[EatingPie]

*** HERE BE SPOILERS!! ***

This post contains major spoilers for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, as well as other books in the series... This will wreck the movies too, if you haven't read the series are waiting on the conclusion films this November/June.

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For the past 10 years, the Harry Potter series has been vocally maligned by major Evangelical Christian figures, and many Churches (mine included) took up the "cause" against this series. I actually chose to read the series for this reason, wondering if there was really anything there. And there was something there all right: In The Deathly Hallows, Harry Potter became a Christ figure. And we finally learn that Christian imagery has been a part of the series from the very beginning.

A major theology of Christianity is that Christ made a loving, substitionary (he substituted himself for all humans) sacrifice that brings salvation to humanity, and his blood is one of the primary symbols of this salvation-bringing sacrifice. While we see a variety of these qualities throughout the centuries in historical heroic figures and mythology, it is the inclusion of all these aspects that is particularly Christian.

In The Deathly Hallows Harry's actions allude to these aspects of Christ.

- Harry makes a loving, substitutionary sacrifice.

In order to save the lives of those he loves, Harry chooses to die at Voldemort's hand.

- Harry experiences a pseudo-death/resurrection.

Voldemort kills Harry with the Aveda Kedavera curse. However, due to the complexities of the situation, we cannot positively determine if Harry really died, or if he just experienced a death-like state. That's why I refer to it as a "pseudo-death."

- Harry's sacrifice imbues protection upon those he loves.

After Harry returns to life, Voldemort loses the majority of his power over the people of Hogwarts. Voldemort, the most powerful wizard in history, carrying the most powerful wand in history, cannot cast a lasting spell on those at Hogwarts.

- The blood is the vehicle of this protection (implied, reference to Lily).

This is not directly stated, but implied by the association between the Lily and Harry. Harry has Lily's blood in him, and the first magical protection, one sourced purely love, is "carried" in the blood.

- Harry offers "salvation" to most evil personality in his history.

Harry attempts to show mercy to Voldemort three times, asking him to show "remorse" twice. This is equivalent to the Christian concept of repentance.

It's also not like we suddenly have this Christian thing dumped on us in the final chapters of a seven book series. The final moments of Lily Potter are revealed slowly and piecewise throughout the series. And Harry is his mother's son!

- Lily makes a loving, substitutionary sacrifice for Harry.
- Lily's loving sacrifice imbues protection upon Harry.
- The blood is the vehicle of this protection.

Please note that this is just an overview. I posted extensively in the "Christianity and Harry Potter" thread on The Leaky Cauldron web site, so I can flesh this out much more thoroughly, with textual citations, if need be.

-Pie