REVIEW: Harry Potter

Testing this theory, perhaps if I use the words Review, Orthodox, Christian, Harry Potter, Half Blood Prince — should I remove the commas? — my hits will multiply.

Like Fr John, I used to be opposed to the Harry Potter books. Now, views from B16 aside (has the Pope read them?), I’ve even recommended the Harry Potter books to help folks learn about spiritual warfare. A friend, Fr Mark, encouraged me to just read the first book. As a latecomer, I was privileged to read all five Harry Potter books within a month or so. It just goes to show … when some folks convert, they really go nuts. Here’s a fellow convert that has written a couple books on Harry Potter and Christian imagery. John Granger believes, as I do, that you might be able even to find God in the Potter series.

BTW, John Granger is making the media rounds. Here’s excerpts from an email about the same:

I am very happy to report that Reader John Granger … was interviewed on the nationwide “Paula Zahn Show” on CNN last evening (Friday, July 15), along with the writer and commentator Michael O’Brien, the outspoken critic of the Harry Potter books.

In balanced, intelligent, and careful statements about the Harry Potter books, John pointed out the religious symbolism in them, the Christian imagery that the author employs, the folly of fundamentalistic reactions to the books, and the fact that they have not sparked interest in the occult, which interest is, in fact, thankfully decreasing dramatically in the U.S. of late.

Mr. O’Brien cited the effects of the Harry Potter books on an increase in interest in the occult among the young, which both John and Paula Zahn contradicted, pointing out that the studies cited by O’Brien are in fact the inventions of Protestant fundamentalists who are using the Harry Potter issue to further their somewhat narrow religious agendum. Ms. Zahn noted that the author of the series calls herself a Christian, says that she does not believe in magic or the occult, and emphatically rejects any talk of her promoting interest in them. John’s comments reinforced this point.

I think that John presented himself in a non-confrontational, very dignified, and quite sophisticated manner. Though he was not representing the Church and, of course, made no mention of his religious affiliation, he is certainly to be commended by all of us for a very fine interview.

The issue which John discussed is not an issue which should cause division among Orthodox (there is, after all, ample room for a number of views on the issue), and I think that John’s very perceptive comments went a long way towards placing the diversity of thought and opinion among Orthodox observers in a context that sheds light on the broader issues that we should keep in mind, as thinking Christians formed in Patristic moderation, in approaching controversial contemporary matters such as the Harry Potter books.

Then again, I don’t own the current book, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, yet. So if you’re looking for a new book review on the new Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, you’ll have to go elsewhere.

Did I mention Harry Potter?
Orthodox Christian?
Half Blood Prince?
Review?