Religion in US, UK, Hogwarts Schools (was I saw (more than) three ships ...

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 128539

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Karen Barker" 
<karenabarker at y...> wrote:
> 
> > Betsy wrote:
> 
> > I do not think Hogwarts is a "Christian" school - anymore than 
Eaton 
> > is. 
> 
> I hate to throw a spanner in again, but Eton most definitely is a 
> Christian school.  Most British Public schools are. 

Geoff:
I think that this question of schools is reflected in other areas. 
Although much of British society is now secular, it needs to be 
remembered that a huge swathe of institutions in the UK came 
originally from Christian sources. The public schools, ranging from 
the big ones such as Eton and Harrow down to smaller, more locally-
supported institutions spring immediately to mind.

But hospitals are also often linked to Christian backgrounds - they 
often sprang from the infirmaries of the old abbeys and monasteries. 
Likewise our political institutions and ideas of social welfare. Look 
at the work done by folk like Shaftesbury to remove child labour and 
Wilberforce to abolish slavery as an example.

It was in the long period of development of social conscience over 
many centuries, underpinned by Christian belief, that Hogwarts was 
also developing its ethos and traditions. So I see no reason why the 
school and its staff should not adopt and reflect the mores of the 
times it lived through. I feel Jo Rowling has in her creation of the 
school that it was part of the view that we should work towards 
making things better for those around us (whether this was overtly 
religious or not) that led folk like the four founders to come 
together to better the lot of magically gifted children, whether 
pureblood, half-blood or Muggle.

Some people on this group seem to relish rubbishing the influence of 
Christianity in general and deride those of us who stand up for its 
message but without the influence of those who accepted the teaching 
and salvation offered by Christ, the world would be a very different 
place today. And so might Hogwarts?