The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Narnia Window, Holy Trinity Church

On December 9, 2005, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe will open in theaters around the world.

In 1998, I had the privilege of spending two weeks at Oxford and Cambridge Universities to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of C.S. Lewis, the author of the Chronicles. During the first week, I attended "A Celebration in Thoughts, Prayers and Readings" at Holy Trinity Church, Headington Quarry, the Anglican parish church where Lewis worshipped and is buried. As I entered the church, my eyes were immediately drawn to the beautiful window near the north aisle: the Narnia window. Installed in 1991, it is a memorial to the children of George and Kathleen Howe who died tragically young.

As I moved reverently across the church toward the window, I began to recognize "the Horse and His Boy," the unicorn, the lamp post, and Aslan. The service was beginning, so I made my way to a nearby pew. The Reverend Tom Honey, Vicar of Holy Trinity Church, called us to worship as we all stood to sing "Be Thou My Vision, O Lord of my heart." And then came the Collect, which few people have ever seen, but will make the upcoming film more meaningful:

Almighty God, who enlightened your Church by the teaching of your servant
Clive Staples Lewis, enrich it evermore with your heavenly grace, and raise
up faithful witnesses, who by their life and teaching may proclaim the truth
of your salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord.