The Role of Religion in the Potterverse

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 186233

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Carol" <justcarol67 at ...> wrote:
>
> Geoff wrote:
> > <snip> This is where perhaps the confusion over Christ-figure has arisen, it may be a question of semantics and our use of the word. I do not accept that any human can die to carry the sins of others and ensure the salvation of their soul. A human can die in self-sacrifice to save other people physically but that is the limit. Hence, in my book, the only Christ figure is Christ himself. ,snip>
 
Carol:
> I understand and respect your feelings, but can you suggest another term in place of the conventional term "Christ figure" for a (fully human) character who resembles Christ in certain characteristics (such as love, humility, and self-sacrifice) without being Christ himself? ("Everyman" won't do; it's a different concept altogether.) Since it's possible to interpret a number of literary characters in this way (Gandalf, for example), we need a term for the concept, and "Christ figure" is the only one I know of that is actually used and commonly recognized. In the eyes of the literary critics who use this term, a Christ *figure* is no more Christ himself than a father *figure* is literally the father of the person who sees him in these terms. We could, for example, compare DD and Snape as father figures for Harry and Draco, respectively, with no delusions as to either of them being the character's actual father, just as we can see Harry as a Christ figure with no delusions as to his being Christ (or even Christ*like* in all respects).

Geoff:
I think that your suggestion of a comparison with "father figure" is not 
entirely valid. A person *can* be a father figure in that they can fulfil 
every requirement except that of being the biological father of the person 
concerned.

For me, a Christ figure would have to fulfil the same work as Jesus himself. 
Since no one is God in human form or sinless, I maintain that they could 
not be such a person. Part of this has arisen in the past when various 
people suggested that Harry was Christ which I do not correlate with 
being a father figure.

My general answer would be that a person can be both Christ-like and 
everyman. Harry, like many folk in the real world, can be so labelled. I 
believe that all Christians should be Christ-like or strive to be so. Harry 
is an everyman in the sense that we are; if we are honest, we all fall 
short of being perfect both in our own estimation and that of others. 
Some of us fall shorter than others, As an example, I look at those who 
have devoted their lives to dealing with the poor (Mother Teresa for
instance) and realise how much more I could do - and don't.