Welcome back to Tumnus’s Bookshelf where we review any and all books by and about CS Lewis and the Land of Narnia. For today’s review we will be looking at Thomas Williams book “Knowing Aslan.”
Title: Knowing Aslan.
Author: Thomas Williams
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (November 1, 2005)
ISBN-10: 0849904943
ISBN-13: 978-0849904943
Summary:
Looking only at the central plot of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, author Thomas Williams looks at the allegorical image of Aslan and how His sacrifice for Edmund reflects Christ’s for us. In the end readers are given an invitation to accept the greatest gift of all.
Review:
With the release of the Narnia films, there is no doubt that the American Tract Society will put out clever little tracts to help use the film and the books to lead others to Christ. The book Knowing Aslan, while it sounds like it could be such a thing, it is not the case. Thomas Williams has not given us a didactic tract to hand out to Trick or Treater’s or to leave on toilet seats like those of Jake T. Chick. Instead he has abridged some selections from a much longer book The Heart of Narnia into a much shorter book that carefully examines the real meaning of Narnia.
One of this books strong points is that unlike so many tracts that are put out, this book is free from all of the “Church-anese” language like sanctification, redemption, transgression and the other words we like to toss around when trying to reach others. Much like the Narnia books, the words he chooses are words that you don’t need a Masters in Theology to understand.
He also stays free of using many of the cliché metaphors that are also used in most gospel presentations. The Spiritual Laws, the Bridge Illustration, and the other familiar aspects of a tract seem to be missing at a surface level, but in actuality are hidden perfectly within the imagery of Narnia. While it does conclude in a prayer, something about it feels more real, if you will, then many of the ones in a tract.
In terms of summarizing LWW, Williams does a good job of it too. The entire general plot line ( the kids leave London for Professor Kirke’s, Lucy finds Narnia, no one believes her, she and Edmund go to Narnia, Edmund betrays them, all four kids go to Narnia, Aslan saves Edmund, Aslan dies for Edmund, Aslan rises again, the White Witch is defeated and the four kids become kings and queens until they return to England.) is neatly packaged together for those who be familiar with the movie and not the book.
Despite how clear and concise this book is, it is hardly one just for children. He does deal with some rather difficult things in the 55 pages he is given. One of the first is that so many people look at Aslan and have a hard time reconciling the loving and yet still powerful Lion of Narnia with the image of god they have usually been presented. This is an idea foreign to most children as they are still familiar with the image of Jesus playing with children. He also mentions such things as drug and alcohol addictions, or being an honest worker at a company. In short, this book can work for both grown up and adult discussions.
One of the other disadvantages to this book, is an apparent lack of depth, at least in looking at the story itself. While the book is properlay summarized, the references are very limited. However this is not meant to be an in depth companion commentary as Devin Brown’s Inside Narnia series, a devotional book like Sarah Arthur’s Walking Through the Wardrobe, or like Williams The Heart of Narnia. If anything, this book is an edited down version of his longer work. Be that as it may, this little condensed version of certainly achieves it’s objectives.
Knowing Aslan is a nice little resource tool which may be handy to have on hand when viewing the Narnia movies with those of your friends who are not Christians who may have questions. It is also a very wonderful read for devotions. Plus it is a relatively inexpensive book ( $2.99 USD! ) making it a real bargain ( albeit a high quality bargain one compared to the little paper tracts) for those of you on a budget. However if you are looking for real depth and insight into the Chronicles spiritual aspects it is recommended that you either read The Heart of Narnia, Walking through the Wardrobe or any of the Inside Narnia books. Consider this to be but a dainty little appetizer to tide you over until a much bigger helping.
Three and a Half out of Five Shields.
Order the book from Amazon.com.