Narnian Scripture

Thursday evening starts the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, commemorating the revelation at Sinai. That revelation is a singular moment in Jewish history. It was at Sinai that the Ten Commandments were given. It was at Sinai that the Jews heard from God directly. It was at Sinai that God made a covenant with the Children of Israel and they became a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation.  

Many Jews have a custom to stay awake the entire first night of Shavuot studying Torah. While it is incorrect that the entire Torah was given at Sinai (some of it had not happened yet!), it is the Torah that binds together the Jewish nation, a nation that for centuries was divided into a myriad of subgroups due to geography, language, and culture. 

I find it striking then, that there is no scripture in Narnia. There is no written divine law. There is no record of the great Narnian heroes (the Narnians never read The Chronicles of Narnia). There is no central work that binds together all Narnians. Caspian may have rediscovered the “ancient” Narnian religion but there was no hidden scroll a la the Judean King Josiah. 

Now, perhaps I am incorrect. After all there are at least two epic Narnian poems: one about Fair Olvin and his battle with the Giant Pire, and the other is “the old tale of Prince Cor and Aravis and the horse Bree, which is called The Horse and his Boy.” We also know that Caspian’s nurse told him stories of Old Narnia. While such poems and stories do certainly teach (and one may argue teach better than students having to sit and study in school), it is difficult to say they are scripture. 

So, I do not have an answer as to why there is no scripture in Narnia - perhaps it reflects on the different outlooks between (my) Judaism and (Lewis’) Christianity. 

Either way, I hope all those celebrating Shavuot have a wonderful holiday and take the opportunity to learn some Torah!