All things Narnia
Calling Bob Green …
The Rev. Bob Green brought up an interesting issue Tuesday but my attempts to track him down have proved fruitless.
Green is pastor of a Broken Arrow church and a former president of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma.
During an annual meeting session on Tuesday he made a motion to direct Lifeway Christian Resources to review its policy regarding the distribution of fables and allegories. Lifeway, one of 12 convention entities and agencies,is a church enrichment ministry and literature publication venue for the denomination.
Green told messengers he wanted the agency to be directed to stop the sale and promotion of fables and allegories such as “The Chronicles of Narnia.”
Say what?
Pastor Green disappeared into a sea of his fellow Baptists before I could reach him. Efforts to send notes to him through other pastors were unsuccessful as well.
So I am stumped as to what Green meant by his motion and why.
As it turned out, the convention’s Committee on the Order of Business said Green’s motion was not in order because it sought to direct rather than request a convention entity to take action.
Messengers, my annual meeting agenda informed me, may offer motions which request but not direct, that an entity take action.
Therefore Green’s motion was squashed, but my interest was not.
“The Chronicles of Narnia,” C.S. Lewis’ beloved fiction series has been heralded for years as a Christian allegory. True, it is a great good vs. evil classic, but there is no question that many Christians have seen the series as wholesome for children and an evangelistic tool.
In the book, the characters Lucy and Susan, Edmund and Peter, are called “Daughters of Eve” and “Sons of Adam” respectively. Some see Aslan, the great lion, as a symbol of Christ — the “Lion of Judah.” And I would venture to say that the White Witch, another series character, with her wicked and deadly quest for power, is a symbol for Satan.
The Narnia series recently came to the forefront when one of the books in the series, “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe,” was made into a motion picture film through a partnership between Disney and Walden Media.
I know that many Oklahoma churches touted the film as an evangelistic tool, particularly for youths.
I’m hoping Rev. Green and I can connect soon so I can find out more about his concerns.
I know others are curious as well
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