Much has been said in the Christian community about Harry Potter from an analytical standpoint. When first published and gained popularity, many Christian’s called for it to be banned because it glorified witchcraft and wizardry, and there are some fair warnings in this as the use of witchcraft has risen in the United States in the past couple decades. However, after a critical examination of the use of magic in the book, we can recognize that the witchcraft in the book is little different than the use of ‘the Force’ in Star Wars, with the main difference being Harry Potter controls his ‘Force’ with a stick. Thus, with the obvious caveat to unformed readers, any Christian who reads the book series would recognize a classic light vs dark saga which may be remembered in history as the most recognizable in the 21st Century.
There have been many classical takes on the Chritsian themes (or lack thereof) within the Harry Potter series, but one theme has not examined as closely as it possibly should. This is the theme of the older generation in Harry Potter fighting for and defending to death to preserve innocence, safety, and right formation of the younger generation.
When the Order of the Phoenix forms in Voldemort’s first rise to power, most members are young adults who are standing up for what they believe in and the right to form a family in a free, loving society. However, the second version of the Order of the Phoenix consists of middle aged parents and teachers not only defending their own lives, but the lives of their growing children and students. In both eras of the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore alone stands as that ageless wise leader who is constant in his defense of the young and innocent for their own sake which is tied to his apparent celebate nature.
In the face of Voldemort’s second rise to power, the focus is largely on defending the school of Hogwarts, the symbol of the innocence and formation of youth. Dumbledore as headmaster makes sure that the institution is safe before all else in the wizarding world, and even after Dumbledore’s passing, Snape protects the youth even as a double agent. It is no coincidence that the final battle occurs at Hogwarts between Harry and the Order of the Phoenix and Voldemort and the Death Eaters because the youth is ultimately what each side is fighting for. When the dust settles and the final victory is won by the Order, while Harry is triumphant, many of the original Order have lost their lives because they sacrificed everything for the future generations. A well fought victory will always have its sacrifices.
In the face of this understanding, the Church must ask herself this question: Is she fighting for the youth today, even to the point of sacrifice. Is she spending herself so completely in matters of Catholic education and formation of saints that She is being martyred (white or red), or is the formation of the youth just a job to be completed in a half hearted nature. Do we as a Church offer anything different than what the world offers its children? Or do we offer by and large the same formation with a Catholic flavor?
If we as a Church want to win the political battles on abortion, gay marriage, and the like; If we want to save our children from this corrupt generation that is only leading depression and violence, then we have to dedicate ourselves to the formation of our children, both in the home and in the classroom. We need to defend them from evil, but, while teaching them how to defend themselves to the point of losing our own lives (physically, spiritually, socially, etc). We must also give them the light (which is not just choosing to be kind). We have to give them the ability to know their Heavenly Father without the distractions of the world. The reclaiming of mentorship of the older generation to the younger generation will bring a rebirth in Spirit to the Church, but it only comes when the older generation sees the greatest good as not pursuing their own wants and desires while the younger generation ‘gets in line’, but rather passing on the love of God through patient formation.
