Meryl Streep as Aslan doesn’t have to be an attack on Christianity

I grew up loving CS Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia. Aslan was one of those characters who made the story feel like much more than a children’s fantasy, because rather than just being the king of Narnia, he also represented Jesus Christ. This is confirmed by his famous line to Lucy: “But in your world, I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name.” 

Recently, it was announced that Meryl Streep would be voicing the role of Aslan in Greta Gerwig’s new Narnia adaptation, The Magician’s Nephew. Gerwig said she wanted someone over 70 who “had gravitas but not morose self-seriousness, with a wisdom of experience but also the capacity of fresh wonder like a child.” Streep, she said, was perfect for the role.

The decision has attracted a lot of backlash, especially from evangelical Christians who have accused the film of blasphemy and gender-bending a Christ figure. 

We don’t have to treat moments like this as constant threats to our faith

Isabel Brown, host of The Real Daily Wire, said Aslan was more than just an allegory for Christ; he is how the creatures of Narnia experience Christ in their world - just as we experience Jesus as an incarnate man in ours. As well as being “a slap in the face” to the genius of Lewis, the decision was also “a deliberate mockery of Christianity that is 100% intentional” she said.

Jenna Ellis, host of American Family Radio called Gerwig’s casting choice “profaning Christ with the divine feminine”, while L David Fairchild, pastor of Cross and Crown Church in Texas, said the casting was “an act of creative vandalism, pretending to be artistic sophistication.”

“Gerwig was handed one of the most beloved works of Christian fiction in [the] 20th century and decided that even the central figure needed her brilliant editorial correction,” he added.

Art, or theology?

Of course, this is not the first time people have strongly objected to pop culture’s interpretation of an element our faith. Last year, Cynthia Erivo’s titular role in Jesus Christ Superstar sparked backlash from religious groups, with many people accusing the production of blasphemy.

On one hand, I understand why some Christians may feel uncomfortable with the casting choice. But the film has not yet been released. We don’t know how Streep will depict the character or indeed whether Gerwig has actually changed Aslan’s gender, as most Christians have already assumed.

Our Christian beliefs shouldn’t depend on fantasy films or Hollywood

We don’t have to treat moments like this as a threat to our faith. In fact, I see them used as opportunities for Christians to examine how grounded we are in what we believe. I would like us to respond with discernment rather than fear.

Discerning the truth

For instance, instead of concluding that a woman voicing Aslan is an attack on Christ and a form of matriarchy, we could assess whether Aslan is still recognisably the Christ figure that Lewis created after we’ve watched the film.

Is Aslan’s authority, goodness and relationship with the other characters still presented in a way that reflects the original Christian themes? Or has the film actually changed something fundamental about the character’s meaning? Those questions can only be debated and answered once the film has been released.

Christians have every right to care about how Aslan is depicted, and we don’t have to abandon our discernment just because something is labelled as ‘creative’ or ‘art’. But this could also be an opportunity to examine where we draw the line between a legitimate Christian concern and our own long-standing attachment to how Aslan is represented.

Narnia was never meant to be a meticulous allegory of biblical truth. Aslan is not the Christ. A movie is not the Bible. As Christians, how we view Christ will always be based on what’s in scripture, not the cinema.