Into the Wardrobe

I think I found what you were refering to, Lucy. Digory is speaking to Peter near the end of TLB.

"When Aslan said you could never go back to Narnia, he meant the Narnia you were thinking of. But that was not the real Narnia. That had a beginning and an end. It was only a shadow or a copy of the real Narnia which has always been here and always will be here: just as our world, England and all, is only a shadow or copy of something in Aslan's real world. You need not mourn over Narnia, Lucy. All of the old Narnia that mattered, all the dear creatures, have been drawn into the real Narnia through the Door. And of course it is different; as different as a real thing is from a shadow or as waking life is from a dream."

I'm very glad a reread this bit; it makes me feel a little different about TLB.

well, He (Aslan) does mention that because rabadash has appealed to tash, he can only be cured in his temple.

i've never really thought about this before, so don't take this as a solid, theologically sound idea, but you know how people argue & get hung up over who is in "control" of our world? a lot of people truly believe that satan has ultimate control over earth, & that he has the authority over it.... to some extent i realize that there are consequences to sin, and that he is most definitely present as a result of it... but the extremity to which people take that idea doesn't always hold with most of what the Bible has to say on the matter (resist the devil, he will flee from you... etc.)

when i was younger i automatically associated Aslan's decree (that rabadash will be cured in the temple of tash as a result of appealing to tash) with having something to do with tash having the authority in calormene... but now i'm not sure how doctrinally sound that is...

i'm sorry if i haven't communicated this very well. any thoughts on the authority of tash, and his presence in narnia (in the LB) ONLY as a result of being called upon?

They are great points! Yes, the appearance of Tash in Narnia is because of his being called on - but with Aslan's permission. It is such a clear picture of God standing back and allowing humans on earth to make bad choices and reap the results of them. Sad and terrible.