This December a new movie based on C.S. Lewis’s beloved children’s tale The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe opens in theatres across North America. The first novel Lewis penned in his fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia has been a favourite of readers of all ages since the 1950s, particularly for Christians who also know Lewis as one of the most respected Christian intellectuals of the 20th century.
With a big budget and topnotch producer, the film promises to come closer to capturing the rich realm of Lewis’s imagination than past cinematic renderings. The dramatic previews are already generating interest, both from longtime Narnia lovers and the uninitiated.
However with the movie buzz building, Faith Today wanted to explore how these humble children’s tales gripped the hearts of so many in the first place. What is the series’ legacy in the lives of real people, Narnia’s impact on this side of the wardrobe?
So we asked a diverse group of Canadians to share their own experiences with The Chronicles. When did they encounter the books? How did the works shape their own spiritual journeys? And why have Lewis’s books become and remained so popular? We also put the questions to some people who know a thing or two about magic and mystery… children (see sidebar, pp. 20-21).
[Read the rest at FaithToday.ca]