Anglican leaders have encouraged families to see film that cost 62 million British pounds (US$108 million) to make and features stars like Liam Neeson, Rupert Everett, Ray Windstone and Tilda Swinton, that starts on 7 December.

Evangelical publishing house Christian Publishers and Outreach has reached an agreement with the film's makers - Hollywood giant the Walt Disney Organization - to push the story's Christian theme in Britain's churches during the Christmas and New Year season.

One parish in the southern England county of Kent - St Luke's, Maidstone - is handing out 10 000 pounds (US$17 500) worth of tickets to single parents.

Priests are being encouraged to write Christmas sermons around the tale of the Pevensie family children who stumble through an old wardrobe into another world known as Narnia "where it's always winter but never Christmas".

Lewis's message to non-believers in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is that everyone is called into Narnia to meet, and perhaps serve, a powerful Lion King called Aslan - seen as depicting Christ - but that few are chosen.

Indeed, one of the chosen youngsters - Susan - quickly grows tired of life under righteousness and returns to her normal home "interested," says author Lewis, "in nothing except nylons and lipsticks and invitations".

With Christian church attendance at an all time low throughout Britain and new legislation allowing round the clock drinking, alcoholism and drug taking are at an all time high. Many believers feel modern day "Susans" might well be in the majority.

Regular churchgoers have said they will be intrigued to see how many of the non-faithful this film will attract to normally empty church pews around the feast of the birth of Jesus.

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