Referring to the scene in which Lucy sees Aslan for the first time, for example, Burkart shares an anecdote about Lewis's journey from waiting and watching for joy to experiencing joy in a region not "clothed in the senses." Lewis's own walk through spiritual darkness is reflected in the scene where Lucy wonders why she can see Aslan and her siblings can't. She writes:

In Lucy's struggles to convince her siblings that she had seen Aslan, we find parallels to Mary Magdalene's attempts to convince the disciples that Jesus had risen. Remember how Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene and at first she did not know him? In relying only on her eyes, she did not recognize him. However, when he spoke her name, calling out "Mary," she turned and recognized him (John 20-17). Jesus then asked her to tell his apostles that she had seen him, like Aslan asked Lucy to tell her siblings she had seen him.

Lucy's siblings eventually see Aslan. What prevents us from seeing God's presence? As Burkart notes, this kind of perception requires more than physical sight.

Although some Christian readers consider the Narnia stories allegorical, Lewis didn't intend them to be. In an interview with Radio Iowa, Burkart said Lewis "did come right out and say that these books [are] not an allegory but a supposal, meaning, what if Christ were to come into this world like a lion as Aslan, what would transpire?"

Whether allegorical or "supposal," the Narnia books provide spiritual lessons simple enough for a child to understand yet engaging enough for adults living a life through Christ in a fallen world. Finding Purpose in Narnia: A Journey with Prince Caspian will help parents, church leaders, and educators explain why C. S. Lewis's books are edifying to Christians of any age.

(Watch the trailer for "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian," which premieres Friday, May 16.)