Neal, Connie, and Samuel F. (Skip) Parvin. Louisville, KY: Westminster
John Knox Press, 2004. 69 + xiii pp. $5.95 (USD). ISBN: 0-664-22669-8.
[1] Fans of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series will be delighted
by the appearance of this group study guide, one of a growing body
of works which examine the Harry Potter phenomenon. Co-authored by
Skip Parvin (The Gospel According to The Simpsons: Leader's Guide
for Group Study) and Connie Neal (The Gospel According to Harry
Potter), the guide consists of study outlines for ten lessons
(expandable to twelve) which attempt to bring Neal's book, the first
two Harry Potter books and movies, and the Bible into fruitful dialogue
with one another.
[2] Each lesson follows a similar format: a list of suggested readings
from Neal's The Gospel According to Harry Potter, a list of
relevant scenes from the Harry Potter films, and both an Old Testament
and New Testament passage for study. There follows a bulleted list
of questions for discussion and, since this is a leader's guide, possible
answers. Each study concludes with a prayer and with a suggestion
for an activity that could be assigned in the coming week as a way
of fostering further reflection on the topic.
[3] The prime focus of the study guide is on the biblical texts,
with discussion of the Harry Potter books and films framed in the
light of these biblical contexts. Although the book is designed as
a companion to Neal's The Gospel According to Harry Potter,
participants need not have read that book in order to appreciate and
benefit from this study. On the other hand, familiarity with the first
two Harry Potter books (preferably) or movies (at least) is a must.
[4] The book's introduction accurately identifies the audience to
whom this study will most strongly appeal: teens and young adults,
with the possibility of adaptation for use with adults. Theologically,
the book is positioned to appeal to a broad segment of the Christian
community, despite the occasional glance at specifically Calvinistic
doctrines such as predestination and total depravity.
[5] The study guide does many things well. Neal's foreword offers
concise and balanced advice on dealing with the Harry Potter controversy
as it has arisen in some segments of the Christian community. Parvin's
introduction offers an equally brief and equally biblically grounded
apologetic articulating his view of the proper relationship of faith
to cultureća rationale with which all participants in the study would
need to be in at least tacit agreement. Finally, the ten lessons themselves
should spark excellent discussions, since the proposed study questions
are uniformly thoughtful, relevant, and open-ended.
[6] The weakest point of the study guide is its inability to effectively
point people to further explorations beyond its pages. While the suggestions
for further discussion which close each chapter generally offer viable
ideas, the first lesson ends with mere irrelevancy; conversations
with a magician (sleight-of-hand artist) offer little promise of shedding
light on either the biblical concept of magic or on the issue of magic
as it appears in fantasy literature. Indeed, such consultation may
do more to confuse the issues than to clarify them.
[7] Although adults engaged in this study might feel a desire to
engage in further reading on the various topics, no bibliography nor
list of works for further study is included. For example, although
the third lesson focuses on the concept of spiritual gifts, the authors
fail to mention any of the excellent inventories that are available
to assist individuals in identifying their spiritual gifts. The most
serious omission in the study guide, however, is its failure to distinguish
between the biblical definition of magic and the quite different concepts
associated with this term today. Any study attempting to engage, from
a Christian perspective, with the magic of the Harry Potter books
should begin with a review of the current scholarship in the subject,
as embodied in, for example, The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
(rev. ed., 1979) or Eerdman's Dictionary of the Bible. Their
silence on the matter suggests that the authors of the study guide
have not done so.
[8] Nevertheless, the study guide offers a useful and welcome tool
to encourage biblical reflection in the context of cultural engagement.
As the book's introduction points out, "Obviously we cannot prevent
children (and adults, for that matter) from being exposed to Harry
Potter. So as Christians, what do we do? We use Harry Potter to teach
Christian theology, ethics, and values. We teach people to think theologically
and help them to become discerning Christian analysts when it comes
to popular culture" (xii). The Gospel According to Harry Potter:
Leader's Guide for Group Study will help people to do just that.
Anita Helmbold
Taylor University College
Edmonton, Alberta
anita.helmbold@taylor-edu.ca
