Harry Potter author reveals books' Christian allegory, her struggling faith
After years of averting questions on whether Christian themes were present in her wildly popular Harry Potter books, author J.K. Rowling finally opened up this week about the Christian allegory in her latest book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."
by Elena Garcia, Christian Today Correspondent
Posted: Friday, October 19, 2007, 8:44 (BST)
After years of averting questions on whether Christian themes were present in her wildly popular Harry Potter books, author J.K. Rowling finally opened up this week about the Christian allegory in her latest book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."
During a press conference at the kick-off of her "Open Book Tour" on Monday, the British author told reporters that while religious themes were always present she purposely refrained from referencing any particular religion in order to conceal the ending.
"To me, [the religious parallels have] always been obvious," Rowling said. "But I never wanted to talk too openly about it because I thought it might show people who just wanted the story where we were going."
And where did the story end up? (Spoiler warning: Read no further if you don't want to find out what happens.)
Apparently, the last installment of the series is about resurrection and life after death.
In "Deathly Hallows," Harry visits his parents' graves at Godric's Hallow and sees two biblical references on his parents' tombstones, reading: "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death," and "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
The first refers to 1 Corinthians 15:26 and the second is a direct quote from Jesus in Matthew 6:19.
By the end of the book, Harry becomes the "Master of Death" and "resurrects" from the dead the spirits of his parents, his godfather, Sirius Black and his old teacher Remus Lupin.
"They're very British books, so on a very practical note Harry was going to find biblical quotations on tombstones," Rowling explained. "[But] I think those two particular quotations he finds on the tombstones at Godric's Hollow, they sum up - they almost epitomize the whole series."
The book also begins with two religiously-themed epigraphs - one Christian, the other pagan.
Even though her books contain religious themes, the church-going author revealed that she struggles with believing in a basic Christian tenet of life after death.
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Have your say on this article
The comments below are readers' personal opinions and are in no way intended to reflect the editorial opinion of Christian Today.
Added: Monday, January 7, 2008, 5:16 (GMT)
Why are people so critical of a story? I think it was a very nice story it even got my cousins boy to read her books and let me tell ya that init's self was an accomplishment. so I say great job J.K. I wish you luck and fast writing and hope to see more books like Harry Potter. thanks again .. barrelgirl.....
barrelgirl, Montana
Added: Sunday, January 6, 2008, 16:20 (GMT)
"you are out to lunch" "You do know the word of God" "This breaks God's heart. This a abomination. And, you are no Christian. " "sad attempt to silence me" "You are the liar." "God testifies against every lying thing you have said. Again, you are the liar."
Do you listen to yourself? Someone's taking things a little personally, talk about an ad hominem fallacy. I have just about as much right to say that "YOU are out to lunch" "YOU are no Christian" "YOU are the liar" and "God testifies against every lying YOU have said." Also, any attempt to oppose my comment is a "sad attempt to silence me."
PLEASE, tell me darling, that you have at least read SOME part of the book before calling everyone a liar in the name of God. Not only have you not countered ANY of Michael's corrections, particularly in your quoting of Galatians 3:1-which shows just how ignorant YOU are of the bible's meanings-you seem to just like to repeat "witchcraft witchcraft witchcraft" over and over again. What true Christian who loves one's neighbors, would use the Lord's name to defend one's personal ego. Even your lengthy quotation of Michael at the beginning is dealt with a simple "You're out to lunch, you are a liar, it's witchcraft I tell you it's witchcraft." I suppose the next thing you'll go out to do is burn homosexuals on the stake and condone the death penalty for stealing.
Guess what it IS witchcraft. THANK YOU DARLING, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T FIGURED IT OUT YET, and YOU'RE THE SELF-PROCLAIMED PROPHET THAT WILL SHINE GOD'S LIGHT ON US.
Personally I believe that the Christian who can read witchcraft, resist its appeal, and stand strong under the name of God is more devout than any Christian who wants to ban and burn everything non-Christian in sight.
Oops, am I going to hell for saying that? I'd like to know.
As for children, they'll have their imaginations whether they're exposed to these books or not. Maybe you should just stifle the imaginations of the children of the world, think no evil think no evil eh?
It is not just "getting the kids to read again," it teaches morality, perhaps not in the same way that you would, and I would think that by the time these children are older, they wouldn't go back and say "hmm, I really question my faith, I mean those Harry Potter books were just soooooo appealing that I don't believe in Christianity anymore." If that indeed does happen, just goes to show how ineffective their Christian upbringing is.
I just hope when the time comes when your children grow up to do that, you wont burn them at the stake, and will respect their opinions like any mature adult. (oops, I think I slipped out another ad hominem attack, but I suppose it's OK considering you find nothing wrong with using it). PLEASE if there're ANY statistics on children losing their faiths over Harry Potter books PLEASE PLEASE POST IT HERE. At least then you'll have some REAL evidence to back you up on the whole "ITS WITCHCRAFT, THEY'll BE HEATHENS I TELL YOU HEATHENS"
The whole "exposure to evil" thing, I would personally see as a test of one's faith (if it's even a test at that), an obstacle course for strengthening belief rather than a "horrible pestilence that will destroy our children and eat their souls from the inside."
Good lucky with functioning as a logical human being dannygirl, I just hope you don't end up killing anyone, considering you DO speak in the name of God every other line.
Sarah H., St. Paul, USA
Added: Friday, November 9, 2007, 5:11 (GMT)
Michael from Michigan
"doesn't reflect a thorough understanding of what the word "liar" mean, you are making a judgment on other people. Judging others is a sin, so in the process of you trying to show others that they are doing something wrong, which I will argue is not wrong, you are sinning. I suggest to you to "love others as your self," instead of taking God's task of judgment upon yourself."
J.K.Rowlings is writing witchcraft and millions of children are reading it. I say, you are out to lunch. And if you condone this witchcraft and say something trite like "it's not loving and we are not supposed to judge". You do know the word of God. Nor do you love God or know him. This breaks God's heart. This a abomination. And, you are no Christian. And hell enlargeth itself.
Practicing witchcraft will bring eternal seperation from God. To tell me I'm unloving or judging is not only condoning witchcraft but is a sad attempt to silence me. You are the liar. It's the most loving thing to remind others of the truth of God's word. The Word of God testifies against every lying thing you have said. Again, you are the liar.
dannygirl, New York, USA
Added: Sunday, October 21, 2007, 19:45 (BST)
In response to Dannygirl from New York:
First, I don't think that you can determine that a book is not allegorical when the author says that it does have Christian tendencies. I agree that the Bible is clear that these things are wrong and should not be participated in, but do you really think it is unchristian to read about them? As Christians, should we isolate ourselves from the world by limiting our horizons? I don't think so. In the book of Acts, Paul references a secular poet while preaching. Is it wrong to expose ourselves to secular material when we have the right motivation in doing so? I don't think it is.
Paul, who is understood as one of God's greatest followers, was quite familiar with the secular material of his day. He used this material in advancing the Kingdom and to reach out to people by meeting the audience where they were at. If Christians are not willing to meet nonbelievers where they are at to show them the love of Christ, those people may never come to know Him. Take Jesus' life as an example. Did he avoid the sinners or did he involve himself in the sinners lives, while not participating, in order to preach the gospel?
Second, you have no right to judge other people. It says in the scripture not to judge others. When you call other people liars, which in the context of what you said:
"If any one condones J.K. Rowlands as some kind of Christian, I will call you a liar like J.K. Rowlings to your face. There is no debate about Harry Potter. If someone who calls himself a Christian and thinks Harry potter is okay because he thinks it's "good reading" and that "kids are reading again" he is a liar too,"
doesn't reflect a thorough understanding of what the word "liar" mean, you are making a judgment on other people. Judging others is a sin, so in the process of you trying to show others that they are doing something wrong, which I will argue is not wrong, you are sinning. I suggest to you to "love others as your self," instead of taking God's task of judgment upon yourself.
Third, I assume you have not read the Harry Potter series. Because of this, you don't know what the book promotes or doesn't promote. The book is not about witchcraft and witchcraft's promotion is not an aspect of the book. The book revolves around the theme of good and evil, and, from what this article says, the resurrection and life and death. If you are not willing to read something before you assess whether it is good or bad, you have faulty reasoning.
My last point is about the verse you cited - Galatians 3:1. The Bible verse is not even talking about witchcraft. "Bewitched" in this verse should be understood as synonymous with persuade, or "made you believe." Paul wrote the Galatians because they were having issues within their church regarding the Judaizers. Judaizers were Christians that thought they still needed to follow the letter of the laws from Judaism. This was deemed a heresy - rejected by the Church. That being said, Galatians 3:1 cannot be references in the context of the discussion of witchcraft.
I pray that you will be more loving towards others; allowing God's love to work through you. If you judge others, they will be turned of to you and to Christ. Whenever you are feeling in direct opposition against something deemed "sinful," think of Christ and the prostitute. Even though the woman was clearly doing something wrong, He did not judge her actions, but instead, showed her love and forgiveness, teaching her to change.
Michael , Michigan
Added: Sunday, October 21, 2007, 1:03 (BST)
Sigh. Yet another person who hasn't read the books claiming to know what they're about and condemning them because they supposedly go against the Old Testament. Does this writer even understand what an allegory is?
I find it interesting (and profoundly sad), how so many folks screaming about how Christian they are resort to quoting the Old Testament (not CHRIST! Hello????) in support of their own hatred and ignorance. Never mind that the Bible is a book written, translated, and edited countless times by numerous fallible human beings over the course of millennia (lotsa luck trying to believably claim it's the "unaltered, exact Word of God" under those circumstances).These books are FANTASY. They promote imagination and creativity. They do not, in any way, reflect what people who practice Witchcraft as a religion actually do in their daily lives. And if they did . . . what of it?
Modern Witchcraft is a nature-based religion whose central premise is "Harm None." Respect for creation, respect for one's fellow human beings . . . those sound like principles many true followers of Christ would also espouse. More open books often lead to more open minds - minds that ask questions and are thereby free to grow. 'Guess that's what makes them antithetical to fundamentalist movements of all stripes. VIVA HARRY! :)
Kate, USA
Added: Friday, October 19, 2007, 23:53 (BST)
Duet 18:10-14, Rev 21:822:15,
The word of God is very clear. No way is Harry potter a Allegory of any kind. What part of Abomination does one not understand? A Witch Warllock, Wizard, and a Socerer, or an observer of times is abhorred abomonation to God.
If any one condones J.K. Rowlands as some kind of Christian, I will call you a liar like J.K. Rowlings to your face. There is no debate about Harry Potter. If someone who calls himself a Christian and thinks Harry potter is okay because he thinks it's "good reading" and that "kids are reading again" he is a liar too.
Children, Christian Children, would be reading witchcraft. You don't obey the word of God. Worse than that, you don't fear or love God. Because you promote something that the word of God has clearly called a abomination.
The southern kingdom of Israel was destroyed and sent into exile because of Witchcraft and Idolatry. Judah was sent in a babylonian exile because of witchcraft and idolatry. What will happed to to us?
Gal 3:1 "Foolish Galatians who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth?"
Dannygirl, New York, USA
