why i read harry potter as a christian

// CAUTION: spoilers ahead //

“The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” (1 Corinthians 15:26)

If you grew up in a conservative Christian household and liked to read as a child, you probably have had the “Harry Potter” discussion with your parents. Because the books are about a boy who discovers that he is a wizard and subsequently attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, many Christians have regarded it with intense suspicion. After all, witchcraft has been traditionally associated with paganism and godlessness. What good could come out of Christians inundating themselves in this sort of worldview?

Due to the unfortunate stigma surrounding the Harry Potter series, many Christians I know haven’t actually read the books. I was one of the more fortunate kids. My parents allowed me to read the series at age 12, and I will be forever grateful for that opportunity. Now, Harry Potter is my favorite book series of all time. This is not despite my Christian faith but because of it.

There are myriad reasons for reasons for reading Harry Potter as a Christian, but the most prominent is my eyes is the narrative arc. Harry Potter is split up into seven books with individual plots, but the story encompasses the entire series. It’s a story of birth, death, and redemption. In fact, Harry’s life mirrors that of Jesus Christ. It’s not an exact replica, but that’s where Rowling’s creative liberties come in!

Harry Potter, an 11-year-old orphan who has been abused and mistreated for as long as he can remember, finds out that he really is special—in fact, he’s a wizard! As Harry attempts to make sense of this new information, he discovers that most everything he has ever been told about himself is a lie. His parents didn’t die in a car crash—they were murdered by the evil Lord Voldemort. The Dark Lord also tried to kill Harry, but instead Harry survived, and Voldemort lost all of his powers. Now Harry is known as The Boy Who Lived.

As the series progresses, Harry learns more about himself and the world—and magic. He discovers what real friendship looks like. He encounters new mother- and father-figures. He falls in love and has his heart broken a few times. He attempts to balance his commitment to truth with his wish to be liked and accepted by his peers. He attempts to navigate both the world of magic and the world of Muggles.

All the while, Lord Voldemort is getting stronger and plotting his revenge against Harry. At the end of it all, Harry must choose between preserving his own life and sacrificing himself for those whom he loves. When Harry chooses selflessness and love, he not only gains his own life but defeats Voldemort, as well.

The Harry Potter narrative reflects the biblical story of Jesus Christ. Jesus, too, was born into an unusual situation. Never mind the fact that he was literally born in a stable—Jesus grew up in poverty and relative anonymity. It wasn’t until he was 12-years-old that he discovered he was special, the Son of God. He was both man and God. Jesus spent years growing into the man he was supposed to be. He didn’t begin his ministry until he was 30-years-old. When he did, he quickly gained a lot of followers.

However, Jesus was also “despised and rejected by men” (Is. 53:3). He lost favor with the world due to his dedication to truth and justice. Only three years after beginning his ministry, Jesus was betrayed by one of his close friends, falsely accused by the religious leaders, and killed by those who had formerly worshiped him. He died and took the penalty for those who hated him, but he rose from his grave only three days after being declared dead. Jesus defeated death and created a pathway to eternal life for those that choose it.

On the surface, Harry Potter and the Bible seem to have nothing in common. But I would argue that J.K. Rowling based the story of Harry’s life on that of Jesus. By featuring a Christ figure in the series, Rowling conveys the Gospel message in a subtle but effective manner, showing that the biblical narrative transcends both time and genre.

xx Liz

What do you think about Harry Potter?

sources: image