Beyond the Wardrobe: Exploring Religious Inclusivity in Young Adult Literature

Meet Our Contributor:

Roy Edward Jackson is an assistant professor of education at Goshen College in Indiana with a focus on literacy. He holds degrees in English, Education and School Library Science. 

Beyond the Wardrobe: Exploring Religious Inclusivity in Young Adult Literature  by Roy Edward Jackson

​When brainstorming for this week’s post, I reached out to a dear friend who mentioned re-reading The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Having recently celebrated Easter, it got my mind thinking about how we approach texts with religious symbolism in our public classrooms. As an advocate for inclusive books and pedagogies in young adult classrooms, I naturally champion literature by and about BIPOC and LGBTQ+ authors and characters. I seek out books that reflect diverse family structures, settings that range from rural to urban, and characters whose socioeconomic challenges shape their stories. Striking a balance between new, diverse works and the traditional, often white male-centric canon is a task I approach willingly and with purpose.

​However, there are other facets of students' identities, like faith, that are important to consider regarding inclusion. Rudine Sims Bishop’s theory of mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors explains how books can reflect our own lives, offer views into others’ experiences, and let us step into different worlds. Sims Bishop argues that diverse literature helps readers understand themselves and others, making it essential for all young people. I had to ask myself if I was including religious diversity meaningfully in my pedagogies and the books I offer students? I borrowed a well-worn copy of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe from my department chair that had a sticker price of $1.95 on the cover (ah the good days) and began rereading. I found that if seeking places to start with regard to religious diversity and rich discussions of religious allegory, C.S. Lewis was it. Lewis offers an interesting approach mixing fantasy fiction that is easily accessible to students through both text and film, along with obvious Christian allegory. However, navigating this in the public classroom takes planning and care. 

When confronted with accusations of indoctrination regarding BIPOC and LGBTQ+ books, I often respond with clarity: no book has ever "made" a student gay or changed their racial or cultural identity. However, for many of us raised within Christian households and other faith traditions, the inclusion of religious content in classrooms can feel more precarious—particularly when concerns of proselytizing arise. Consider the coach who kneels to pray aloud with players before a game. While the Supreme Court has affirmed the coach's right to pray and students’ right to opt out, the inherent power imbalance cannot be ignored. The coach is likely not reciting prayers from multiple religious traditions, but instead from their own, placing unspoken pressure on players to conform for fear of social or athletic repercussions. The act, though legal, lacks inclusivity. I seek not to engage in power, but to be inclusive of all students. 

This is the tension I feel when approaching deeply religious and allegorical texts. For example, reading The Old Man and the Sea as a meditation on the Stations of the Cross or viewing The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe through the lens of Christian allegory can enrich our students' understanding of religious themes. Yet incorporating such texts may feel like uncharted territory for me—perhaps even contrary to my commitment to the separation of church and state. The question, then, is not whether these texts should be included, but how. How can I honor religious diversity in literature while maintaining ethical, inclusive pedagogies that do not privilege one belief system, tokenize traditions, or silence secular or non-religious perspectives? I believe it can be done.

In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis writes, “We must admit that the discussion of these disputed points has no tendency at all to bring an outsider into the Christian fold. So long as we write and talk about them we are much more likely to deter him from entering any Christian communion than to draw him into our own. Our divisions should never be discussed except in the presence of those who have already come to believe there is one God and that Jesus Christ is His only Son” (6). While I take issue with the latter portion of this statement—believing that discussions of religious diversity through allegorical literature, including Lewis’s own work, can be both significant and meaningful in our classrooms—I agree with his initial point: when approached with sound pedagogical practices, discussions of faith-based texts need not be a vehicle for indoctrination. Rather, they offer an opportunity for critical engagement, reflection, and inclusion.

A brief summary of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe follows four siblings (Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy) who are evacuated during the bombings of London at the height of WWII to an old professor’s house in the countryside. Lucy discovers a passage to another world, Narnia, through a wardrobe. Narnia is under the rule of the White Witch who makes it always winter in Narnia, but no Christmas. The great lion, Aslan, returns to free Narnia while Edmund has betrayed his siblings only to redeem himself with the help of Aslan who sacrifices himself in Edmund’s place. Aslan dies, is resurrected and ultimately defeats the White Witch and crowns the four children the kings and queens of Narnia.

Early in the story, characters in Narnia refer to the children as "sons of Adam" and "daughters of Eve," giving readers a clear biblical reference. In the Bible, Jesus calls himself the "door" to salvation, and the wardrobe that leads to Narnia can be seen as a symbol of that spiritual passage. Aslan’s death on the Stone Table reflects the Crucifixion, and his return to life mirrors Christ’s resurrection. Edmund’s betrayal closely parallels the story of Judas, which many readers will recognize. With the defeat of the White Witch—who represents evil—Christmas returns, symbolizing the arrival of hope and redemption. 

​These Christian allegories are ones that many students will have experience with on various levels and can academically begin wonderful discussions of themes like sacrifice, redemption, temptation, and the struggle between good and evil. These can be tied not just to biblical stories, but many other stories as well. 

​Another work by C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters, which I found in my office left by my predecessor and colleague, also offers something interesting for young readers. Written in the epistolary form, the book presents a series of fictional letters from a senior demon to his nephew, providing insight into moral and spiritual struggles through a clever and often humorous lens. Both of these books are age and content appropriate as well. 

After rereading the stories, I wondered about the insertion of religious allegory into the classroom and brainstormed how to approach this. I began where I often do, with student centered discussion and personal writing first. By placing myself out of the center of the discussion and responses I can ascertain students’ understanding of religious symbolism and, their personal identity with various faiths. The groundwork of acceptance and respect would be paramount to this. 

Armed with this knowledge of the individual and laying the groundwork of respect, I can intentionally group students of various faith backgrounds and religious symbolism understanding and begin activities. This could include activities like mapping Narnia, but through the religious allegory aspects to the action of the story. Students could work in groups to create clipart or memes of symbols and meanings as related to the story pivotal moments. Another activity is a structured debate on the moral choices of characters from both books. Students would be assigned roles to explore perspectives different from their own. This approach encourages empathy and critical thinking by requiring students to defend actions they may not personally agree with. For instance, what motivates the White Witch's cruelty? What in her backstory or worldview might explain her behavior? While the easy place to start, I would offer the best beginning is the intersection of morality and religion and spirituality. Students can identify and compare shared themes—such as temptation, redemption, good vs. evil, and free will—across both of Lewis’ texts that I presented here. As a fan of epistolary form, students could examine the format in The Screwtape Letters and apply that to The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and write letters in the voice of the children from the story that showcases their learned knowledge of religious allegory to their loved ones in London about Narnia. 

I’m always seeking ways to foster inclusion in my classrooms. As a professor at a Christian liberal arts college, and recently reflecting on the season of Easter, I’ve been thinking about how my approach to inclusion has evolved. I’m privileged at my current institution to openly make connections between faith and learning, but I also find myself reflecting on my two decades in public education. While I created space for students' faith knowledge and celebrations, I now wonder how I might have more intentionally incorporated religious allegory and symbolism—especially through texts like those of C.S. Lewis. This reflection has led me to consider how I can now help pre- and in-service teachers thoughtfully engage with these literary experiences in ways that are both inclusive and appropriate for their future classrooms.