Like many, I’ve been reading C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia in light of the upcoming movies. Although touted as a Christian statesman, there are glaring deficiencies in Lewis’ theology which manifest themselves most clearly in the last installment of the Chronicles, the Last Battle.

Towards the end of the novel which is the end of the series, Aslan (the God-figure) has brought the “shadow” Narnia to a close and his people to the real Narnia. Yet our main characters soon encounter Emeth, a Calormene, an enemy soldier and worshipper of the rival god Tash in their paradise! How could this be?

Emeth explains that Aslan welcomed him on the basis that “all service thou hast done to Tash, I account as service done to me.” Aslan continues “if any man swear by Tash and keep his oath for the oath’s sake, it is by me that he has truly sworn, though he know it not, and it is I who reward him. And if any man do a cruelty in my name, then, though he says the name Aslan, it is Tash whom he serves and by Tash his deed is accepted. Dost thou understand, Child?”

We understand all too well.

Lewis, though heralded as a beacon of conservative Christian theology has adopted a very non-conservative view of salvation known as inclusivism. The question is: must someone have explicit knowledge of Jesus Christ to be saved or can they pursue some vague notion of God and salvation and still be accepted? Bluntly: is Jesus Christ the only way to salvation?

Lewis says no. And lest we hope that this was a literary device rather than his theology, we do well to heed the account found on page 276 of C.S. Lewis: A Biography by Roger Lancelyn Green. Lewis states, “I had some ado to prevent Joy and myself from relapsing into Paganism in Attica! At Daphni it was hard not to pray to Apollo the Healer. But somehow one didn’t feel it would have been very wrong - would have only been addressing Christ sub specie Apollinis.”

Lewis’ sentiments, though warm and fuzzy are anything but Scriptural. Not only do they fly in the face of the words of Jesus Himself who said “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me (John 14:6),” but they rob the Cross of its significance. The early Church understood that “there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).” Indeed, Scripture is clear Christ must be believed in the heart and confessed with the lips (Romans 10:9-10) and that “he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God (John 3:18).” There is no way around that there is no other way in.

In light of Lewis’ high stature, this is a sobering reminder to us all to follow the example of the Bereans who tested even the words of Paul against Scripture (Acts 17:11). While we all know people who do not claim Christ as their savior and we desperately want them to be “in,” we must not try to widen the narrow path in the process. Rather, we should all feel the fire of evangelism deep within us. Instead of trying to include people who may not have heard, why are we not trying to make sure everyone hears?

Read more about the Inclusivism debate.
Learn more about C.S. Lewis.
Read the Chronicles of Narnia.
Watch the trailer for The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.

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