Looking for God in Harry Potter
By John Granger. Tyndale (Carol Stream, Ill., 2004). 193 pp., $16.99.
Imagining Faith with Kids: Unearthing Seeds of the Gospel in Children's Stories from Peter Rabbit to Harry Potter
By Mary Margaret Keaton. Pauline Books and Media (Boston, 2005). 282 pp., $19.95.
Hour of the Witch: Harry Potter, Wicca Witchcraft and the Bible
By Steve Wohlberg. Destiny Image (Shippensburg, Pa., 2005). 216 pp., $13.99.
The sixth installment of the Harry Potter series --- "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling --- hit U.S. stores July 16. But not everyone is wild about Harry.
Three new books offer insight about the young wizard's tales: two for and one against. The "pro" books will have Potter fans racing for highlighters to underline insightful passages, tips on talking to children about the books and keys to symbols in the series. The single "con" book could be boiled down to: "Read Deuteronomy 18."
"Looking for God in Harry Potter" by John Granger asks on the cover, "Is there Christian meaning hidden in the best-selling books?" His answer is "Yes." Granger is the "Harry Potter Professor" at Barnes and Noble University, a free, online offering of courses and reading groups where he has taught a course on using the series in children's literature classes.
He guides readers seeking the spiritual messages in the books and uses Bible passages to back up his notions. Granger sees in the Potter books such Gospel values as the ultimate triumph of love over evil, loyalty, friendship and the good or bad consequences individual choices have on an entire community.
Granger finds it significant that Potter, like the characters in the "The Chronicles of Narnia" by C.S. Lewis, uses incantational, not invocational, magic. "Incantational magic is about harmonizing with God's word by imitation," Granger explains. "Invocational magic is about calling in evil spirits for power or advantage --- always a tragic mistake."
It is invocational magic that is contrary to Scripture, he says. Thus, concern that the books might lay a foundation for occult practices is "misplaced" because Potter magic is not "demonic."
Potter fans will love the insight Granger has about the Potter symbols and scenarios, especially the chapter on the historical and spiritual significance of alchemy. Throughout the book are highlight-worthy passages.
Don't put that highlighter away if you grab Mary Margaret Keaton's "Imagining Faith with Kids," subtitled "Unearthing Seeds of the Gospel in Children's Stories from Peter Rabbit to Harry Potter." Keaton looks at how the messages of Gospel stories, fables and literary classics can enrich children's lives. The voice behind the prose is someone who loves to read and values storytelling. When Keaton, who is a journalist, scholar, catechist and mother, mentions a book or story, readers will want to pick it right up and read it. Keaton includes both an index and reference lists of age-appropriate stories.
Keaton suggests ways parents and catechists can look for "seeds of Gospel messages" within stories and spark conversations with children about those messages. In one example, Keaton parallels "The Little Engine That Could" to the parable of the good Samaritan. In another, she shares how the Dr. Seuss classic "The Lorax," with its hopeful message of replenishing the forest, helped her son resolve his fears following Sept. 11, 2001.
Keaton says that parents who discuss with children the seeds of the Gospel in the Potter books will find more in the series than just the comfort that "at least Johnny's reading a book."
Steve Wohlberg's "Hour of the Witch: Harry Potter, Wicca Witchcraft and the Bible" desperately tries to warn readers of the sinful and even devilish nature of the Potter series. Wohlberg, director of Endtime Insights radio and television ministry, admits he never liked what he calls the idea behind the novels --- glorifying witchcraft.
Wohlberg's basic conclusions are that the Potter series is bad because it might inspire readers to learn more about Wicca, which is bad, and Harry Potter makes sorcery look good and cool, even though the Bible states sorcery is bad. Wohlberg points to Deuteronomy 18 as a biblical passage in which sorcery is seen as evil.
Potter fans might have a hard time with the prose, which reads like a preacher stating the same things over and over until you believe what he says. Frustrating --- yet popular --- phrases in chapters 1 through 9 are "more on that later," and "explained more in chapter 10."
The author goes so far as to imply that perhaps the devil inspired Rowling --- unbeknownst to her --- to write the Potter series and to get it published. He says parents turn a blind eye to that notion because "at least Johnny's reading." Wohlberg's interesting proposition is delivered in a condescending, single-minded, doom-and-gloom tone. Jean Gonzalez is projects editor for The Florida Catholic newspaper in Orlando, Fla., and a parent. |