This fall marks the 75th anniversary of one of the most beloved classics of modern literature. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, written by C.S. Lewis and first published in 1950, continues to captivate readers of all ages around the world.
The story has taken on many forms over the years, from stage productions to feature films, and remains one of the most recognizable works in literature.
Set during World War II, the book follows four siblings — Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy — who are evacuated from London to the countryside. There, they discover a wardrobe that transports them into the magical world of Narnia.
Dr. Christina Crenshaw, a professor at Arizona Christian University who teaches courses on Lewis, says part of the book’s enduring power lies in how it conveys deep truths through imagination.
“He would tell these biblical allegories through his science fiction and through Narnia,” Crenshaw explains. “It would invite children into a world where they could see goodness and truth and get to know God as Creator in a way that lasts for generations.”
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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the first of seven books in the Chronicles of Narnia series. In it, the children are drawn into the central conflict between good and evil. Edmund is lured away by the evil White Witch, only to be rescued by Aslan, the lion who serves as a Christ-like figure in the story.
“As kids start to engage the story, they realize this is spiritually forming them,” Crenshaw says. “The characters are not flawless, but the overarching theme is redemption—a Savior who comes to restore and reclaim what has been lost.”
To commemorate the 75th anniversary, publisher HarperCollins is launching a major campaign that includes bookstore events, new cover art for the series, and expanded marketing and educational outreach.
The Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., recently staged a theatrical production of the story, produced by Logos Theatre. Noah Stratton, the theatre’s president, says the response has spanned generations.
“Kids love it. Adults love it. Grandparents love it,” Stratton says. “There’s a beautiful simplicity to it, while still having so many layers of truth.”
The museum is also hosting an exhibit titled “Myth That Became Fact”, which explores Lewis’s journey from atheism to Christianity. Curator Wes Viner notes that Lewis initially rejected Christianity because of its resemblance to myth, but came to embrace it for the very same reason.
“He came to believe that maybe Christianity didn’t resemble myth because it was false,” Viner says. “Maybe myth resembled Christianity because Christianity was true.”
Lewis’s close friend, J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings, played a key role in that transformation. Lewis eventually rose to prominence during World War II, giving BBC radio broadcasts about the Christian faith. Those talks were later compiled into the book Mere Christianity.
Today, Lewis’s influence continues in print, on stage, and on screen. A new Netflix adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia is currently in development and is expected to be released next fall.
Seventy-five years after first stepping through the wardrobe, readers are still discovering Narnia, and finding meaning, hope, and wonder inside.
Learn More About the Museum of the Bible Exhibit: C. S. Lewis and the “Myth That Became Fact”
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