The Spirituality of Narnia

The Spirituality of Narnia PDF

Author: John P. Bowen

Publisher: Regent College Publishing

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 152

ISBN-13:

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Many people love the Narnia stories. However, not all readers know the deep spirituality that underlies them. In some ways, the stories mirror Lewis' own wrestling with his spiritual longings, and seek to help others on the same journey. He wants us to feel, as he himself came to feel, that what we long for at the deepest level of our being is to be part of a great story, indeed The Great Story, in which the stories of Narnia and the story of our world and the story of our lives find their true meaning. John Bowen is a professor at Wycliffe College in the University of Toronto. He teaches courses on such things as communication, leadership, culture, how to make churches user-friendly, and (of course) C.S. Lewis.

The Lion's World

The Lion's World PDF

Author: Rowan Williams

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 167

ISBN-13: 0199975736

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Former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams offers fascinating insight into The Chronicles of Narnia, the popular series of novels by one of the most influential Christian authors of the modern era, C. S. Lewis. Lewis once referred to certain kinds of book as a "mouthwash for the imagination." This is what he attempted to provide in the Narnia stories, argues Williams: an unfamiliar world in which we could rinse out what is stale in our thinking about Christianity--"which is almost everything," says Williams--and rediscover what it might mean to meet the holy. Indeed, Lewis's great achievement in the Narnia books is just that-he enables readers to encounter the Christian story "as if for the first time." How does Lewis makes fresh and strange the familiar themes of Christian doctrine? Williams points out that, for one, Narnia itself is a strange place: a parallel universe, if you like. There is no "church" in Narnia, no religion even. The interaction between Aslan as a "divine" figure and the inhabitants of this world is something that is worked out in the routines of life itself. Moreover, we are made to see humanity in a fresh perspective, the pride or arrogance of the human spirit is chastened by the revelation that, in Narnia, you may be on precisely the same spiritual level as a badger or a mouse. It is through these imaginative dislocations that Lewis is able to communicate--to a world that thinks it knows what faith is--the character, the feel, of a real experience of surrender in the face of absolute incarnate love. This lucid, learned, humane, and beautifully written book opens a new window onto Lewis's beloved stories, revealing the moral wisdom and passionate faith beneath their perennial appeal.

Finding God in the Land of Narnia

Finding God in the Land of Narnia PDF

Author: Kurt D. Bruner

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 220

ISBN-13: 9780842381048

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Addresses the underlying Christian themes that run throughout C.S. Lewis's seven fantasies about Narnia and describes how Lewis's beliefs influenced his writing.

What Matters Most

What Matters Most PDF

Author: Leonard J. DeLorenzo

Publisher: Ave Maria Press

Published: 2018-03-02

Total Pages: 224

ISBN-13: 1594718083

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What if we taught young people that they can measure success by how they follow Christ rather than by how much money they make or where they go to college? In What Matters Most, University of Notre Dame theology professor Leonard J. DeLorenzo urges youth ministers, teachers, and parents to help young people redefine success in light of their call to discipleship—completely saying yes to God. In Luke's account of the Annunciation, Mary offers a true model of discipleship for young people to follow. Her example will empower them to make choices about how to live their lives as a courageous yes to God in everything they choose—just as she did. DeLorenzo, who served as the long-time director of Notre Dame Vision—a program designed to help young Catholics find their true calling as disciples of Jesus—shows how Mary exhibited four habits that will guide young people to make important life decisions: Listen carefully and practice patience. Remember who we are and what we value most. Respond with compassion to choices we face. Embrace sacrifice for the sake of love. DeLorenzo includes personal stories from his experience as a father and working with youth and young adults with spiritual wisdom to equip teachers, mentors, pastoral ministers, and parents to reexamine the way they encourage and help form young Catholics approaching significant life choices such as college and jobs. He presents ways to remedy spiritual deficits in these young people created by cultural realities such as the fast pace of tech-driven lives and the looming pressure to succeed with worldly accomplishments.

Planet Narnia

Planet Narnia PDF

Author: Michael Ward

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2008-01-15

Total Pages: 384

ISBN-13: 9780199740932

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For over half a century, scholars have laboured to show that C. S. Lewis's famed but apparently disorganised Chronicles of Narnia have an underlying symbolic coherence, pointing to such possible unifying themes as the seven sacraments, the seven deadly sins, and the seven books of Spenser's Faerie Queene. None of these explanations has won general acceptance and the structure of Narnia's symbolism has remained a mystery. Michael Ward has finally solved the enigma. In Planet Narnia he demonstrates that medieval cosmology, a subject which fascinated Lewis throughout his life, provides the imaginative key to the seven novels. Drawing on the whole range of Lewis's writings (including previously unpublished drafts of the Chronicles), Ward reveals how the Narnia stories were designed to express the characteristics of the seven medieval planets - - Jupiter, Mars, Sol, Luna, Mercury, Venus, and Saturn - - planets which Lewis described as "spiritual symbols of permanent value" and "especially worthwhile in our own generation". Using these seven symbols, Lewis secretly constructed the Chronicles so that in each book the plot-line, the ornamental details, and, most important, the portrayal of the Christ-figure of Aslan, all serve to communicate the governing planetary personality. The cosmological theme of each Chronicle is what Lewis called 'the kappa element in romance', the atmospheric essence of a story, everywhere present but nowhere explicit. The reader inhabits this atmosphere and thus imaginatively gains conna?tre knowledge of the spiritual character which the tale was created to embody. Planet Narnia is a ground-breaking study that will provoke a major revaluation not only of the Chronicles, but of Lewis's whole literary and theological outlook. Ward uncovers a much subtler writer and thinker than has previously been recognized, whose central interests were hiddenness, immanence, and knowledge by acquaintance.

Hi, I'm an Atheist!

Hi, I'm an Atheist! PDF

Author: David G. McAfee

Publisher: St. Martin's Essentials

Published: 2021-11-02

Total Pages: 128

ISBN-13: 1250782090

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The essential guide to coming out as a non-believer David G. McAfee was raised in a conservative American Christian household. So when he stopped believing in God—any god—his family was shocked. He quickly realized that atheists are misunderstood, frequently thought of as Satan worshippers and anarchists. Thus started McAfee's journey to his true self, and crusade to tell others—especially those who are devoutly religious—what atheism really is, what he believes in, and why atheists should not be feared. In Hi, I'm an Atheist!, McAfee looks at what an atheist believes and how to “come out” as an atheist to your friends, family, and co-workers, offering sound advice on overcoming the difficult moments in any “coming out” conversation. Including a resource guide both for people just coming to atheism and people who have been atheists for years as well as an interview with Rebecca Vitsmun, the woman made famous for coming out as an atheist live on CNN, Hi I’m an Atheist! is a smart, sensitive, and realistic guide to living one’s life positively and honestly without the need for a belief in God.

C.S. Lewis: Latter Day Truths in Narnia

C.S. Lewis: Latter Day Truths in Narnia PDF

Author: Marianna Richardson

Publisher: Cedar Fort Publishing & Media

Published: 2023-02-02

Total Pages: 312

ISBN-13: 1599558580

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C. S. Lewis was an accomplished scholar, writer, and Christian apologist. His incredible insights and wonderful stories have long been a favorite of the LDS community, and he has been referenced thousands of times throughout LDS writings. Even Shakespeare pales in comparison to the number of times C. S. Lewis has been quoted by Mormon authors, scholars, and General Authorities to illustrate doctrinal truths. Lewis had a knack of speaking for "every man" and gave us modern parables for Christian living. All can relate to his testimony of Christ and his practical understanding of how to put gospel teachings into practice today. C. S. Lewis: Latter-day Truths in Narnia explores Lewis's life, his writings, and his influence on LDS writers, scholars, and authorities. Lewis realized that life is more than what we see and deeper than what we feel. Whether or not you are familiar with Lewis's nonfiction works or his fictional characters, you will enjoy reading about his powerful testimony of Jesus Christ.

The Lion, the Mouse, and the Dawn Treader

The Lion, the Mouse, and the Dawn Treader PDF

Author: Carl McColman

Publisher: Paraclete Press

Published: 2010-12-01

Total Pages: 103

ISBN-13: 1557258899

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From the author of the new BIG BOOK OF CHRISTIAN MYSTICISM comes an engaging look at how the principles and practices of Christian mysticism are illustrated in C. S. Lewis's Narnia series. The Lion, The Mouse and The Dawn Treader shows the reader how C. S. Lewis was guided by two "templates" in writing Dawn Treader: first, an ancient Celtic folktale known as the immram, or wondrous sea-voyage, in which great saints like Brendan the Navigator sought to reach paradise itself. But on another level, Lewis also built his adventure story around the traditional stages of the Christian life: from initial resistance to God's grace, to discovering how sin enslaves us and "turns us into dragons," to experiencing both the relief found in Christ and the cleansing waters of baptism. From this period of purgation the story turns to the illuminating adventures of resisting further temptation, to exploring silence (and learning how to deal with distractions, or "Dufflepuds"), to a final terrifying journey to the "Island of Darkness" (the dark night of the soul). The final stage of union begins with a Eucharistic feast at Aslan's Table where an ancient star and his lovely daughter sing joyfully every morning. As the Dawn Treader sails beyond where the stars sing, the travelers find a world of wonders, characterized by light, and clarity, and finally the encounter with Aslan — Christ — himself. This book will delight fans of C. S. Lewis with new insights into one of his classic stories, and will also help the more casual reader (and movie-goer) to understand the rich meaning behind this charming children's adventure. The Lion, The Mouse and The Dawn Treader is an amazing, thoroughly inspiring adventure. The Narnia stories are not just for children, but if you want help to assist children (or anyone) to understand their depth, read this book! You can touch the whole journey of the Christian search for God - and likely be spurred toward renewal in your own life - by getting on this Narnian ship. - Trina Paulus, author of Hope for the Flowers Product Reviews for The Lion, The Mouse, and The Dawn Treader: Spiritual Lessons from C.S. Lewis's Narnia

The Chronicles of Narnia and Philosophy

The Chronicles of Narnia and Philosophy PDF

Author: Gregory Bassham

Publisher: Open Court

Published: 2013-11-13

Total Pages: 288

ISBN-13: 0812698096

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The Chronicles of Narnia series has entertained millions of readers, both children and adults, since the appearance of the first book in 1950. Here, scholars turn the lens of philosophy on these timeless tales. Engagingly written for a lay audience, these essays consider a wealth of topics centered on the ethical, spiritual, mythic, and moral resonances in the adventures of Aslan, the Pevensie children, and the rest of the colorful cast. Do the spectacular events in Narnia give readers a simplistic view of human choice and decision making? Does Aslan offer a solution to the problem of evil? What does the character of Susan tell readers about Lewis’s view of gender? How does Lewis address the Nietzschean “master morality” embraced by most of the villains of the Chronicles? With these and a wide range of other questions, this provocative book takes a fresh view of the world of Narnia and expands readers’ experience of it.

The Hidden Story of Narnia

The Hidden Story of Narnia PDF

Author: Will Vaus

Publisher:

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 135

ISBN-13: 9781936294022

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When ten-year-old Anne Waller from Suffolk England wrote to C. S. Lewis in 1961 with a question about The Chronicles of Narnia she never expected to receive a reply. However, not only did Lewis answer her letter, he also outlined the spiritual themes in each of the Narnia books. That letter served as inspiration for Will Vaus to write The Hidden Story of Narnia. Nearly 50 years later, Anne Waller Jenkins has written a preface for The Hidden Story, praising the author's "gift of clarity" and the "sheer joy and merriment" of his style.