Ryken on Ward
The following is from Phil's posting at reformation21:
Over the last few days I have been devouring Michael Ward's remarkable new interpretation of The Narnia Chronicles by C. S. Lewis. The book is called Planet Narnia, and it was published this month by Oxford University Press.
Dr. Ward and I were students together at Oxford, where we spent happy hours together at the Oxford University C. S. Lewis Society. His new book grows out of his doctoral work on Lewis at St. Andrew's University. Its central argument is that each book in the Chronicles is related in theme, imagery, and theology to one of the seven heavenly bodies (the five visible planets, plus the sun and the moon), as understood in Medieval cosmology. I find the book's argument thoroughly convincing. It is also spiritually nourishing. Dr. Ward shows how each book draws out a different aspect of the character of Aslan, which is also to say a different aspect of the character of Christ.
This Sunday evening at 8pm Dr. Ward will give a talk at Philadelphia's Tenth Presbyterian Church. It is entitled: "The Heavens are Telling the Glory of God: C. S. Lewis, Narnia, and the Planets." As an added attraction, the Sunday evening worship service (6:30pm) includes "The Heavens are Telling" from Haydn's Creation.
Over the last few days I have been devouring Michael Ward's remarkable new interpretation of The Narnia Chronicles by C. S. Lewis. The book is called Planet Narnia, and it was published this month by Oxford University Press.
Dr. Ward and I were students together at Oxford, where we spent happy hours together at the Oxford University C. S. Lewis Society. His new book grows out of his doctoral work on Lewis at St. Andrew's University. Its central argument is that each book in the Chronicles is related in theme, imagery, and theology to one of the seven heavenly bodies (the five visible planets, plus the sun and the moon), as understood in Medieval cosmology. I find the book's argument thoroughly convincing. It is also spiritually nourishing. Dr. Ward shows how each book draws out a different aspect of the character of Aslan, which is also to say a different aspect of the character of Christ.
This Sunday evening at 8pm Dr. Ward will give a talk at Philadelphia's Tenth Presbyterian Church. It is entitled: "The Heavens are Telling the Glory of God: C. S. Lewis, Narnia, and the Planets." As an added attraction, the Sunday evening worship service (6:30pm) includes "The Heavens are Telling" from Haydn's Creation.
posted by M Clark at 2/01/2008 09:25:00 AM
1 Comments:
What a great turn out last night and what a clear and engaging speaker Dr. Ward was. Even my drowsy 7 and 9 year old kids who we brought along with us stayed engaged and got something out of it. I can't wait to read his book, I have ordered a copy for the church library since I didn't know copies would be available. It will make it to the shelves before too long, I will try to resist hogging it to myself first! Also, at the end Dr. Ward mentioned that his next project was to do a version for children aimed at 12 year olds, to which my 9 year old daughter said "Oh Mom, I hope he gets it done by 3 years 'cause that's when I'll be 12 and I could read it too!"
Thanks Phil for bringing Dr. Ward to speak and giving this sometimes weary homeschooling mom to renew her mind for an evening!
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