Jerram Barrs on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Prof. Jerram Barrs shares why he is a fan of Harry Potter and the redemptive themes that come from Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

[@5crownsoutreach]

Teaching and developing our Christian students to live victorious and commanding lives through their full expression of talents and abilities is my passion as Jerram Barrs here. Deepening our experience of Christ in our lives and helping others to do so is my personal vision. I pray to be led this direction.

[@mikemclaughlin6162]

I appreciate Jerram's thoughtful analysis of Harry Potter. I am less convinced that Rowling knew exactly what she was doing in setting up Harry as she did as a type of Christ, but in the end I'm not sure that it matters. If anything it points to our longing for a love as great as Christ's that would die so that others may live.

[@rutterb0]

So glad to see fellow Christians look thoughtfully at this series and realize the parallels between it and the story of Christ rather than to demonize it simply for using terms like "magic" and "witchcraft" as many have decided to do without ever reading it. I loved this video. Well done.

[@MrCetyque]

And then, people ask us why do we love the Harry Potter books and movies.

[@sunnygirl523]

i'm a Christian and i love harry potter its my favorite movie and book series :)

[@duncanmurphy9762]

"Christian"

[@Blueberry40]

Brittany Weaver mine too :)

[@revmhall]

JMVATC...there is a vast difference between allegory and allusion. Prof. Barrs made no claim to Rowling writing allegory, nor did he comment that way. He spoke of how the story and the characters made allusions to biblical themes redemption of self-sacrificing love. His being 'fully enraptured by the beauty of our Savior' merely equips him (or anyone else also taken by the beauty of Christ's love) to see those allusions as they read. Enjoy your reading...party on...

[@filmholicmelody]

Well said, Jerram Barrs:) I wish other christians could give Harry Potter a chance and come to the same conclusion.

[@FlightlessWish]

:) This made some things clearer than I had once thought.

[@BecomingAMan]

Ah glad to see Im not alone

[@IAmHermaeusMora]

For those of you who don't know, Rowling made a press statement that Harry Potter is paralled to Christianity but mainly focuses on her struggle with the questions of death and life after death. Harry is paralled to Christ, Dumbledore to God, Voldemort to Satan, Merlin to Moses, etc.

[@kentvene.454]

As a Catholic ive struggled with this because I am a Catholic Christian and I accept Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior and I also enjoy these books a lot. I try to look at them as entertaining fictional books. I cannot equate these books with my faith or the character Harry as a savior like figure im very strict in belief that only Jesus is our savior these are just good books.

[@randymayfield]

Very good analysis. I see similar themes in many of today's movies. I wonder if the screenwriters intentionally try to make the "Christ" figure apparent or if it's just a similar theme as it has been throughout the ages, even pre-dating Christ. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the movie and appreciated Jerram's comments which tend to go against others who find the Potter series offensive for some reason.

[@JMVATC]

Certainly, there are Christian religious themes in the book. However, Prof. Barrs', fully enraptured by the beauty of our Savior's literal self-sacrificing love for us and His subsequent resurrection that won victory over all, erroneously allegorizes the story of Harry Potter to that of Jesus Christ. The better allegory is Harry Potter to our individual Christian lives, as we wrestle with our call to be salt and light.