Encounter with the Lion

Two years ago I took a summer course at seminary in which we discussed the theological themes in C.S. Lewis’s fictional works. We read the Space Trilogy, The Great Divorce and Screwtape Letters, and, of course, The Chronicles of Narnia. There are countless theological themes which this Anglican layman included in his writing – even in these books written for children. In Prince Caspian, Lewis tackles the issue of blame and personal responsibility – issues which we must confront as children and revisit as adults.

The setting:
The Pevensie children return to Narnia and are hoping to see Aslan. Lucy, the youngest of the four, claims to have seen Aslan, but the others do not believe her. Peter, the oldest, feels confident in his own strength and knowledge, and consequently leads them astray, losing valuable time which they wouldn’t have wasted if they’d listened to Lucy when she said that Aslan wanted them to follow him. Later, Lucy is the first to talk with Aslan. She rejoices to see him, and shows her affection by hugging him and lying next to him.

The text:
(Prince Caspian, Chapter X, “The Return of the Lion”)

“‘Lucy,” he said, “we must not lie here for long. You have work in hand, and much time has been lost to-day.”
“Yes, wasn’t it a shame?” said Lucy. “I saw you all right. They wouldn’t believe me. They’re all so—”
From somewhere deep inside Aslan’s body there came the faintest suggestion of a growl.
“I’m sorry,” said Lucy, who understood some of his moods. “I didn’t mean to start slanging the others. But it wasn’t my fault anyway, was it?”
The Lion looked straight into her eyes.
“Oh, Aslan,” said Lucy. “You don’t mean it was? How could I – I couldn’t have left the others and come up to you alone, how could I? Don’t look at me like that...oh well, I suppose I could. Yes, and it wouldn’t have been alone, I know, not if I was with you. But what would have been the good?”
Aslan said nothing.
“You mean,” said Lucy rather faintly, “that it would have turned out all right – somehow? But how? Please, Aslan! Am I not to know?”
“To know what would have happened, child?” said Aslan. “No. Nobody is ever told that.”
“Oh dear,” said Lucy.
“But anyone can find out what will happen,” said Aslan. “If you go back to the others now, and wake them up; and tell them you have seen me again; and that you must all get up at once and follow me – what will happen? There is only one way of finding out.”

Reflection:
How easy it s to blame others (or should we say “pass responsibility”?) rather than claiming responsibility for our own actions. This is exactly what Lucy began to do in this encounter with Aslan. What would happen if, rather than emphasizing what others did wrong, she would have concentrated on how she herself could follow obediently? (More on this theme) She would have been obedient and the others would have seen the right path rather than being led astray for hours.

This encounter with Aslan is unique because Aslan does not tell Lucy what she should have done. She came to this conclusion on her own, simply by being in the presence of the Lion. In fact, there is very little that Aslan says compared to what Lucy says. How similar to prayer – a time when we are in fellowship with God. He may not use words to communicate with us, but our own speech is shaped (like Lucy’s) just by being in the presence of the Almighty one. When we pray, God can make us aware of how selfish our motives are and we can change our prayers to match His will.

In this passage from Prince Caspian, Lucy wishes to know what might have happened if they had made different decisions. Aslan points out to her that we are not able to know what might have been. We must live with the decisions which have been made, not dwell upon what could have been. How often do we sit and wonder what would have happened if we had made a different choice in our lives? We are reminded, though, as Aslan points out to Lucy, that how the situation could have played out had we acted differently is irrelevant now. We need to act in response to the decisions which have been made in the past.

Finally, a few lines after those quoted above, Aslan tells Lucy that “Things never happen the same way twice.” This one sentence reminds me that we all live in the present instead of reliving the past. Lucy and her siblings had lived a lifetime in Narnia as kings and queens before being returned to the same instant they left England. Now they returned to Narnia a year later for them but over a millennium later for Narnia. They would have loved to have relived their previous experience, or at least keep things as they had been when they left. But now their friends were gone. Their kingdom was gone. Their fairy tale existence was over. But they were back in Narnia. They had to remember that it was Aslan who made them great in Narnia in the past, and they must follow Aslan in the present. They must learn to accept the present situation, noting that everything is different for them – everything except Aslan, who is the only constant who remains the same.


Why am I spending so much time reflecting on a children’s book made into a blockbuster movie? Certainly not because it’s the popular thing to do at this point in time. I am simply taking this opportunity to point out some of the theological themes which C.S. Lewis included in his books so we can apply them to our lives. Old or young, read the book or watched the movie – we can all benefit from reflecting on this encounter with Aslan.