Movie Review and Reaction-
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
Finally went to see Narnia a week ago. Excellent, most excellent. The "crucifixion" was as good as any without being over the top. So what if it was a lion? Personally, I felt they did well by C. S. Lewis and his original story-telling. There was still enough of the fantasy and mystery that is essential to a good movie of this type. Lewis wrote it in such a way that to allegorize it wouldn't make sense. Aslan, for example, didn't die for everyone, just Edmund. At least in this story.

I find it interesting that Lewis told the story in a way that made the presence of the humans essential to the victory of Aslan. Without the four children (and a child shall lead them?) the victory wouldn't be won. That is a basic of Christian discipleship, of course. God has no Plan B. It's us or nothing.

The movie does raise some interesting theological issues. An article in the paper the other week talked about the fact that all three of the traditional views of the atonement are represented. But none of them are completely satisfying. Which of course echoes the theological discussions that have swirled around the atonement for 2000 years. None of them make complete sense. They all raise many issues of ethics and understanding and worry. We keep trying to explain them in new ways.

But in the end we can't give a completely coherent answer because we are only human. Bottom line is that we will never, in our wildest dreams or with our greatest intellect ever be able to completely get it with the atonement. It is a part of the mystery. Somehow, some way in the great and awesome wisdom of God it makes sense that Jesus had to die on the cross for us. I don't completely understand it. Never have. Never will. Fortunately it doesn't depend on my udnerstanding of it. It only depends on me accepting it, even beyond my ability to explain and understand it.

And all that from a movie about a lion, a wicked white witch, a land where it's always winter but never Christmas, and four children falling through the back of a wardrobe in an empty room. I really enjoyed the movie and am now working on the book again. It was a movie worth seeing and relishing in.