The Lion, The Witch and The Library
A guide to the best new books about the man and the myths.
Jerry Root | posted 12/02/2005 12:00AM
2 of 3
The Way into Narnia: A Reader's Guide
Peter J. Schakel
Eerdmans, 2005
Schakel's third book-length treatment of the Chronicles, The Way into Narnia provides readers with background and commentary on each of the Narnia books. The annotations, in which Schakel, professor of English at Hope College, addresses difficult passages of the Chronicles, are especially helpful.
Devotional
Into the Region of Awe: Mysticism in C. S. Lewis
David C. Downing
InterVarsity Press, 2005
Downing has established himself as one of the best interpreters of Lewis's fiction. In this book, he opens a door into Lewis's spiritual thought that few besides Lyle Dorsett, in Seeking the Secret Place: The Spiritual Formation of C. S. Lewis, have succeeded in doing. Downing notes that "the common image of Lewis as a proponent of 'rational religion' does not do justice to the complexity of the man." This book, long overdue, traces Lewis's interest in the Christian mystical tradition.
Not a Tame Lion: Unveil Narnia Through the Eyes of Lucy, Peter, and Other Characters Created by C. S. Lewis
Bruce Edwards
Tyndale, 2005
Edwards, author of four volumes on Lewis, is explicit about his purpose here: "I wish to orient the reader to what we might call Narnia's spiritual geography-to its ultimately Christian themes." Edwards explores with spiritual and psychological insight the encounters between Narnian characters and Aslan. To meet the goodness and majesty of Aslan either softens and ennobles a character, or it hardens and diminishes one rebellious to Aslan's will.
The Heart of the Chronicles of Narnia: Knowing God Here by Finding Him There
Thomas Williams
W Publishing Group, 2005
Author-illustrator Williams turns his artistic eye to the fantasies of C. S. Lewis, and with each stroke of his pen, he brings fresh vision to the books. Williams has a wide grasp of Lewis and incorporates knowledge of Lewis's literary vision into his analysis. Taking his lead from Aslan's own words, Williams encourages readers to remember that they have been brought to Narnia for a time, so that by knowing Aslan there they might come to know him better in their own world. He suggests readers might know Christ better by reading the Chronicles. Williams moves in directions hinted at by the author himself. For those looking for a more devotional approach to Lewis, Williams will not disappoint.
Apologetics
C. S. Lewis's Case for Christ: Insights from Reason, Imagination and Faith
Art Lindsley
InterVarsity Press, 2005
Lindsley, an apologist and theologian from the C. S. Lewis Institute, walks readers through Lewis's most salient arguments for the Christian faith. Written as a dialogue, the book examines a wide range of Lewis's apologetic thought, covering miracles, the problem of evil, the exclusive claims of Christ in light of other world religions, moral relativism, and the challenges of postmodernism.
RSS Feeds
Audio
Twitter
share this page
E-mail
Print
Post
Subscribe to Christianity Today magazine today!
