Aslan, Caspian and Narnia are names that conjure up images of fantastic faraway worlds and epic adventures that are synonymous with C.S. Lewis. A series of lectures and discussions about this man will be taking place this fall.
Narnia on Tour is the collective effort of several Christian organizations, including Intervarsity Press and The Matthew’s House Project, to promote the works and ideas of 20th century author Lewis.
Lewis is world-renowned for his Christian literature that ranges from science-fiction and fantasy to theology. Some of his most famous works include The Chronicles of Narnia, Mere Christianity and The Great Divorce.
Various scholars have collaborated to bring a series of lectures and discussions to 30 different cities in America. All of these events are free and open to the public.
“The primary goal of the tour is to foster informed local conversation about Lewis, his faith, imagination and writing,” tour manager Zach Kincaid said.
The tour officially kicked off on October 10, with stops in Texas, Georgia and Michigan. It is reported that all sites participated in lively discussion about Lewis and Narnia. Nearly 120 people showed up for the lecture in Austin, Texas.
Students from Eastern will get an opportunity to hear David Downing present a lecture entitled “Numinous Elements in Narnia” when the tour passes through Philadelphia and Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.
Downing is a professor of English at Elizabethtown College and has written a number of books on C.S. Lewis, including Into the Wardrobe: The Narnia Chronicles and Planets in Peril: A Critical Study of C.S. Lewis’s Ranson Trilogy.
Downing will be speaking in Camp Hill on November 3 and in Philadelphia on November 5. Both of these appearances will be featured at Borders Books and Music. The Camp Hill Borders is located on Gettysburg Road and the Philadelphia site is on Wynnewood Avenue.
Besides this tour, Narnia has also garnered a lot of attention in the media lately. The beloved classic The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe will come to life on the big screen this December and already has Lewis fans excited.
The epic story will be the first of the Chronicles released, the rest of which are also scheduled to be made within the next few years. Following in the tradition of the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter series, Narnia will be a family-friendly film that will most likely gross millions of dollars in the box-office.
The movie trailer has already brought about positive reactions, and fans are anxiously awaiting the release, which features Liam Neeson as the voice of the great Aslan and Tilda Swinton as the White Witch.
This fall and winter seasons will mark the return of a great Christian thinker and author, as both the tour and film should prompt thoughtful, intelligent dialogue about a man who will not be forgotten.
Check www.narniaontour.com for more information.
Will Cunningham 
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Sophia Hunter