Christian themes in DD's death(was:Book 7, Dumbledore)

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 154059

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Kathryn Lambert <anigrrrl2 at ...> wrote:

Barbara Kraus:
> >> I think this is a wonderful story and a world I would like to
> enter...but do you really think that J.K. Rowling was trying to
> write in parallels to the Bible? I think you do a disservice to
> her... The Harry Potter stories are so well-written - <snip> -
> when I read the biblical comparisons here, I can only think...oh,
> please. Give me a break. <<

>Katie:
> I have to agree with Barbara. I think that reducing great literature
> to Bible allegory fails to see the beauty of the story itself. I am
> not Christian, but I went to 12 years of parochial school, and I know
> the Bible pretty dang well. I have to say that I see no connections
> in HP. I feel (in my opinion) that people who try to see Christian
> stuff in HP are in some way assuaging some misplaced guilt about
> being Christian and reading about witches. It just isn't there! There
> is no Christian allegory in HP. Is JK even Christian? And even if she
> is, what would be the purpose of making the HP books some big
> Christian thing? No offense - please - I am not hating on Christians,
> I just don't understand why everything has to relate to religion! I
> am a pretty faithful pagan, and I don't relate everything I do, read,
> or see to my religion.
> 
>   Now, I am also a fan of the Narnia series, which is a well-known
> and purposeful allegory to the Bible, but the story of Narnia can
> also be read without looking for Christian themes, and still be a
> wonderful and magical story. Can't we all just read HP for what it
> is? - a fantastical and magical and unique work of literature that
> has ennervated a whole generation of people to love reading
> again...and not a Bible story.
> 
>   Please, no offense meant, just not getting the whole Christian
> theme.
> 
>   Peace, Katie

Geoff:
Way back in September 2004, there was a thread running called 
(surprise, surprise!) "Christianity & HP"

In message 112276, I wrote the following:

<quote>
Let me say to start with that, as regular members of the group 
may well know [to their cost :-)], I am a practising evangelical 
Christian.

Regarding the Christian reaction to Harry Potter, I have said 
previously that I was silly enough at the beginning to allow 
myself to be influenced by some members of my church who 
raised their hands in horror and proclaimed "Harry Potter is a 
bad thing". I then saw the second film to start with and having 
read all the books and seen all the films, I am a convinced HP fan 
and have discovered many other folk in my church who share my 
views - so not all real Christians are anti-Potter. I have found many 
of the themes useful with the young  people's group within my 
church to point up certain facets of  Christ's teaching.

Jo Rowling worships at a Church of Scotland church and is on 
record as saying she is a Christian so this is going have some 
influence on her approach. However, like Tolkien, who was also 
a Christian, her  world is not overtly Christian but is you look 
around you, there are evidences of subliminal Christian influence. 
Both she and Tolkien have written books in which Christian values 
and ideals can be seen if you look for them in contrast to C.S.Lewis 
whose "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe" is openly intended 
to introduce children to the ideas of Christianity. Various books 
have been mentioned. May I add to the list "The Gospel according 
to Harry Potter: Spirituality in the stories of the world's favourite 
Seeker" by Connie Neal. A very interesting read. We can see how 
many of the driving themes of the books such as "choices" can be 
linked to Christian teaching.
</quote>

As I said in that previous post, I do not believe that Tolkien or JKR 
try to make Middle-Earth or the Wizarding World overtly Christian. 
Under no circumstances would I call LOTR or HP allegory. Tolkien 
is on record as saying that he hated allegory in all its forms. The 
only person who did that consciously was C.S.Lewis.

I have said in the past that JRRT and JKR, as Christians, write from 
their own world view and therefore you can sense the underlying feel. 
Neither of them preach to the reader; we are left to work things out 
for ourselves. 

To that end, I would disagree with some fellow Christians who try to 
tie things neatly together, such as equating Dumbledore to Christ or 
Harry to Christ or some other symbolic link. I have always seen Harry 
as an "everyman", representing us on our journey through life. If I dare 
mention "the medium that dare not speak its name", I am currently 
watching the first HP DVD (again!!) and, in an interview on the second 
disc, David Heyman, the series producer makes almost the same comment.

In Harry, I can see myself so much when I was his age. Over-confident; 
nervous; brash; uncertain; learning that the blacks and whites at eleven 
years old come to  include the dark and light greys of sixteen. I can almost 
match Harry in my first experience of inviting a girl to a dance – the 
outcome was much the same.

Of course, other matters from sources outside her faith come in; likewise 
with JRRT and CSL. But the overall underpinning of the series, as I see it, 
reveals her respect and belief in things Christian.

But that, as Steve often remarks, is just one man's view.