Reverend Defends Harry Potter

Though often reviled by evangelical Christians for glamorizing the occult, the Harry Potter series is actually a paragon of Christian virtues, according to a prominent Church of England cleric. That's the message of a new book by the Rev. Francis Bridger, principal of Trinity College in Bristol. Rather than being a dangerous influence on children, Harry's battles with the evil Lord Voldemort reflect theological themes of redemption and atonement and should be welcomed as a fresh way to introduce the Gospels, Bridger writes in A Charmed Life: The Spirituality of Potterworld. Even the wizards' jail, Azkaban, could be viewed as symbolizing the Christian concept of hell. In his book, to be released in November by British publisher Darton, Longman & Todd, Bridger calls the series misunderstood and compares it to the Christian allegories of C. S. Lewis's Narnia books. While author J. K. Rowling may not have explicitly expressed Christian beliefs in her Potter books, Bridger calls her an "intensely moral writer."

American author and youth pastor Connie Neal has also weighed in on the debate with her book What's a Christian to Do With Harry Potter? Published earlier this year by Waterbrook Press, Neal's book supports Christians who have decided to boycott the series, but also offers suggestions to parents who wish to read and discuss the books with their children. Publishers Weekly called the book a "thoughtful Christian take on the young wizard phenom."