant to voice my opinion on this series as I’ve caught a lot of flak for it in the past. I just think that we need to be so very careful with what we teach our children about Scripture – especially in this day and age. If they think that mixing faith in Christ and whatever else the world has to offer they’re headed for trouble. And I guess that I’ve just gotten tired of people trying to look for parallels between works of fiction and Scripture, like when people say that The Lord of the Rings is Christian allegory and it isn’t (and I adore Tolkein’s work!). When you have to stretch and twist to come up with something I think it’s better to be left for what it is.
Best, Linda
I agree with both of you and am aware of the distinctions you put forth. No stretching or twisting; I want to use them for enjoyment, but with discernment. I want to read them aloud the first time specifically for the purpose of discussion, just like we do any other book, inc. the Scripture; discussing the pagan cultures and pagan influences within the worship and lifestyle of G-d’s People, both in the Tanakh (OT) and the New Covenant. I’m trying to raise my children to be able to distinguish between what the Scripture says and what man teaches, with some things saying “no” to, even if the rest of the ‘believing community’ says “yes”.
Both Lewis and Tolkein brought to their stories their Christian world view (same with George MacDonald), unlike modern fantasy (completely forbidden here-like the Potter series and others that are everywhere) which bring a humanist/pagan worldview. They weren’t trying to do straight allegories to teach (like the Terrestria Chronicles or Pilgrim’s Progress, which we like), but to create fantasy in the classical style; there are elements of their faith within the text and the way the storylines/characters develop, some obvious and some not so. My son at 8 was able to read The Hobbit and we fleshed that out for a long time. I’m not interested in using them to teach anything about our Faith and what the Scripture teaches; for that I’ll use the Scripture, our Rabbi, wisdom from the Sages and other worthy commentators for that. I will filter it through Scripture.
I know there is a resource out there that will assist me to bring out the jems; I think more than one resource. I’m just wondering which one is the better one from the choices; even Lewis’ own letters on the subject would be great. I love primary source material!
Thanks so much for your input!
Rachel
Rachel, you sound a lot like me in how we are teaching our son – from a Messianic perspective (I’m a Messianic Jew). When we read through the Narnia books I spent a lot of time telling his what was inconsistent with our faith and why. We did read through the whole series, but just that once as he hasn’t wanted to read through it again. We do watch the movie every so often – he really likes the battle scenes.
Rachel,
The very best materials I have for this are specific to my faith community and may not be applicable for you. But we also enjoyed very much ROAR: A Christian Family Guide to the Chronicles of Narnia. My Narnia loving son also has several other books but they are more written for the kids.
We personally enjoy these books very, very much. As Rachel said, they are not intended to be pure allegory. They are really works of amazing imagination, imagined by the mind of a great man, a Christian man. They were not really intended to be an evangelical work. I do not find it hard to find evidences of Lewis’ faith in the books–they pop out at me everywhere with no digging or stretching. But I don’t take them as a Gospel treatise, either. They are beautiful fiction.
Rachel, for mature readers I recommend beginning with The Magician’s Nephew. A very young child on his first experience to Narnia might enjoy beginning with TLTH&TW since it is easier to follow, but for a child ready for a complete “Narnia experience” I like to begin with TMN, and actually, although it was not written first, after he wrote it C. S. Lewis did recommend that readers begin with it. It makes more sense at the beginning than at the end.
HTH!
Shalom Linda! Yes, we are Messianic family in Ga.; being members of a Messianic Synagogue for 10 years near to Atlanta; my children are 9 and almost 10, so it’s all they know, which is nice to start from the beginning. There are many things that we catch flack for, right?
Where are you and are you able to attend a Messianic Synagogue or Congregation?
Thanks Nanci, too!
I’ll let them watch the movies after we go through the books; that’s my standard rule so the images of someone ele’s imagination doesn’t interfere with their own. Then we discuss how they are different from each other. For the exception of Star Wars; another selection that we had to work through Lucas’ Buddism and Christianity mish-mash, exposing where each one was presented and/or blended. I let them watch those (except for Episode three, it’s PG-13 and yet to be seen) once they both hit age 9 so as to have a decent grounding in Scripture first before something like that. My son has since read the books of the original stories (my mom has them); episodes #4-#6 from the 70’s and early 80’s instead of the modern, abridged movie versions.
One In Messiah Yeshua, Rachel
Hi Rachel!
We’re in the upper Mid-West and aren’t near any Messianic congregations. We do read a lot of Arnold Fruchtenbaum – our son loves him! It’s such a blessing!
Blessings, Linda
Thank you, Bookworm. I would qualify my children to be able to have a fuller experience and able to handle it; they’ve both already read The Hobbit, multiple times, at 8 for my son and 9 for my dd, with much depth of conversation afterwards. I’ve seen the “ROAR” book (which is on sale for 0.99 at Christianbook); are you familiar with “Finding G-d in the Land of Narnia” by K. Bruner (he also has one about LOtR) and have any opinions on it versus the other? I can tweak any theology or terminology differences in our study, if necessary.
Would you give a fuller explanation as to the ‘why’s’ of starting with TMN? Also, after reading, TMN, I assume the normal series’ numbering would apply?
Thanks,
Rachel
We only thumbed through the Bruner book; my son and I liked the variety in ROAR so we just got it. So I haven’t read the Bruner one.
As for starting with TMN–you can read it last. But describes events that happened first. It’s a tiny bit like reading Exodus first and Genesis later–there are a lot of “why’s” that get answered in TMN. Like where the wardrobe comes from, who the Professor is, and why there is a lamp post in the middle of a wood. 🙂 Every child I’ve known who read the series and did TMN LAST has always said something along the lines of “Hey, I wish I’d known all this first, now I need to go back and read TLTH&TW again!”
I also have a daily devotional type book somewhere in the house on Narnia. I don’t know where it is, though, and can’t remember which one it is. I got it on a sale table somewhere and there were some really good thoughts in it, and some mediocre. I tried briefly to look for it yesterday and couldn’t find it, sigh.
HTH.
Rachel and Linda- I am not a messianic jew, but have always thought that would be the best of both worlds!
Would either or both of you mind starting a thread about some of your Jewish traditions, such as the different feasts, etc. and how you celebrate them? I would love to be able to incorporate some of those rich traditions into our family.
Nanci
Rachel and Linda, I also would love to learn more about how Messianic Jews celebrate the feasts, if you don’t mind sharing? We don’t celebrate Halloween, Christmas, or Easter. Last year we celebrated Hannakuh, Purim, and Passover and were blessed. We used the book Biblical Holidays to guide us. 🙂
Tara
Rachel,
I have not read these in full yet, but there is enough preview at google to see if the following books are what you are looking for in a companion. A Reader’s Guide through the Wardrobe: exploring C. S. Lewis’s classic story by Leland Ryken and Marjorie Lamp Mead http://books.google.com/books?id=mB4WgyfH18MC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Leland+Ryken&hl=en&ei=XNRtTJnQBYPGlQefo7yTDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CCwQ6AEwATgK#v=onepage&q&f=false
A Reader’s Guide to Caspian: A Journey into C. S. Lewis’s Narnia by Leland Ryken and Marjorie Lamp Mead
C. S Lewis’ Letters to Children by C. S. Lewis, Lyle W. Dorsett, and Marjorie Lamp Mead
Julie
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