"HARRY POTTER" RICH WITH CHRISTIAN ALLUSION, SAYS BAYLOR PROF
Although some Christians are concerned about the "Harry Potter" books and their stories of witchcraft and wizardry, there are compelling reasons within the Potter books themselves that justify Christians "taking them seriously and enjoying them," says Dr. Scott Moore, a Baylor University philosophy professor. "The books are rich with classical and medieval Christian allusion," he says.
"J.K. Rowling understands the diverse world of Christian symbols, relying for instance on images of the phoenix and the unicorn in the early books. Both are commonly appropriated by the medieval Church as images of Christ." In addition, Moore says Harry and his friends are being schooled in classical and Christian virtues and learn consistently about the value of truth from the school's headmaster.
"Albus Dumbledore's insistence that one call [the book's villain] Voldemort by name is a reflection of his courage and his commitment to calling things by their proper names -- truth-telling," Moore says. With a name meaning "willing death" which is how Lucifer is frequently described in medieval theology, Voldemort cannot kill Harry because of the power of self-sacrificial love ('agape' -- his mother died loving him). Moore is available at (254) 710-4612 or [email protected].
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