Book Reviews & Pullman is Lockhart

[pennylin]

No: HPFGUIDX 60542

Hi --

Richelle asked if I could "rate" the books I reviewed (and since a few others asked off-list), I'll give it a try.  It actually would probably depend on a variety of subjective factors ...... each of those books are really different in style.  I'll just try to make some notes on style.

God, the Devil & Harry Potter by John Killinger ----- **** (4.5 stars) ----- Killinger is an easy read; his prose flows nicely.  He's a pastor of Episcopalian/Anglican background, and so his theological bent suited me well.  

A Charmed Life: the Spirituality of Potterworld by Francis Bridger  -- **** (4 stars) ----- I liked his message (he approaches the subject really more from a broad-based humanist point of view and not so much from the vantage point of his Christianity).  His prose and style isn't as flowing as Killinger, IMHO.  I think he makes a number of very good points, and I think this book in particular could be easily enjoyed by a non-Christian.  

Hidden Key to Harry Potter by John Granger --- **** (4.5 stars) ---- Granger has a very conversational style, which makes this an enjoyable read.  There is more here than just Granger trying to sell the HP series as Christian allegory.  His sections on alchemy and alchemical interpretations ought to be of interest to a wide variety of readers.

Connie Neal's two books on Christianity & HP -- *** (3 stars) ---- Connie is very evangelical and her prose reflects this.  Non-Christians probably aren't going to find much of interest to them in either of these books.  

Switching back to mine and Kia's ongoing debate about Granger's work:

<<<<<<<But there is a difference between pointing out that Rowling's 
work right now is not outright Christian and cannot be compared 
with Lewis and Tolkien and starting to speculate heavily on her 
attending the Church of Scottland and on symbolism which 
might have mundane explanation. One is a fact and the other is 
an assumption and speculation on future plot developements. 
Harry surviving the Voldemort attack, is not the same as Aslan 
coming back to life in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. 
It's not so cut and dried in Rowling's work, that you can 
immediately  identify her as Christian author.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

It's my understanding that Lewis and Tolkien both experienced similar attacks on their works from religious groups at the time of publication.  I don't think it's a question of Lewis & Tolkien always being regarded as accepted Christian authors.  Same with Harry Potter: only time will tell.  I also think it's illogical to conclude that unless HP is *overtly* and *undeniably* Christian, then HP cannot be compared with Lewis and Tolkien.  Huh?  Not following you there.  

Penny wrote:

>He identifies the same Christian symbolism in the griffin,
>unicorn, phoenix, red lion, hippogriff and centaurs.
...
> Killinger argues that the world of magic and miracles is
>part of the Judeo-Christian heritage. He also points out that the 
>notion that the dead can assist the living, which is ever-present 
>in the Potterverse, is also a concept familiar to many 
>Christians.


Kia: And this is where there is a logical fallacy is involved - 
something turns up in Christian mythology therefore it must be 
Christian. Red lions, phoenix, ressurections, centaurs, the dead 
aiding the living are not Christian inventions. Christianity didn't 
invent them.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

No, the symbols are not originally Christian symbols, nor are they uniformly interpreted as Christian symbols by everyone.  But, that doesn't mean that Rowling didn't *intend* them to be Christian symbols.  Neither of us knows what her intent was or was not, but I don't think it is illogical for these Christian authors to note that these various symbols do have historical Christian meanings, even if such meanings are not exclusively Christian.  Again, I'm not following your argument so very much. 

>He believes that indomitable hope is perhaps the strongest
>message of the Harry Potter novels 

Kia: <<<<<<<Hope is older than Christianity and I suspect it's even older 
than religion itself. Claiming it as exclusively Christian theme 
has me in a disagreeable mood.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Killinger didn't claim hope was an exclusively Christian theme, Kia.  You're taking things out of context.  

Penny

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