Harry Potter and Christ

The theological implications of Harry Potter have been a source of interest to me for a very long time, since my father introduced me to the books in 1999 in fact, when he said that they were Marian, because of the way in which Lily (Harry’s mother)  helps save her son through the sacrifice of her own life. However, I now actually think the Marian link with Lily is slightly off the true: Mary is in Catholic the mediatrix of salvation, through her salvation comes. (She is, to draw from St Irenaeus and St Paul the second Eve, the counterpoint to the second Adam, Jesus.) But Mary herself is not the saviour, rather she is the signpost who points always away from herself and to her saviour. And whilst Jesus receives his humanity from Mary, this form a part of the economy of salvation, but does not represent its whole. Lily though is a pattern of action for Harry, because she lays down her life for his, and he will for others. Lily then represents a type of Christ, as does Harry, as I shall explain below.

 

-        - When I use the word Type I am using it in the literary sense, that is as an image or reflection of some greater thing. Here Harry is an image or reflection in micro of the ultimate meta reality that is Christ. Christ here is the ultimate meta reference point, Harry is a dim reflection, but even if a reflection, then one that tells us something deeper about ourselves and Christ.

 

Harry a Type of Christ

First let us be clear, Harry is not Christ, nor do I believe does JK Rowling intend for him to be so. He is rather just like us, full of doubt and misdeeds. He can be arrogant and rude those he doesn’t like. He can be underhand, and on at least a couple of occasions uses some very dark magic indeed, in particular the Septumsempra curse and the unforgiveable Cruciatus and Imperius curses, and not always with the noblest of intentions in mind! (Even good people commit evil acts.) Yet he is still a type of Christ, because the pattern of his life is ultimately one of self-sacrifice on behalf of others, and that self-sacrifice in some small way defeats evil. But more importantly, like the sacrifice of his mother, it also saves others from immediate har during the Battle of Hogwarts.

 

Earlier on in Deathly Hallows it becomes apparent that there is something different, special indeed about Harry, perhaps more so than in the other novels, because this difference is about internal ontology (his nature of his inner-most being), not just the external accidents of his election by fate, On other occasions where a sample of hair from an individual is put into the Polyjuice potion it turns a muddy colour, whereas with Harry it turns into a liquid a pure gold in colour. There is something transfiguring about Harry it would seem, a sort of unearthly purity.

 

Then there is Harry’s resurrection. Towards the end of Deathly Hallows Harry dies. He is then resurrected, and that resurrection as I have said casts a transforming and salvific mantle over his friends, the defenders of Hogwarts. That Harry has willingly sacrificed himself on behalf of his friends, just as his mother did, so he transforms defeat into victory, and not even the power of death itself, in the form of Tom Riddle (aka Lord Voldemort) can hurt them. In this he is like Christ, whose death saves mankind.

 

In Harry then we see a reflection of Christ albeit very dimly, to borrow from St Paul. Similarly, we are called to live Christlike lives, lives that transform the world around us, lives that show forth the life and light of Christ. That is no simple task, and as Harry learnt it ultimately requires us to sacrifice something of (and over time the whole of) ourselves, because we are called to die to self and sin, and to live in Christ. And we do that first through love, then through putting that love into action through service.

 

Molly Weasley, a Type of Mary, and Narcissa Malfoy the Repentant Thief

If Harry is a type of Christ, then Molly is a type of Mary. She is Marian because she is hospitality and love personified. She takes into her home the one who is lost, Harry, and loves him as she loves her own. It is here to be remembered that Mary is called in Catholic theology the Mother of the Church, because she becomes mother to the Apostle St John. Molly loves and care for all who come through her door and willingly receive her hospitality, just as the Church does, and she will fight to the death in their defence.

 

But Molly also points away from herself, and towards love. All that she does comes from love, yet she seeks now power or authority for herself, she sacrifices all in the cause of love. Indeed she takes on Bellatrix LeStrange out of love, and defeats her because of her ability to love, something that Bellatrix, like her master cannot comprehend. (Bellatrix cannot comprehend love or self-sacrifice, she is Lust personified, and thus cannot comprehend the self-sacrifice required by love.)

 

In this Narcissa Malfoy is like Molly in some small way, because she (like Molly) learns that love is the deepest of emotions. She ultimately learns that hatred will ultimately destroy you, but if you put yourself on the path of love (however late), then you might just save yourself. In this Narcissa is like the repentant thief at the crucifixion, only at the very end does she seek righteousness, and only at the end does she receive the assurance of forgiveness: ‘I tell you, this very day you will be with me in paradise’.

 

-        - In my next post I’ll be exploring Harry Potter and the sacramental universe of Deathly Hallows and the series more widely, and I’ll be exploring how the Sacraments make an appearance in the novel.