An Introduction AND RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSY

An Introduction AND RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSY

The Harry Potter Saga Story of young boy who discovers he is a wizard, destined to fight evil, covering the seven years (age 11-18) that he spends at Hogwart s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Best-selling book series of all time 400 million copies sold The seven books: Harry Potter and the Philosopher s (Sorcerer s) Stone -1997 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - 1998 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - 1999 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - 2000 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - 2003 Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince - 2005 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 2007 (sold more than 11 million copies on first day of release!)

J.K. Rowling J.K. Rowling (b. 1965) In 2004, became a US dollar billionaire (1st person ever to become a billionaire by writing books). Degree in Classics and French, worked for Amnesty International, later unemployed. Single mother Idea for Harry Potter came to her on a train, she wrote first book on lunch breaks and while unemployed. J.K. Rowling on religion: I go to church myself [but] I don t take any responsibility for the lunatic fringes of my own religion.

Harry Potter and Religious Communities - polarized views Harry Potter Book Burning Some conservative Christian denominations in the U.S. react to the success of Harry Potter with concern and sometimes fear Some conservative Christian denominations and most liberal denominations welcome Harry Potter - some churches hold Harry Potter Bible Study sessions

Harry Potter and Religious Communities - the controversy The main issue: the books deal with magic and witchcraft, which are forbidden in the Bible - for example, Deuteronomy 18:10-11: (American Standard Bible Translation): There shall not be found with thee any one...that uses divination, one that practices augury, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer, or a charmer, or a consulter with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer. Does reading a book about wizards = what is being prohibited above? Does the presence of magic and witchcraft in the HP books mean that they are advocating the practice of magic by Christian children? Debate on this question often takes three main forms

Harry Potter and Religious Communities - Issue #1: Fantasy vs Reality? Is the world of Harry Potter presented as a fantasy world, or as a real world? Is it different from The Chronicles of Narnia in this way? If a fantasy world, (read: completely fictional, imaginative, no connection to real world ) - does the challenge of Harry Potter in terms of religious response go away? If the world of Harry Potter is presented as a real world, what threat might Harry Potter present? Can children tell the difference between fantasy and reality?

The slippery slope argument - admiring witches and wizards in fiction leads to admiring them in real life? The quacks like a duck argument - if its called witchcraft, involves spells and potions, and talking to ghosts, it is exactly what God has forbidden, no matter what context it is found in? Fantasy vs Reality

Fantasy vs Reality The Satanism argument - If Satan is a real force, out to snare unwary minds with all tools at his disposal, wouldn t this include fantasy novels (especially ones that idealize witchcraft?) - Fantasy novels as tools of Satan?

Issue #2 - Good vs Evil Is Harry Potter really a good guy? Is Harry Potter a role model to follow, or one to avoid at all costs? If he s a role model to follow, what characteristics does he display that are admirable? If he s not, what characteristics does he display that make him a bad role model to be avoided?

Good vs Evil WWHPD? Can you (should you) use Harry Potter as a guide for making life choices? Harry Potter as a modern-day Grimm s Fairy Tale? Cosmic good vs evil, vs everyday good & evil - lack of black and white boundaries on everyday level undermine boundaries on cosmic level?

Issue #3 Secular vs Religious? Are the Harry Potter novels, (and Harry Potter s world) secular or religious? Most challenged books three years running (1999-2001), over 400 challenges on religious grounds. Can any set of books that can be seen as both a set of guidelines for Christian children to follow, AND a slippery slope down to Satanism and the Occult, NOT have some religious dimensions?

Harry Potter and the Philosopher s (Sorcerer s) Stone Plot: Harry discovers he s a wizard; goes to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; makes friends and enemies; thwarts Voldemort s plan to return to power; is saved from death by power of Mother s Love. Religious Themes: special birth, marked destiny, good vs evil, sacrificial love, trial by fire (purification of the soul)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Plot: Harry returns to Hogwarts, discovers the Chamber of Secrets, battles Tom Riddle/Voldemort, is saved by Ffawkes (phoenix) Religious Themes: good vs evil, demonic possession, sacrificial love, death/resurrection symbolism

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Plot: Sirius Black escapes from Azkaban, hunts Harry; Dementors hunt Black (and Harry); true traitor is revealed Religious Themes: good vs evil, dangers of doing/using evil for good purposes, spiritual defense against demons of hopelessness, despair

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Plot: Voldemort has returned, Death Eaters grow in power, Harry s name entered into TriWizard Tournament, battles Voldemort in graveyard, saved by ghosts of parents. Religious themes: good vs evil, spiritual champion, sacrificial love, grace...

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Plot: The Order of the Phoenix resists Lord Voldemort, Harry is tormented at school, takes occlumency lessons from Snape, is lured into trap trying to save Sirius; battles death eaters and Voldemort, Sirius is killed; Dumbledore reveals a Prophesy Religious Themes: good vs evil, prophesy, predestination, Dark night of the soul

Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince Plot: Potter uses a potions textbook owned by half-blood Prince to excel at potions; suspects Draco of being a death eater; learns about Voldemort s early years; discovers Voldemort has split his soul into seven pieces; works with Dumbledore to retrieve pieces; commits to leave school to pursue quest after Dumbledore s fall. Religious Themes: good vs evil, sacrificial love, faith

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Plot: Harry, Ron and Hermione set out on a quest to find and destroy the horcruxes within which Voldemort has hidden pieces of his soul. This is a difficult quest, with many obstacles. Harry finally realizes where the final Horcrux is hidden, and comes to accept the final task set for him by Dumbledore. Religious Themes: good vs evil, love, sacrifice, faith, afterlife, resurrection, redemption