The Holy Harry Potter Wars
by Todd V. Lewis, Ph.D.
Dr. Lewis is the Chair of the Communication Studies Department at Biola University. MovieMinistry is proud to have him on our Board of Advisors.

Joanne Rowling reportedly began to write her fantasy series on scraps of paper she found at a local café. Little did she know that within a few years her efforts would translate into 192 million plus books in at least 43 languages sold world-wide, three motion pictures to date, billions of dollars gained in residuals from video sales plus toy tie-ins, and marketing a phenomenon that continues to astound, entertain, enthuse, and anger. Harry Potter is an industry to "himself," a fictional young boy who has, in recent years, fomented controversy that continues to rage throughout a world that consumes his literary adventures voraciously.

The debate rages with each new Harry Potter book or movie. Reading or watching Harry Potter will turn unsuspecting children to witchcraft and black magic, say some. Reading or watching Harry Potter will instill Christian values and teachings in children and adults, say others. Both sides in the debate turn to arguments offered by some of the most influential spokespersons for evangelical Christianity and other mainstream religious leaders. Both sides within religious subcultures share the same core values and spiritual convictions, but opinions and perspectives on Harry Potter draw the theological "line in the sand" like no other spiritual debate topic in recent memory.

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