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Michael Merschel: Michael Merschel is The Dallas Morning News books editor. September 2009
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Portus 2008 is an academic/fandom Harry Potter conference that's going on in Dallas. Here's the story I wrote about it a couple of days ago. I'm at one of the presentations, "Christ in the Forest, Aslan and Harry Walk to the Deaths" offered by a fellow named Travis Prinzi. He's got a MA in theological studies and is going for a masters in secondary ed. He's also a Potter podcaster. Go to the jump for his details about the relationship between C.S. Lewis, J.K. Rowling, and their characters and Christianity. Both Harry and Aslan are Christ-like figures, he says. He says that Rowling loves Lewis, not so much Tolkein. But that her works have echoes. Dementors and Ringwraiths. Horcruxes and the Ring. Death as a key theme. Power and dominion. Rowling is part of the long tradition of fairy stories, he says. And in a Christian tradition. Stories of virtue and self sacrifice all point to a greater story, the Christ story. Phillip Pullman, author of the His Dark Materials series: "I am a Church of England atheist." Which means the culture of British Christianity is part of his writing. And inevitably of Rowling's. Christmas never goes by at Hogwarts without some significant thing happening. It's a link between the story and the Christian liturgical calendar. He gives a bonus linkage of liturgical calendar to Lord of the Rings story: Fellowship departs Dec 25 Sam and Frodo arrive at Mt. Doom March 25 -- the traditional anniversary of Christ's death. (As I frequently say, Tolkien's work can be delved into in a fractal manner. More and deeper, more and deeper.) Lists a series of cool stuff that happens in each Potter book on Christmas. But is this religious? Christmas Eve shows up in the last book as a surprise. Harry and Hermoine find the graves in the graveyard. And reads biblical verses. And later escapes a serpent attack. He compares that to Revelation 12 -- the dragon waiting to devour the "chosen one." Progression of each book -- a death and resurrection. In Book One Harry is unconscious three days. "Cruciatus" crurse is meant to evoke Christ's sacrifice. He loves those final chapters that make Rowling's Christian themes obvious "She wrote the previous 6.9 books for those three chapters." It's pretty obvious. Three things happen to Harry and Aslan: Walk to death, willing sacrifice, defeat of evil. And all three echo the Christ story. Aslan and Harry walk to death through a forest. (Just as does Dante start Inferno in a forest. ) Each die willingly. As did Jesus. (Dumbledore sets it up for Harry to make his choice.) Atonement theology resonates for Aslan and Harry. They both defeat evil. Substitutionary sacrifice is part of it, but the sacrifice breaks the power of evil. E-mail entry: |
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