Customer Reviews

The Lion, the Mouse and the Dawn Treader: Spiritual Lesson's from C.S. Lewis's Narnia

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Sad to say, I was more than prepared to not like this book. I'm still not real fond of the cover, and it struck me as some cheesy knockoff that was cranked out to take advantage of the release of the third Narnia film.

But for whatever reason, as I was looking at it, turning it over in my hands and trying to decide whether to put it in the thrift store pile, I saw the website address for the author. My computer was open, so I checked out the site. Unexpectedly, I was drawn in by its layout and a quick scan of some of the authors he quoted -- authors like Evelyn Underhill, Julian of Norwich, St. John of the Cross -- told me this book wasn't perhaps what I assumed.

It was Saturday night and I wanted to read anyway, so I sat down on the couch and opened up the book. Immediately I liked it. I read at least a quarter of it; the next night another half, and then finished it off a few nights later.

What drew me in? Perhaps this sentence in the opening chapter: "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is not directly related to any stories of the Bible. Even so, it may be the most useful of the seven Narnia books, for it is the one that most directly maps out the contours of the Christian spiritual life."

A good subtitle for this book would be Mysticism 101. McColman, whom I found out later has written a book titled, aptly enough, The Big Book of Christian Mysticism, does a tremendous job breaking down, in manageable steps, the process of pursuing spiritual mysticism. This is something I find surprisingly difficult to explain concisely, and I was humbled by McColman's nimble approach.

In this book he "translates" C.S. Lewis' third book in his seven-book series The Chronicles of Narnia, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, as a book that can be understood as containing "much of the wisdom and insight about spiritual living that has come down to us over the centuries from the great mystics and saints of the Christian world."

At the same time, McColman respects Lewis' claims that the books were never to be taken as direct allegories. He simply chooses to look at its symbolism and story as a platform to guide the reader into an understanding of spiritual mysticism.

What am I talking about? McColman tells us that much of the conflict that we face in life is not so much the battle between good and evil as it is the conflict within ourselves. Put another way, do I want to live life on the surface, reacting to the highs and lows of daily life, or do I want to dive below and engage with the deeper, bigger, harder issues and questions that flirt along the edges of our existence? More importantly, do I want to find God in the midst of that?

McColman, in describing Eustace's resistance to the voyage he eventually finds himself on with Caspian, Reepicheep and the Pevensies, connects that with our own determinations about spiritual journey. We are faced with deciding whether or not we are willing to pursue a life based on conscious communion with God (quoting Evelyn Underhill). Here McColman gives us a definition for mysticism as simply a can't-miss-it experience of God's presence in our lives, even to the point of feeling at one with God. He then spends the rest of the book showing The Voyage of the Dawn Treader as a wonderful, enchanting description of the various aspects of Christian spirituality. Brilliant!

This would also be a great book for a group committed to Bible study, prayer, discipleship, or even just spiritual exploration. Reading it together would prompt tremendous conversation, questions and spiritual experience.

The Lion, the Mouse, and the Dawn Treader: Spiritual Lessons from C.S. Lewis's Narnia by Carl McColman

My thanks to a friend for recommending this book. It was timely. Spirituality isn't the result of an event, but develops through a lifetime of struggles. Discipleship programs handicap young Christians if they are not introduced to the fact that they are entering a lifelong spiritual journey rather than graduating. This book underscores the maturation process through much tribulation.

The author, Carl McColman, is an excellent writer. I really don't know how to say that any better. Not only was I not disappointed in this book, I found just about every sentence insightful enough to stop to meditate on what was being said. I have occasionally read a book without finding anything quotable, but seldom have I read a book where I've underlined so much. McColman captures the depth of each chapters meaning and relates it in clear, succinct, and intellectually enjoyable words.

If you appreciate the writings of C. S. Lewis you will be doubly blessed by McColmans rendering of this story. If you haven't been able to get into the works of Lewis, here is a wonderful primer. If you are trying to understand your own spiritual trek through life, allow McColman to tag along as your guide and life interpreter.

Like so many readers, I have loved the Narnia books for years. Like other students of the spiritual life, I've found wonderful lessons in them, but this book has helped me get to a deeper reading. I guess in the past, I've tended to race through, enjoying the story and thinking, "Uh huh, uh huh, I get it," then moving on. What McColman has done looks like the product of using Narnia for lectio divina, slow and contemplative reading that ruminates prayerfully over the meaning. The result is something much richer than I'd ever arrived at on my own.

Perhaps the greatest lesson of the Narnia chronicles is pointed out by McColman at the end of this book: "[W]e need to approach the spiritual life as if it were a grand adventure, a quest worthy of embarking on -- a quest that will have its share of danger, but that will ultimately take us to a place filled with refreshing waters, nurturing silence, and dazzling light." This is what I've always loved about Lewis: how he could capture that sense of the adventure of the spiritual journey. Too often, when things get dark and scary, people assume they're on the wrong track when they should be expecting that the quest will be challenging at times. If we had a bit more of Lewis's romantic imagination, we would probably have more of Reepicheep's courage, and end up following him to the "utter east."

A delightful read. I'm looking forward now to McColman's "Big Book of Mysticism", next on my list.

Carl McColman, a popular writer of topics such as mysticism, Celtic Wisdom, and spiritual disciplines has just written a book on spiritual lessons from C.S. Lewis's Narnia. In this book, McColman seeks to mine the riches of the The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, one of Lewis's book in the Narnia series, for spiritual lessons for todays seekers of wisdom. He states early on in the book that, "By contrast, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is not directly related to any stories in the Bible. Even so, it may be the most useful of the seven Narnia books, for it is the one that most directly maps out the contours of the Christian spiritual life" (x). MCColman tries to bring out the succesive stage of the spiritual life which are found in the story of the Voyage.
McColman signals in the first chapter that Eustace, the main character in the story is summoned to Narnia alongside Edmund and Lucy without his liking. Mr. McColman goes on to relate this to the journey of the spiritual life. We are not always excited to go along the path of fellowship with God, and yet it is not us who initiate that call. God is the one who takes the pleasure of calling us to a spiritual journey (5).

In chapter 3 McColman takes on a journey through the story of the Dawn Treader related to captivity to sin. He mentions that Lewis had three great metaphors for sin in the story: "being sold into slavery, being turned into a dragon, using magic to gain power over others" (14). McColman goes onto note that is not just "sinful" Eustace who gets enslaved by the slavers, but the whole bunch including Lucy, Edmund, and Caspian (15). Sin is not just about personal responsiblity, but in many cases affects all things in the wake of its path. Near the end of the story, we find that Eustace being turned into a dragon decides to try and remove his skin but he can't do it by himself. It is only when the lion,(Aslan), the Christ figure, fully takes off the skin can he be truly free.

Near the end of the book, one of the last chapters is very unique to the whole story and to the journey of the CHristian life. McColman writes about Aslan's table where the whole group has a feast after finding the seven missing lords. My favorite line is on page 82 when McColman says, "All those who are nourished at Aslan's table are given a quest in service of those who are in need." Just as the voyagers rejoiced as their conquest was almost finished, those who celebrate the Eucharist are not bound to keep the nourishment of their hearts and souls on the bread and wine to themselves, but are to share the life-giving message and hope of the Christ with others. This sharing is not simply about words, but of caring for those need the grace of God just as much as those who partake of it on Sunday.

Overall, I thought this book was a good glimpse into the characters of the Voyage of the Dawn Treader and the spiritual journey that all Christian travel upon. Yet, I thought the real takeaway from the book was the call to take seriously the disciplines of the Christian life and key teachings of the faith that help restore our relationships with each other and God. C.S. Lewis's wonderful Chronicles of Narnia help us see the themes of the faith within a great narrative. McColman drew out the major themes connecting the Voyage to the actual practices of the Christian life. These practices don't come easy, they can't be taken lightly, and that is the beauty of the spiritual journey, it is a journey for the rest of our life.

I absolutely loved this book. It was recommended to me after I saw the movie. It truly added more to the experience of seeing the movie than I ever could have imagined. It opened my eyes to a plethora of insights that were timely, easy to absorb, and engaging.
Highly recommended.