Biblical parallels in Narnia
You won’t find everything in the Bible in the Chronicles of Narnia series by C. S. Lewis, but you’ll find an amazing number of parallels. Members of the ACW came away from their diocesan annual meeting in Woodstock on May 2 and 3 with a new appreciation for the richness of these children’s stories. Dr. Pierre Zundel and the Rev. Dr. Ranall Ingalls shared the books’ adventures and allegories with an enthusiastic audience on Wednesday morning.
Dr. Zundel, a UNB professor, says Lewis’ works informed his own
development and he uses them to teach about the
Christian
faith at the St. Michael's Youth Conference. Using a passage from Prince Caspian he
explored the effects of sin on our lives. The Pevensie children, who
were sent to Narnia to fulfill an ancient prophecy, all take the wrong
path. The youngest is certain it is wrong and the eldest suspects she
may be right, but they are tired and join the others on the path of least
resistance. When the mistake becomes obvious they must retrace their
steps over steep and difficult terrain just to get back to where they
made the wrong decision.
“When we sin we can’t magically return to the starting point and change paths. Sin cannot be undone,” said Dr. Zundel. “The children walked as if they believed and the truth was gradually revealed. So we must continue on our way, continue to ask the questions, find the right path.”
Dr. Ingalls, rector of the Parish of Stanley, credits the Narnia books with his return to faith. “I scoffed at Christians in college,” he says. “C. S. Lewis brought things to my attention that could not be scoffed.”
He focused his presentation on hope which makes us human, and the importance of being human. “The ancient world was aware that we don’t come ito the word human, we have to become human,” he said. In ancient times humanity hinged on the four cardinal virtues of courage, temperance, justice and prudence. Christianity added faith, hope and charity (or love).
“Humanity is important,” he said. “God sent his only son to restore our humanity. Heaven will be about seeing God clearly and we cannot see God without those virtues … Our hope is in Jesus Christ as Narnia’s hope was in Aslan.” (Aslan is a lion character that parallels Jesus, he dies in place of one of the children and is then resurrected.) “We don’t practice hope if we turn away from Christ. The Narnia books and the new Narnia movie are all about what is is to be human, to become human and to have hope.”
Member’s of the St. Luke’s, Woodstock branch of the ACW hosted the 2006 ACW annual which began with a service of Holy Communion in the church with Bishop Claude Miller as celebrant on May 2. The rest of the day was devoted to business and included updates on the Camps Capital Campaign from Peter Irish and the Samaria House project from Olive Raymond. The annual banquet was held in the evening.
The Wednesday morning speakers were followed by a closing service of Holy Communion and the installation of a new executive: Mary MacDonald of Rothesay, president; Christine Greer of Woodstock, vice president; Marjorie Perley of Woodstock, secretary; Augusta Smith of Cambridge and Waterborough, treasurer.
