In life there are some things that are black and white issues and easily discernable by Christians. The Harry Potter series, however, lives in the grey matter between the two. There are two extremes in the Christian community. The one extreme is Christians who believe that anything dealing with fantasy and the imagination is wrong and sinful. The other extreme feels that we as Christians need to live in the world to understand it. These Christians would have no problem with reading Harry Potter. So, who is right? Tiring of hearing Christians who haven't read Harry Potter comment on them like they had, I decided to read the series myself and draw my own conclusions. MAGIC DISCLAIMER: Before I begin I think I need to define the term Magic.
When we are discussing issues within the realms of reality and real life a discussion on Magic can be broken down into two types: 1.) Illusion and slight of hand and 2.) Magic that is found in witchcraft and other cultic practices. The first definition is not really touched on in Scripture, although we do find people like Gideon using it in warfare (Book of Judges). The second definition is blatantly sinful according to the Bible. Witches and wizards are condemned for their sorcery. Why? Because they did not believe and worship the God of Heaven and believe in his Son. Instead they relied on their own powers and control, seeking fame and fortune by thir false practices of divination, looking to themselves and spirits to give them power. Yet is not magic the use of supernatural powers? Could not a Christian who prays for a sick person who mysteriously becomes well be comdemned for using magic? No. It is not the use of spiritual power that makes "magic" bad. It is looking and calling for spiritual power from the wrong places that makes it a sin. So what do we say when we see a Wizard like Gandalf in J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings use magic? At first, nothing. We must examine the source from which it comes. Further review of Tolkien's masterpiece will show that Gandalf is using powers that were established by an all Good Being during the creation of the world. Only later when some powerful spirit beings rebelled did wickedness enter the world. It was this wickedness and evil that Gandalf used his magic to fight. The same can be seen in the Chronicles of Narnia where we find magic rings, a magical painting, and a magic wardrobe. And what about all that magical stuff Aslan did? Again, we need to examine the context. All powers used in Narnia were from God. I am not, at this point, endorsing Harry Potter. All that I am asking is that when you deal with Fantasy Magic, you must realize that it may not be what you think. Read it. Understand it's context. Then reach your conclusion from there.
When we are discussing issues within the realms of reality and real life a discussion on Magic can be broken down into two types: 1.) Illusion and slight of hand and 2.) Magic that is found in witchcraft and other cultic practices. The first definition is not really touched on in Scripture, although we do find people like Gideon using it in warfare (Book of Judges). The second definition is blatantly sinful according to the Bible. Witches and wizards are condemned for their sorcery. Why? Because they did not believe and worship the God of Heaven and believe in his Son. Instead they relied on their own powers and control, seeking fame and fortune by thir false practices of divination, looking to themselves and spirits to give them power. Yet is not magic the use of supernatural powers? Could not a Christian who prays for a sick person who mysteriously becomes well be comdemned for using magic? No. It is not the use of spiritual power that makes "magic" bad. It is looking and calling for spiritual power from the wrong places that makes it a sin. So what do we say when we see a Wizard like Gandalf in J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings use magic? At first, nothing. We must examine the source from which it comes. Further review of Tolkien's masterpiece will show that Gandalf is using powers that were established by an all Good Being during the creation of the world. Only later when some powerful spirit beings rebelled did wickedness enter the world. It was this wickedness and evil that Gandalf used his magic to fight. The same can be seen in the Chronicles of Narnia where we find magic rings, a magical painting, and a magic wardrobe. And what about all that magical stuff Aslan did? Again, we need to examine the context. All powers used in Narnia were from God. I am not, at this point, endorsing Harry Potter. All that I am asking is that when you deal with Fantasy Magic, you must realize that it may not be what you think. Read it. Understand it's context. Then reach your conclusion from there.
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