The Subtly Christian Worldview of J. K. Rowling and Harry Potter

OK, I admit that I haven't read any of the Harry Potter books. It's not because I'm necessarily against them or think they are demonic, they just haven't looked like something that is my cup o' tea. But, I have followed the debate somewhat in Christian circles. I've talked to Christians who read them and enjoyed them and I've been warned off of them by Christians who assured me they are of the devil and are part of a clever initiation into witchcraft.

So, imagine my surprise today when I came across something that suggests that J. K. Rowling is writing from an explicitly Christian worldview. I know that there is quite a bit of debate about that, but what I read was very interesting. I realize that there are those like Connie Neal whom I referenced in this post, who have found redemptive elements in Harry Potter. But this goes beyond that to say that the books have a fondational Christian worldview.

I was looking at the Intellectual Defenestration blog and noticed that the author is reading the book: The Hidden Key to Harry Potter: Understanding the Meaning, Genius, and Popularity of Joanne Rowling's Harry Potter Novels, by John Granger. It sounded interesting, so I cyber-scurried over to Amazon and found the following:

What you need to know about The Hidden Key to Harry Potter:
1) It is the first critical study to unlock the inner meaning of Harry Potter by treating the series seriously as literature along the lines of Charles Dickens and Jane Austen.

2) It is the first exposé to identify Joanne Rowling as a Christian who consciously writes Christian Fantasy in the tradition of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien.

3) It is the first full-fledged effort to predict Potter’s future course in detail – an audacious and thought-provoking adventure offered to fellow enthusiasts.

4) It is the first Muggle textbook suitable for use at Hogwarts – bringing humor, fun, and WOW! excitement to the "serious" business of Pottermania.

The line that got me was #2 - Joanne Roling is a Christian "who consciously writes Christian Fantasy in the tradition C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien."

I realize that there are Christians who will say there is absolutely no way a book about wizards and magic can have anything to do with Christianity and that there are some Inkling purists who will will choke on their pipes and spill their ale when someone has the audacity to compare J.K. with C. S., G. K., or J. R. R. - perish the thought.

But then I read a review on the Amazon page that really intrigued me. I'll post the review on the continuation of this page for you to judge for yourself, but here are a few thoughts that the reviewer brings out that I thought were interesting.

This reviewer says that the books are rife with Christian symbolism and imagery. He says "Granger argues that 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' is about the transforming power of Christ in the life of the Christian." One reason the Potter books are successful are that "they address the reader's spiritual needs on a fundamental, even subliminal level."

Why don't Christians see this?

It is not surprising that a great deal of this would have gone over the head of the average reader of the Harry Potter books. At the very least, one would need a working familiarity with Medieval Christian iconography to pick up on a lot of the symbolism Granger identifies.

Rowling is able to infuse her books with this because she is not a mere housewife turned lucky writer -

Rowling is in fact a highly-educated woman with Firsts (the English equivalent to Summa Cum Laude) in Classics and French from Exeter, one of England's leading universities - which of course bolsters his arguments about the serious, scholarly underpinnings of these books.

Since I haven't read the Potter books nor this book I'm afraid I'll have to quickly bow out of the argument if the Potter-philes and Potter-phobes get into it, because I'll be in way over my head.

However, the point I want to camp out on is this reviewer's contention that most folks can't see a Christian worldview because we aren't familiar with Medievel Christian iconography. I for one am in this category. For one thing this is due to a deficiency in our education and our rejection of history. We live in a time where we reject history so we don't have the intellectual abilities to understand the historical roots of some things. So, all we have to go on is our own worldview, we don't have the intellectual capital to understand something full of historical reference, so we take the easy way out and write it off as demonic.

Also, we lack the ability to pick up subtleties in our reading. We need things to be explicit and in our faces to understand. Christian reading must have a clear plan of salvation, Christian buzzwords and the like to be considered "Christian." Yet, for centuries, writers have infused their writings with a very subtle Christian worldview, we've just lost the ability to recognize it.

Since I've only read a review of the book I'll need to give the obligatory disclaimer that the reviewer and the author of this book about Harry Potter may be totally off base. But, I think they do bring up some points that modern Christians need to be aware of - that a Christian worldview can be displayed in literature and art, even when it is displayed very subtly.

With that, I'll leave you to the Amazon review I found so enlightening.

One Of The Best Books on the "Harry Potter" Phenomenon, June 18, 2003

Reviewer: James Calvert (see more about me) from Houston, Texas United States

Let me say up front that what kept me from giving this book 5 stars was its need for better organization and a stronger editorial hand. (More of this later.) In terms of content, thought and provocative analysis, it is 5 stars all the way. Anyone seriously interested in the Harry Potter books, pro or con, should read this book.

Many Evangelical Christians consider the Harry Potter books objectionable, even Satanic, because of their magical milieu of Witches and Wizards. These objections have been stated most strongly in Richard Abanes' "Harry Potter: The Menace Behind the Magick." John Granger, an Orthodox Christian and a classics scholar, has now written a book, "The Hidden Key to Harry Potter", that challenges this view with the startling thesis that far from being Satanic, the Harry Potter books are in fact profound Christian allegories that are filled with Christian symbolism.

Granger makes a very convincing case. Among other things, he examines the numerous Christian symbols that appear in the Harry Potter books: Unicorn, Stag, Golden Griffin, Phoenix, and others. He offers a compelling analysis of the climactic scene in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" that interprets Harry's battle with the Basilisk as an allegory of the Christian's fight against Satan and the healing power of Christ's sacrificial love. In an extensive section on alchemy (that could use a bit of pruning), Granger argues that "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" is about the transforming power of Christ in the life of the Christian. Granger also shows how Rowling's books fit squarely in the "Great Books" tradition of Austen, White, Lewis and Tolkien.

Granger argues that the Harry Potter books have been so phenomenally successful not only because they are corking good stories, but more importantly because they address the reader's spiritual needs on a fundamental, even subliminal level. This argument is certainly more convincing that the one offered by some Evangelicals, namely, that the series' runaway success is due to help from Old Scratch himself.

Granger identifies and examines some of the principal underlying themes of the books - prejudice, dealing with death, the importance of choices in determining character, among others - and offers an analysis of the central meaning of each of the four books published thus far. Then, in a section demonstrating considerable analytical courage, Granger offers his own speculations on what lies ahead in the books yet to come. Talk about going out on a limb!

It is not surprising that a great deal of this would have gone over the head of the average reader of the Harry Potter books. At the very least, one would need a working familiarity with Medieval Christian iconography to pick up on a lot of the symbolism Granger identifies. Assuming, of course, that Rowling is in fact writing from the perspective Granger claims she is. Sometimes, in reading Granger's book, I wondered what Rowling would think of all this. Would she say, "Finally, someone got it!"? Or would she be thinking, "Gee, I never knew I was putting all that stuff in my books!"? Unless and until Rowling herself speaks on these issues, we won't know. But at the least, Granger makes an excellent and thought-provoking case. And he also provides the great service of cutting through all the "Single-Mom-Turned-Overnight-Success" malarky to point out that Rowling is in fact a highly-educated woman with Firsts (the English equivalent to Summa Cum Laude) in Classics and French from Exeter, one of England's leading universities - which of course bolsters his arguments about the serious, scholarly underpinnings of these books.

On the debit side, Granger sometimes pushes his theories too far and strains credibility. For example, his analysis of some of the names, the title character's in particular, is unconvincing and gives the impression of grasping at straws. And his theory on the identity of the real-life model for Gilderoy Lockhart is torpedoed by a comment Rowling herself made in an interview. Also, Granger's intriguing arguments are sometimes undercut by the book's rather haphazard organization and its annoying redundancy. Apparently the book was based on a series of four lectures Granger gave, and this shows in the organization. One sometimes has the feeling that Granger has simply transcribed his lectures and notes into book form, without taking sufficient pains to adapt the lectures to a written medium. A stronger editorial hand was needed in preparing this book for publication.

But these are problems that could be solved in a revised edition, and hopefully one will be forthcoming.

The Harry Potter books have sometimes been likened by their Christian critics to a kind of literary Trojan Horse, sneaking Satanism and demonic influences into the citadels of our homes and our children's minds. But if John Granger is right, the books are indeed a Trojan Horse, but of a different kind: Rowling will have stormed the citadel of secular public education and public libraries with profoundly Christian books proclaiming the Gospel, disguised as stories about witchcraft. If, indeed, these are Christian books, what are the secular humanist guardians of public school portals going to do when they find out? Hold their own book-burning? If nothing else, contemplating the delicious irony in this state of affairs makes me hope devoutly that Granger's analysis is correct.

Let me repeat: anyone seriously interested in the Harry Potter books, pro or con, needs to read this book.

Comments

[Karl Thienes]

I've read all 5 Potter books, am a huge fan of Lewis and Tolkein, and just finished the book by John Granger (who, btw, is an Orthodox Christian).

I think Granger is spot on.

The link between anti-Potter Christians and those same Christians implict (or explict) iconoclasm is a very important point.

[Rey]

I've read all of the Harry Potter books several times and I loved them. They're ingenious although getting a bit too bloody violent, but that's a different issue completely.

J.K. may be using Christian Iconography but please note, that these icons were not traditionally Christian...they were "christianized". Suggesting the books have that same potency as C.S's books is sheer ridiculous. For one, Christ is apparent in the Lewis books as well as God and any of your atheistic friends will gladly point that out to you. "C.S" they would say "Is slamming God down your throat."

J.K. does no such thing. She tells an exciting story with a new twist on school which someone should've grabbed earlier, and though some did they didn't get the amazing popularity that J.K. did.

All that aside, they're great reads.

[David]

Thanks for the comment Rey. I'd be interested in knowing how the "iconography" was Christianized.
I wanted to address your comment about C. S. Lewis "slamming God down your throat," with an interesting anecdote. A few years ago my wife and I knew this couple that were big time conspiracy theorists. There was a communist behind every bush, and speaking of bushes, George Bush Sr. was leading us into the one world government, etc. etc.. Their son said they could go to the 7-11 and spot a conspiracy.
One day the wife informed my wife that C. S. Lewis wasn't a Christian. My wife said "huh?" She said "yeah, I was in an occult bookstore one time and noticed that they were selling the Chronicles of Narnia." She spoke to the proprieter who told her that Lewis had introduced him to the world of the occult with the magic in the Narnia books.
My point is that our presuppositions always influence our reading more than we realize. A person leaning toward the occult finds the occult in Narnia. A person reading with a Christian worldview finds the Christian worldview in Harry Potter. A person with an over-developed theology of demonology mixed with a little paranoia finds an introduction to the occult in Harry Potter.
For me the interesting thing about what I posted on will be to find out if J. K. Rowling ever comments and acknowledges or denies this writer's thesis.
This all goes to show how much our worldview influences our vision.
Thanks for commenting.

[sunday school teacher]

The Bible says witchcraft is an abomination in the eyes of God.

There are those who would twist everything and try to tell us that prison abuse in Iraq was "freedom ticking"...or that God doesn't mind witchcraft, psychics, YuGiOh, Magic:The Gathering cards, Ouija boards, horoscopes, palmistry, seances, etc.

The Devil himself might claim to be a peculiar type of "Christian" since he does believe that Jesus existed and died and rose again from the dead.

I mean, how postmodern mishmashy do you want to get?

C.S. Lewis was a marginal Christian in my view, and I disapprove of all occult, wizard, witches fantasy stories by any writer.

If Harry Potter is a Christian story...pssst...I've got some nice "Christian" crack cocaine I'll sell you...hey, how about some nice "Christian" warmongering, too?

Don't make me laugh...or vomit...with such nonsense.

[Karl Thienes]

"that these icons were not traditionally Christian...they were 'christianized'"

That doesn't make them any less true or powerful.

"Suggesting the books have that same potency as C.S's books is sheer ridiculous."

As Granger says, "then how does one explain their popularity?" His thesis is that they do, in fact, have the same potency. The difference with his book is that his arguments are well researched and logically deduced....which is much more than can be said about those who disagree with him.

David: Great points. The interesting thing I've noticed is that those who see that the more on is educated in patristic and classic Christian thought, the more one is inclined to see the genius and obvious Christian themes and motifs in Potter.....

[Lloyd Nichols]

Fuller Seminary's quartely magazine had a great article (Which Witch is Which) discussing this very topic.

http://www.fuller.edu/news/pubs/tnn/2003_oct.html

The article points out that J.K. is a member of the Church of Scotland, but she "has not emphasized her religion as a central part of her biography". (Take that for what it's worth!)

The article also addresses the comparison b/w J.K., J.R.R., and C.S. (so many periods!)

My opinion is these books express good morals in an entertaining way. We can use these books (as well as many secular works of art) to highlite those morals. And as David said, those who are predisposed to witchcraft will most likely be more encouraged to join. Those who are want to find Christian values in it will also do so.

[Lloyd Nichols]

Stupid internet browser... Stupid grammar problems... Sorry about that.

[dopderbeck]

Excellent post! First to reveal my prior leanings on this whole "debate" -- I read all the Potter books and loved them. They clearly aren't teaching occult practices; they're fanciful stories that have magical themes, in a long line of literature all the way back to the Greek epics. And I think the dualistic worldview of the Potter Conspiracy theorists is just Biblically wrong. It cedes far too much power to Satan and makes the world, in essence, a magical one rather than an ordered creation under the control of a sovereign God.

Aside from all that, I'm not sure I buy the Christian iconography argument. I'm no medievalist either, so perhaps I'm missing something too. More likely, Granger is seeing something that simply reflects the literary genre of the books. Of course some of the characters and symbols will resemble medieval Christian symbols -- but we could say that same about any "swords and sorcerers" book, because the whole genre arises out of that early literature.

As for the comparison to Narnia, there is no comparison. Rowling's stories are witty and entertaining, but her writing often is stilted, her characterizations (particularly of the "angry Harry" in the latest book) are wooden, and there's none of the richness found in Lewis' stories. Rowling has no character comparable in depth and beauty to Aslan, no memorable, spritually resonant lines like the "higher up and farther in!" Aslan roars to his followers towards the close of "The Last Battle." I read the Narnia Chronicles again every other year or so; Rowling's books are a fund diversion but not worth a second reading.

[Peter]

Have just discovered the World of Blog...and
specifically your site. As I scanned through it
I came across some Trivia that your wife added
re London and particularly the Beefeaters.
As a past resident of that great city I have
had a more than passing interest in its history;
including its Trivia. As I understand "Beefeater";
its in fact a literal historical fact that they
in Tudor times were the Palace Guard for the King
or Queen {Elizabeth the First that is)...anyway;
one of their '''perks''' was that they were paid
in part with generous portions of good beef which
could be at that time an expensive delicacy.
Hence their name; and like the Vatican's Swiss
Guard their uniforms are virtually unchanged from the times of the Tudor [or as the Swiss
Guard...Michaelangelo who designed them]..but that's enough ''blogging '' for now. Carry on
the good work...

[Tom Grey]

There is a HUGE amount of important Christian theology in Harry Potter, most obviously in the fact that Lily Potter's unnecessary sacrifice in order to save Harry DID save him, from evil Voldemort.

But, unlike the CS Lewis stories, Christianity is virtually absent -- both in the HP magic world, and even in his "muggle" Dursley current England world. No talk about God, or going to Church, or even good & evil.

The use & existence of magic means it essentially presupposes the falseness of Christianity.

It is, so far, a better series than CS Lewis for Junior High/ High school kids. More relevant, & real; and like a good comic book w/o pictures (but JKR is excellent at description). They're great stories. Nobody has done a good, angry, realistic 15 year old hero; JKR doesn't quite pull it off, either. But pretty close.

I'm sure "sunday school teacher" is unable to generate much reading interest in the vast majority of her students.

[David]

To Peter - welcome to the blogsophere - I hope you'll come back and visit often and check out the blogs of some of the folks in my links. And, please keep leaving comments.
To Tom - I don't follow what you are saying. "There is a huge amount of important Christian theology," but then Christianity is virtually absent and the use of magic presupposes the falseness of Christianity. Could yhou clarify what you mean here?

[David Scott]

Actually, existence of magic does not pre-suppose Christianity to be false-the Bible says witchcraft is sinful, _not_ that it doesn't exist. Throughout the majority of Christianity's history, Christians have believed in magic, but thought it was harmful. The nonexistence of magic is certainly not found in the Bible, which has a few sorcerers and witches who can do more than wave their fingers menacingly, with the most famous being the priests of Set in Exodus, who could falsify a large portion of Moses' miracles.

So, magic is not necessarily completely incompatible with the Bible, but the "good magic" that is seemingly a large part of the Potter-verse may be, though Gandalf from Lord of the Rings and the Dwarf from the story of Prince Caspian both come to mind...

[David Scott]

Actually, existence of magic does not pre-suppose Christianity to be false-the Bible says witchcraft is sinful, _not_ that it doesn't exist. Throughout the majority of Christianity's history, Christians have believed in magic, but thought it was harmful. The nonexistence of magic is certainly not found in the Bible, which has a few sorcerers and witches who can do more than wave their fingers menacingly, with the most famous being the priests of Set in Exodus, who could falsify a large portion of Moses' miracles.

So, magic is not necessarily completely incompatible with the Bible, but the "good magic" that is seemingly a large part of the Potter-verse may be, though Gandalf from Lord of the Rings and the Dwarf from the story of Prince Caspian both come to mind...

[Jeana]

I really enjoy the Harry Potter books and have read John Granger's revision of The Hidden Key, which is called Looking for God in Harry Potter. I heartily agreed with the book and think the comparisons made to C.S. Lewis are not necessarily plot or storyline related. JKR and CSL (and the other Inklings) wrote about God and life in an unexplicit way that drew the reader to ask questions and seek answers. Yes, some readers will look in the wrong places and find wrong answers, but that does not change the authorial intent. Besides, Narnia is about Aslan--God. Harry Potter is about us. Harry is Everyman. The books are NOT allegories. Tolkien's books did not have a central Christ figure like Aslan either. Gandalf was a type of Christ, Frodo was a type of Christ, Aragorn was a type of Christ. They all showed Christlikeness. In the same way, Dumbledore, Harry, Fawkes the Phoenix, and Lily all show Christlikeness. I think the Harry Potter books are a worthwhile read. If for no other reason, read them to be able to discuss them with the rest of the world and be able to hold an intelligent conversation.

[Jeff]

I do not understand why it is necesary for anyone pro or con harry potter or christianity to critisize. Its a book. Its a fantasy book. And yet, people tend to get hyped up, look for satan everywhere and critisize all. If you read something and u like it, then fine. If you read something and u dislike it,then fine.
Its was the same with the Da Vince code. Its a story not based on true events, as said by the writer!
The problem i think, as am a christian myslef (and have only read 2 of the hp books), it that people tend to search for the bad and the things or people to blame, when in fact they miss the point.
It is a matter of personal belief. Stop trying to compare everything with God and satan.

[Jeff]

I do not understand why it is necesary for anyone pro or con harry potter or christianity to critisize. Its a book. Its a fantasy book. And yet, people tend to get hyped up, look for satan everywhere and critisize all. If you read something and u like it, then fine. If you read something and u dislike it,then fine.
Its was the same with the Da Vince code. Its a story not based on true events, as said by the writer!
The problem i think, as am a christian myslef (and have only read 2 of the hp books), it that people tend to search for the bad and the things or people to blame, when in fact they miss the point.
It is a matter of personal belief. Stop trying to compare everything with God and satan.

[CAMERON CAMPBELL]

I am a Christian! I am 12 years old and I think yugi-oh,magic:the gathering,pokemon(pocket monsters)etc.suck because they are demonic and satinistic!

[Augusta A.]

There is a new, just released book, entitled, "The Lord of the Hallows:Christian Symbolism and Themes in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter," which is now available online at www.outskirtspress.com/thelordofthehallows, www.amazon.com or www.barnesandnoble.com. Denise Roper, the author, examines the Christian themes present in Rowling's Harry Potter, and compares her series with "The Lord of the Rings" by J. R. R. Tolkien and "The Chronicles of Narnia" by C. S. Lewis. The book also gives a fascinating explanation of the sources of Harry Potter's subtle religious symbolism, which includes a study of the iconography derived from the Bible, the writings of the Early Church Fathers, Ancient and Medieval bestiaries, Christian artwork, and the Arthurian quest for the Hallows of the Holy Grail.