Planet theory another hidden gem in 'Narnia'

If your first reaction is disbelief when you hear that the Rev. Michael Ward found a secret code in C.S. Lewis' "Chronicles of Narnia" novels, he understands. It was his first reaction, too.

"On the face of it, it's far-fetched," he conceded. "But once I started looking at the evidence, there was absolutely no doubt."

A minister in the Church of England, he's well versed in the books' biblical symbolism. In fact, he was in the process of rereading them for his doctoral dissertation on their theological imagery when he stumbled on something that caused him to freeze. It was a cryptic code based on the concept of the Seven Heavens, the ancient theory of astronomy that predated Copernicus' discovery that the planets revolve around the sun.

"I'd been studying C.S. Lewis for years, and my first reaction was to doubt," he said. "But once I got the idea by the scruff of the neck, I couldn't let go of it. I threw out 18 months of work I'd done on my dissertation and refocused entirely on the planets."

The result was a book, "Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C.S. Lewis," and an accompanying international notoriety that is bringing him to the Twin Cities on Friday.

Ward expects there to be doubters in the audience. He's encountered many of them, even his fellow Lewis scholars. "It took me time to persuade others," he said. "But I'm pleased to say that I built a case that eventually persuaded everyone."

Let's start with the most obvious question: How could the code have been overlooked for 50 years in what are some of the best-read novels in the world?

His answer: Everyone was so focused on the religious symbolism that they didn't look for a second layer of hidden meaning. Plus, he said, it's not entirely accurate that no one ever saw this before. His research turned up three literary critics who had noted astrological references, but none of them realized it was a recurring theme.

As chaplain of St. Peter's College in Oxford, he knows that he also needs to address whether his theory contradicts the books' biblical underpinnings. He insists that it does not. The Bible makes multiple references to stars, he said, not the least of which is the Star of Bethlehem.

"It's clear that Lewis saw stars as spiritual symbols," Ward said. Being aware of the code "actually enhances the [books'] spiritual meaning."

He will speak at 7 p.m. Friday at St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church, 17205 County Rd. 6, Plymouth. Admission is free. His speech is the first in this season's Faith & Life Lecture Series. More information, including directions, is available on the series' website, www.faith-and-life.org.

A year and a half ago, Toby Waldowski presented the Minnesota premiere of the musical "Love Comes Softly." Since then, he and his wife, Barb, known for their 25-year musical ministry, have been staging the show throughout the Upper Midwest.

They've finally gotten back for a Twin Cities encore. There will be two performances next weekend at Peace Reformed Church in Eagan.

The show is based on the bestselling book by Christian author Janette Oke. In 2003, the story about a widowed pioneer on the American plains was the basis for a TV movie starring Katherine Heigl (now famous for "Grey's Anatomy"). Waldowski actually finished writing his adaptation in 1992; it just took him a little longer to get it produced.

Next weekend's performances, featuring a local cast, are at 7 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $10, $5 for ages 12 and under. The church is on Nicols Road between Diffley and Cliff Roads. (The address is 2180 Glory Dr., but that's basically a super-sized driveway.)

Jeff Strickler • 612-673-7392