Judgement Day and Pietism vs. Calvinism (Formerly Re: Dumbledore's plan

[gary_braithwaite]

No: HPFGUIDX 177479

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Carol" <justcarol67 at ...>
wrote:
> <Snip>
> I think that LV returned to that state when the second AK was
> deflected onto him and killed him, and he'll remain there for all
> eternity (unless there's a Judgment Day, which JKR might or might
not
> imagine, but which is not implied in DH).
> <Snip>

Gary B.

Carol, actually I think that the canon has many references to a
judgement day.  The most obvious is -

as many have pointed out, inscribed on the tomb of Harry's parents
is "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death" (DH, ch 16,
AmEd, p. 328)which is from 1 Corinthians 15:26.   This is not a
common quotation within the context of the famous description of
Paul of the resurrection and the second coming.  The entire passage
ends with the more familiar "Death, where is thy sting?" from Paul.
Resurrection promised eternal life after the end-time -- therefore,
no one should fear death.  This is a message that clearly Tom Riddle
missed given his life and his overwhelming fear of death even to the
extent of splitting his soul to 'cheat' death.  Obviously not well
understood by the brothers in the tale inside of DH.

As had been pointed out several times, Harry actually misunderstands
the inscription upon reading it and gets very upset at what he sees
as a Death Eater statement.

Perhaps from Muggles Sunday school or her extra readings, Hermione
does not-- "It doesn't mean defeating death in the way the Death
Eaters mean it, Harry," said Hermione, her voice gentle. "It
means . . . you know . . . living beyond death. Living after death."
(Ibid.)

By the end of the book, Harry has not only come to understand its
meaning, but he acts without fearing death at least twice to his
ultimate and more than a bit lucky triumph.  His discussions in the
woods with the four dead who express no regrets at their choices and
death reinforces his will.  He is the good child of his self-
sacrificing mother in the end.   This knowledge becomes his secret
weapon against LV (regardless of blood, wands, old magic, etc.) – HP
cannot beat LV one on one, but perhaps he can through self-
sacrifice.

Ranging a bit -- Reading the recent discusions of Rowling and
Calvinism, I was wondering if those involved thought of an earlier
Bible verse also found in the cemetery in DH, chapter 16 on
Dumbledore's mother's and sister's tomb -- "Where your treasure is,
there will your heart be also." (DH, AmEd, p 325).

This is taken from the King James Bible, Matthew 6:21 and Luke 12:34
and is a part of the Sermon on the Mount.  Among the many messages
of the Sermon are about how a faithful person is supposed to live,
how choices must be made to live that life, and what the
implications are of living faithfully.

These are more central tenets of the German Pietists who wrote at
the same time as lawyer John Calvin.   According to my wife, a
teacher of the reformed tradition in a seminary, their vision has
passed down to us through Whitefield and the Wesleys to rather
overwhelming numbers today.

They stressed emotions, choices, and redemption rather in contrast
to the extreme Calvinism of the Dutch and TULIP with total depavity
of the body/soul/intellect/will, limited atonement (Christ died only
for saving the elect), unconditional election, etc.  Rather hard to
find a real TULIP Calvinist nowadays although post-modern literary
criticism sometimes comes across as such -- Harry is the hero, so he
must win in the end.  Yes, perhaps, however, the journey is what
keeps readers, not the ending itself.

I would argue that Harry's and Draco's lives over the seven books
illustrate more a pietist view than a Calvinist one although in a
children's book this is all perhaps overboard.  Especially as our
very emotional teenagers illustrate in the books -- everyone can
make bad choices and good choices -- witness our Harry using a
forbidden curse at one point on Callow in DH or the unnecessarily
violent reactions of five Gryffindors (Harry, Ron, Hermione, George
and Fred) against the racist comments, but still just words of Draco
in GoF -- the key is where that they wind up by the end.  They all
fight for and one dies in defense of the good cause.

The point is not what church Rowling may or may not attend or even
what she may believe or say today.  I buy into the school that it
says it is more fruitful to focus on what the text of book says to a
reader.

However, I do concede one major point to the Calvinist
interpretation -- although Slytherin Draco demonstrates that
the 'bad' can elect not to kill and thus show their inner self is
not Death Eater as well as reveal something of changing paths in
their later actions, I just wish Rowling had shown a single
Gryffindor 'choose' to go over to the Death Eaters to factor this
into the discussion.

I had hoped for such a shocker in DH, Seamus perhaps, or short of
that, the ridiculous Romilda Vane or the Ravenclaw Cho -- as a
potential Harry betrayer.  Peter Pettigrew is perhaps the only one
(DH, ch 33, AmEd. p. 672 finally settled this question, I think).

Gary B.  (my apologies for ranging a bit wide and far.)