The allure of Aslan
What makes this fictitious talking lion worth believing in?
Remember the first time you heard Aslan’s name? If you’ve read the story, remember how strange it felt to hear or read his name for the first time?
(If you haven’t read the story, do pick up C.S. Lewis’ charming children’s tale The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. It’s available on public domain.)
This fantasy lion’s name sounds alien, yet somehow familiar. Sonorous like a mysterious omen, but comforting, at the same time. And, even if it sounds alien, there’s a mysterious aura to the name that makes stick.
Repeat “Aslan” again and again, but its enchantment and enigma never really dies.
The allure of this name is surprising because Aslan isn’t fact. He lives only in C.S. Lewis’ mind. Yet, what he stands for often feels more real than fact:
— a love so radical it can change the world.
— a love so complete it heals all that is broken in our tired world
This fake lion can seem more real than fact because he embodies what our deepest selves crave for the most. That’s why Lewis once wrote,
Now, what would happen if Aslan somehow became fact?
And what would you do if you found out he already has?
