Families have taken to the Disney film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but not at the urging of religious leaders.
Disney has targeted Christian groups with promotional material, but Australian churches have taken no particular line on the film.
By comparison, evangelical churches in the US have gone over the top with their admiration for the movie. “In America, some very significant Christian millionaires got behind it and there was considerable promotion,” said Anglican Bishop of South Sydney Robert Forsyth.
High-profile US supporters of the film included Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who has called for every child in his state to read the Narnia book.
Bishop Forsyth said: “We are not millionaires and Australians have a slightly more relaxed style. We are a little less in-your-face.
“If Christians go around ranting and raving we basically scare people off.
“I think the answer is we should keep quiet and let the film do its work in its own way.”
Archbishop of Sydney Peter Jensen cited The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in his Christmas speech but said it was up to individual churches whether they would make use of the Narnia story.
The film opened in Australia on Boxing Day and has earned more than $6.5 million at the box office. In the US, it has taken $US165 million ($227 million) in 17 days.
