When the third film in the “Chronicles of Narnia” series opens this week, fans are wondering what role Aslan, the Christ-character, will have in the movie. For many, the effort to de-fang Aslan the lion began as soon as Disney decided to put C.S. Lewis’ childhood classics to film.
On the verge of the release of the third film, “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,” Aslan’s voice actor, Liam Neeson has waded into religious relativism, making Aslan into a character who is as much Mohammed or Buddha as he is Christ.
In an interview Neeson, who has been described as a practicing Catholic, said that while Aslan symbolizes a “Christ-like figure…he also symbolizes for me Mohammed, Buddha and all the great spiritual leaders and prophets over the centuries.”
Lewis’ former secretary and a trustee of his estate, Walter Hooper, disagreed.
“It is nothing whatever to do with Islam,” said Hooper.
“Lewis would have simply denied that. He wrote that the ‘whole Narnian story is about Christ.’ Lewis could not have been clearer. … it was not Lewis’ intention.”
William Oddie, former editor of The Catholic Herald, described it as a “shameful distortion.”
“Aslan is clearly established from the very beginning of the whole cannon as being a Christ figure,” added Oddie.
Whereas Aslan, as Christ, is the Sacred Center to the Narnia books, in the films he’s become something of an after-thought. The previous films have eliminated any discussion of “the Great Emperor,” (i.e. God) and Aslan’s relationship to him (Son of God). That elimination of Aslan’s majesty has gone a long way toward de-fanging him. It reminds me of the modern trend of emphasizing the “meek and mild” Christ, while completely ignoring the Christ who drove the money-changers from the temple or described the pharisees as a “brood of vipers.”
Aslan features quite prominently in two of my favorite scenes from the book “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.”
The first is when Eustace needs Aslan’s help in removing his dragon scales. After the painful process of removing his sin… or skin, Aslan tosses him into a pool. The allegory is an obvious allusion of Eustace’s need for Christ in order to shed his selfishness, regain his true nature, and to be cleansed in the waters of baptism.
The second, is when the voyagers have crossed the great sea and arrive at Aslan’s country. There, they encounter a lamb who invites them to have breakfast of roasted fish on the beach. Another obvious allusion for Scripture readers, to Christ’s seaside breakfast with his disciples after his resurrection. As the children are with the lamb, he changes into Aslan the Lion, for he is both lamb and lion.
How, I wonder, will these scenes be made in the movie? Will they be in the movie at all? Will I be able to find Christ at all in “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader”? I’ll be in the theater this weekend with my own children, anxious to see.
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When I was a boy, the Narnia series was my favorite series of books, and I was concerned that Disney was going to muddle the Christian symbolism in the books when they adapted them into movies.
I thought that the first movie, the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, was very faithful to Lewis’ book and that Aslan very clearly represents Jesus. I was disappointed with the artistic license and diversion from the story in the movie adaptation of Prince Caspian, but the basic plotline of the story remained a journey of faith, searching for Christ in the midst of a world that seems forsaken by Him.
Voyage of the Dawn Treader was one of my favorites of the Narnia books, after The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe and The Last Battle, so I, too, am eager to see how Walden Media and Twentieth Century Fox adapted the story into a movie. Since Douglas Gresham, Lewis’ stepson, is a co-producer of the film, I am hopeful that the Christian symbolism will remain intact, and hopefully after the disappointing box office performance of Prince Caspian, Walden Media will have learned their lesson and this film will be a very faithful movie adaptation of a beloved C.S. Lewis novel, like the movie adaptation of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was. I’ll be rereading the book before I go see the movie on Saturday, and, as a diehard C.S. Lewis fan, I am excited to see The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I hope I’m not disappointed this time like I was with the film adaptation of Prince Caspian.
Neeson is the same actor who played Alfred Kinsey- some Catholic!
My only hope - and prayer - is that children and families will be inspired to actually read the books after having seen the movies. Upon reading them, and their unmistakable message, perhaps they’ll move onto other C.S. Lewis and truly be transformed. We never go into these movies expecting perfection and so far have enjoyed them.
Tim, I’ll be posting the answers very soon! :-)
In the press coverage surrounding Liam Neeson’s remarks on the character of Aslan in the latest Narnia film, there is a reference to an order of “American Catholic priests and a Lenten CD of spiritual meditations.”
The Redemptorists of the Denver Province collaborated with Liam Neeson in 2009 on the Lenten production, “Praying the Way of the Cross.” Proceeds support the work of our foreign missionaries in Brazil and Nigeria.
The CD is available through Little Lamb Music at www.littlelambmusic.com
I think we need to keep in mind that movies are made for entrataintment. Having said that,we can´t demand solid catholic characters out of a film industry that exalts relativism and religious vagueness. If we want aslan portrayed as Lewis wanted, we need to change movie makers´s mentality. but that takes times. Only then will aslan roar. God bless you all!!
The headline for one of your articles states that Liam Neeson has a degree from Dallas Theological…. just wondering where thhat came from and if its true
Can an actor express his personal opinion about a role he performs?
That’s how I read Mr.Neesom’s remarks: his personal opinion.
If you mean “Does he have a constitutional right, is he free to do so,” then of course (barring contractual obligations, etc.) he can say whatever he feels like.
If you mean “Do incorrect and stupid statements deserve respect because we call them opinion?” then no, the person deserves respect but not necessarily his incorrect and stupid statements.
Aslan is the Creator of Narnia, the Son of the omnipotent Emperor Across the Sea. Aslan sacrificed himself and rose again in order to destroy evil. Aslan comes at Christmastime. Aslan is a Lion who appears as a Lamb. Aslan judges all Narnia at the end of Narnian history.
To say that Aslan can represent Muhammad or Buddha as well as Jesus is not only condescending and ignorant, it is actually blaphemy against Islam and an absurd distortion of Buddhism. Muslims and Buddhists would not take Mr. Neeson’s comments as ecumenical acceptance; they would agree with Christians that he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
For more, see Curt Jester, Mark Shea and me.
Big C.S Lewis fan but lets give oh Neeson a break. This is a role given to him by a director, and even given that big actors often get a say in films (Who’s that big against disney?), it is not the characters fault he needs to be relativistic to be relevant.
Apparently the producers of the movie have not read “The Last Battle” where the ape and company, try to defang Aslan and teach the Narnian creatures that Tash and Aslan are one and the same: Tashlan being His new name. Not a good idea if one wishes to end up in the right place!
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