Gospel Parallels in the Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Film

It was through my cousin that I got to know Harry Potter 9 years ago. She was the one who introduced me to the book even before the first Harry Potter film was shown in the big screen. During the first showing of the film, I never understood the movie since I was not really a reader of the Harry Potter books. My mediocre take on the film was highly due to my earlier fanaticism with the Lord of the Rings Trilogy which at that time really took me by storm. Yet as the LOTR franchise ended, my inner-child within was shouting for another novel for me to devour, at least on cinemas. That’s why I gave Harry Potter a shot. Every film of the installment shown, I made sure that I watched it on wide screen, yet the toll of reading the entire books only grew within me after finding a book on Amazon called “Finding God in Harry Potter” which my cousin bought for me as a gift in 2007. Reading the book authored by John Granger, I found myself lost, just like when watching the Harry Potter movies I leave the cinemas dumbfounded and confused, since I do not know the real story behind the series. Fueled by the desire to fully understand the book of John Granger, I was forced to read the earlier 6 books of the Harry potter series. Suffice it to say, I aonly read the Hary Potter books in order to understand the book of John Granger. After that, reading John Granger’s take on the Christian message of the Harry potter books made me realize that there is more to it in the novels that meets the eye…

You see, my earlier fear of reading the books was due to critics’ allegations that the masterpieces of J.K Rowling are demonic in nature and was actually glorifying divination which is vehemently prohibited in Christian tenets. But the book of John Granger gave so much explanation and exegesis on Rowling’s series that it convinced me that Harry Potter was not just a classic, but also in par with the books of CS Lewis (Chrinicles of Narnia) in terms of hidden Gospel message on the events happening in the book.

And seeing the movie last thursday as one of those fans who want to be the first to wtach it, I was dumbfounded. I already read the Half Blood Prince before I even watched the movie, but only yesterday, as I gratified my critical side in watching the movie, that I realized that it has so many parallels in the Gospels of Christ. You may say that I am romanticizing the already famous Harry Potter books, but actually I am not. The film delivered so many messages that one cannot deny that its roots came from the biblical synoptic Gospels. I am not sure if JK Rowling was influenced by CS Lewis, but her book is undeniably Christian in message despite the presence of Magic which ironically was coined from the biblical character named Simon Magus, the one who was into magic in the Acts of the Apostles.

In the book “Finding God in harry potter”, John Granger distinguished Incantational from Invocational Magic. He stressed that in Harry Potter, all spells and magic performed are all Incantational and never in the books (at least six of them since his book was written before the Deathly Hollows was even published) did Invocational Magic was mentioned or indirectly described. According to him, there is a big difference between Incantational Magic from Invocational Magic. From his book I quote:

“Invocational (magic) means literally “to call in.” Magic of this sort is usually referred to as sorcery. Scripture warns that “calling in” demonic principalities and powers for personal power and advantage is dangerously stupid. But there is no invocational sorcery in the Harry potter books. Even the most eveil wizards do their nasty magic with spells; not one character in any of the six books ever calls in evil spirits. Not once. The magic by spells and wands in Harry Potter is known as incantational wizardry. Incantational means literally ‘to sing along with’ or to ‘Harmonize’.”

That is why during the premier of the movie in my area, in my own “John Granger Mode”, I tried to find any pieces or at least a tinge of GOD in Harry Potter, after all, the Vatican gave it a thumbs up, the same Vatican who was at first critical of the said books early on in its releases.

But like I said, I did not only find a tinge, but instead found myself overwhelmed with the overflowing of allusions (passing reference or indirect mention) to Christian (Catholic) message in the film which I would like to personally share with you:

CHRISTIAN CATHOLIC TENETS

Existence of Hell and Purgatory – The scene where Harry and Dumbledore is in the cave to get the Necklace Horcruxes. The lake is an obvious depiction of Hell and the pain, confusion and suffering of Dumbledore while drinking the potion is a reminscent of Purgatory. Pain with redemption.

Faith – When Ron thought that Harry put the Felix Felicis (Liquid Luck) on his cup, he immediately drank it and thought that it has an effect on him, but actually its just a placebo effect. Faith results to astounding actions seen on Ron during the Quidditch Match.

All Spheres of Love – Lavender Brown who was obsessed with Ron, Hermione who had true feelings for Ron, and Romilda who loves only Harry because of his status as the chosen one showed all facets of love (Read 1 Corinthians 13).

The Evil of Divination - There are two instances wherein divination was featured as evil: one is during the cursing of the necklace and two the inquiry of Tom Riddle about the Horcruxes and his quest to acquire it.

Reality of Evil – The almost “exorcist” like possession of Katie Bell when she levitated on air was a reminiscent of a diabolical possession. It shows that the reality of Evil and Evil spirits who sometimes influence people are real and happening.

God’s Will – Before Dumbledore and Harry descended on the Cave from the Astronomy Tower, Dumbledore instructed Harry to obey his commands no matter what it takes. Harry Potter willingly obliged with no hesitation and questions, thus stressing the importance of obeying and doing God’s Will.

THE OLD TESTAMENT

The Parting of the Red Sea in the Exodus - Interestingly enough, the movie scene which Dumbledore casted a fiery spell to ward of the Inferis (zombies) under the lake was in reference to the parting of the red sea during the Israelites plight from Pharoah’s army seen in the book of Exodus. Fire in Christian Symbolism represents redemption and water represents death. Fire over water is salvation over death.

NEW TESTAMENT THEMES

Parable of the two sons – There is a reference to this parable in the film in reverse. In the Parable, one son agrees to do what the father has asked of him while the other refuses. But it turns out in the end that the one who refuses is the one who obeys and the one who commits is the one who ommits. Just like in the scene of the Ambush of Dumbledore in the Astronomy Tower, Malfoy was the one who said yes to Dumbledore in killing Dumbledore but it was Snapes who actually did the murdering since Malfoy was unable to do so. This is the reverse synopsis on the Parable of the two sons written in Matthew 21:28-32

Transfiguration Infatuation of the Apostles - In the Gospel, when Peter and the rest of the Apostles witnessed the Transfiguration of Jesus in which they saw our Lord covered with light and was talking to Moses and Elijah, the Apostles were so overwhelmed of the feeling and awe that they asked Jesus to camp in the site. Jesus somehow rebuke them for he knows that emotions has blinded their judgments. In the Film however, when the Love Potion given by Romilda intended for Harry was accidentally eaten by Ron via the candy in a box, it is seen that Ron was so clouded with the potions effect that his judgment is so clouded as to even go fiuurther in thinking that he falls in love with a Girl who he have never met.

THE PASSION AND DEATH OF CHRIST

Gethsemane – When Dumbledore, with Harry Potter, drank the goblet of potion in the cave to get the Hrocrux necklace, he suffers terribly and was begging Harry so severely not to let him drink from the Cup. Yet despite his objection, he still drank it, four times to be exact, just to fulfill the purpose of his redemption from the effects of the potion. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus also had this same experience wherein he suffered an intense inner pain and fear and was asking God to “take away the cup from him”. In Christian symbolism, Cups means offering and suffering.

The Betrayal of Judas – The act of betrayal of Judas is recognizeable in the characters of Severus Snapes and Malfoy. Like Judas, Malfoy has been with Dumbledore for six years. He mentored him, taught him and ate with him, So as Snapes, who has been the most trusted ally of Dumbledore and acts as his operatives in some critical events in hogwarts. Dumbledore through the years have considered these two as his friends, not enemies but as his friends, only to be betrayed out of fear of Voldemort.

Peter’s Denial – Draco Malfoy’s inner struggle with his mission as seen in the film as he suffers terribly as he contemplates in finding a way to kill dumbledore. During his confrontation in the Astronomy Tower, Dumbledore offered him protection from Voldemort as was the case of being killed including his mother, Narcisa if he did not kill Dumbledore.

I Thirst - After the potion’s effect wore off in Dumbledore, he asked Harry for water several times. This is an allusion to the Crucification of Chirst wherein the Lord asked the soldiers for Water sayng “I Thirst”.

These Things Must Happen – Before Dumbledore and Harry Potter descended from the Astronomy Tower to find the missing Horcruxes, Dumbledore already knew that he will somehow die along the way. That is why he explained to Harry implicitly that all things must happen, whether they succeed of fail, he prepares Harry for things that might transpire. This is an allusion to Christ numerous mentioning of his death to the apostles spread out on all four synoptic Gospels to which the apostles never understood until he died on the cross. Like the apostles, Harry also never understood Dumbledore but only realized everything after his death.

Hope of Mary – After Dumbledore fell from the Astronomy Tower, Harry Potter and the rest of Hogwarts students gather around his lifeless body. In this scene we saw Professor McGonagall raising his wand and sending light on the sky to which everyone followed, therefore illuminationg the dark and Voldemort stricken clouds. This was a sign of hope, coming from a woman who acts a s a protecting and caring mother to all students in hogwarts. Throughout the six films of Harry Potter, Professor McGonagall is depicted as the surrogate mother of the students. In the Goblet of Fire, she reprimanded Madeye Moody when he used Transfiguration against Draco Malfoy and in the Order of the Phoenix, she confronted Dolores Umbridge when the latter uses torture in punishing students for their misbehavior. Professor McGonagall is definitely the Mother of both Dumbledore’s allies and enemies on Hogwarts. Like her, Mary in the Gospel was the only one who showed hope in a seemingly hopeless situation especially when he carried his son on her arms under the Cross. Mary, in the gospel, gives light to those who are in darkness.

Persecution of the apostles – The scene in the Weasley’s burrow where Harry and Mr. Weasly had a chat on the latter’s garage, and Weasly said that “all of them (in the oder of the Phoenix) are being followed (by the “Death Eaters”). This is also a clear allusion on the fact that when Jesus was arrested, the Apostles dispersed and was all in fear for being under surveillance of the Sanhedrin and the rest of Jesus’ followers.

Fear of the Apostles - When Jesus was captured, feared enveloped the 11 remaining apostles, enabling them to abandon the Lord in his most time of need. Dispersed, demoralized and in despair, the apostles were overwhelmed by fear that they had no guts to even do something to help Jesus. But after his death and resurrection, one by one they stood up for their faith for the triumph of goodness. In the film, Professor Horace Slughorn also had the same experience. He feared Voldemort and the Death Eaters so much that he refused to provide information to Dumbledore about the secret of the dark lord’s power. Yet, near the end of the film, the scared professor took hold of himself and finally gave Harry the memory Dumbledore needed.

Christ Resurrection – The scene wherein Dumbledore and Harry was on top of a rock in the middle of an angry sea facing the entrance of a cave is an allusion to the empty tomb. When Harry and Dumbledore arrived, they found none in the cave until they discovered the secret passage. In Christian Symbolisma, Oceans, Seas and vast mass of water represents death. And empty caves represents empty tombs which signifies resurrection.

The Holy Spirit – The next day after Dumbledore’s death, as Herminoe and Hary were talking, they both saw the Phoenix hovering above Hogwarts. The Phoenix is Dumbledore’s Pet seen in the film Chamber of Secrets and Order of the Phoenix. Phoenixes are mythical and magical birds which regenerates themselves by means of flames of fire and often creates magic in reference to its flames. In Christian Symbolism, fire and bird (particularly dove and pigeon) signifies the Hly Spirit. It is as if it alludes to the Gospel that after the death of and resurrection of Christ, the Holy Spirit will come as an aid and an advocate to the Apostles as what happened in the acts of the Apostles when the Holy Spirit descended on them as tongues of fire.

Good triumphs over evil – and on the very emotional scene when the students and the professors gather around the body of Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall and all those who were present raised their respective wands and beamed light up in the sky, thus erasing from the dark clouds the image of the Dark Lord Voldermot and enveloped by the light signifying Hope, Faith and the triumph of Good over evil.

Some Harry Potter fanatics will accuse me of romanticizing the film in favor of the Gospels. But as viewers of films, all of us tries to find meaning on every lines and scenes in order for us to relate our personal experiences with the story and the plot and characters. Otherwise, watching a film that has no meaning at all and has no relationshipo with our lives is deemed as senseless and crap. Yet in my own view of the film, I cannot deny the fact that I saw striking similarities between the Gospel and the Harry potter movie — a meaning which I happen to search for almost ten years starting from the first movie and found on the the recent.

Even in the most seemingly ungodly and unrealistic of all fantasy films, God is still there, waiting to be found!

• For the Technical review of the film go to: Two Thumbs Up for Harry potter and the Half Blood Prince in Bachelor Pod
• For the Differences between the Book and the Film go to: Differences between the book and the movie of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• For the Explanation of the Movie for Non-HP book readers go to: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince for Dummies
• For details of the next Harry potter film installment go to: Details on the final installment Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows revealed!