J.K. Rowling, the author of the best selling series of books about Harry Potter, “the boy who lived” has revealed in an interview with MTV that she intentionally included a great deal of Christian thought and imagery in her books.
She says specifically of the scripture quotes found in the final volume of the series that “They almost epitomize the whole series.”
The interview begins:
‘It deals extensively with souls — about keeping them whole and the evil required to split them in two. After one hero falls beyond the veil of life, his whispers are still heard. It starts with the premise that love can save you from death and ends with a proclamation that a sacrifice in the name of love can bring you back from it.
Harry Potter is followed by house-elves and goblins — not disciples — but for the sharp-eyed reader, the biblical parallels are striking. Author J.K. Rowling’s ‘Harry Potter’ books have always, in fact, dealt explicitly with religious themes and questions, but until ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,’ they had never quoted any specific religion.
That was the plan from the start, Rowling told reporters during a press conference at the beginning of her Open Book Tour on Monday. It wasn’t because she was afraid of inserting religion into a children’s story. Rather, she was afraid that introducing religion (specifically Christianity) would give too much away to fans who might then see the parallels.
“To me [the religious parallels have] always been obvious,” she said. “But I never wanted to talk too openly about it because I thought it might show people who just wanted the story where we were going.
Later in the interview she talks more specifically about the Christian parallels, but that section contains spoilers and so it may never be said that the Episcopal Café ever ruined the reading a good book, we’ll let you read that for yourself.
You can read the rest here.