Dear Church Leader,
As a life-long C.S. Lewis fan, and a pastor for twenty-five years, I am excited not only about the wholesome entertainment value of the second film in the Chronicles of Narnia series, but also about the tool the film can be for churches and ministries. I’ve been told that the awareness level of Prince Caspian is running over 95%, which means that over 9 out of 10 people you run into, whether in church, or on the street, know about the movie. What an incredible opportunity to use something as much fun as a great film to enhance your ministry!
I have been asked to point out several of the most relevant spiritual themes in the film that might be used for messages, discussions, small group interaction, or other creative ideas. Here is the last of four:
Message Four: Fight the Good Fight.
Of all of the Chronicles, Prince Caspian is by far the most militant. As a professor of Medieval Literature, Lewis was an expert in the fields of medieval warfare and chivalry. Having fought and been injured in World War I, and writing the Chronicles shortly after the end of World War II, Lewis believed there was a place for going to battle for the cause of good against evil. Prince Caspian involves a number of battles. Both in the book, and in the film, the forces of good are not always victorious. Lewis had a very realistic assessment that spiritual warfare is not easy. It is much like the great battles and wars of history where steadfastness and persistence are required to win.
This is a good model of the reality of spiritual warfare we are given in the New Testament. Caspian can be used to teach the lessons of the reality of war, the necessity of wearing the "full armor," and the ultimate victory that only can be achieved by "Aslan."
