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By Jackson Stace

…although you would be forgiven for being a little confused.

A big warning here- if you haven’t yet read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and you care about what happens, don’t read any further. In fact, you probably shouldn’t have read the title of this article but oh well, can’t help that now. If this is you by the way, it really is time to lift your game and just read it, we’re waaaay past the time where sensitivity is necessary and if I meet you in person from now on- I’m so spilling all.
If you haven’t read any of the books, then you may find this article hard to read. I haven’t allowed space to explain particulars or plot lines of the potterverse.

It was always going to be the case, prophesised beforehand. He lived a life of immense expectation. He hung out with the outcasts of society and displayed compassion and love for them. He was the hated enemy of evil, which he overcame by willingly facing death. In doing this he defeated the evil one and gave those he loved protection from this evil. He then re-appeared and was recognised as the saviour of the world.

Jesus?… or Harry Potter?

Well both obviously (you would have had this figured from the start I hope). There is little doubt, I think, that Harry Potter draws massively on Jesus. Google “Jesus and Harry Potter” and you will find countless articles discussing the many ways Harry is similar to Jesus- many that go way too far. I want to pick out some key ones, but let me also point out that there are some big differences between the two as well. The paragraph above this one was surprisingly difficult to write because I had to be quite vague with some idea’s in order for them to apply to both Jesus and Harry.

As far as the internet can be trusted (it always seems that this level of trust goes down as someone’s age goes up- like a see-saw really), it seems that J K Rowling has pronounced herself a Christian! Which is great news really, and particularly believable given the events of her most recent book. So in great faith that this is true, following are some of the similarities and parallels between Harry Potter and Jesus that I believe Rowling deliberately intended:

1. They were both chosen and prophesied about.
Since the first book, Harry was called “the chosen one” or “the boy who lived”.  He was the salvation that the wizard community was waiting for. Even more so, we find out in the fifth book that there was a prophecy regarding Harry and his triumph over Voldemort which is fulfilled in the last book.

Since forever, God’s plan was for Jesus to come to earth. He is the salvation that mankind had been waiting for. For references of the many prophecies about Jesus and how he fulfils them, see the entire bible.

2. They both willingly faced death in order to save the world.
Many may argue that Harry was not trying to save the world, only his close friends, whereas Jesus died for all (2 Cor 5:14-17). But I think if you look over the entire series of Harry Potter, it is clear that Harry has always displayed a strong tendency to risk his life to save just about anyone. To name a few instances over the series, Harry goes into the Chamber to save Ginny, stays at the bottom of the lake for longer than necessary to save Fleurs sister, goes out of his way to free Buckbeak, and risks cursed fire to save his long-time enemy Draco. Hermione even hesitantly suggests to Harry at one stage that he has a “saving-people thing”.
And so when he willingly walks into the forest, allowing Voldemort  to kill him (and in turn killing Voldemort, removing him from the entire world), Harry is showing a similar level of concern and self sacrifice as Jesus for the benefit of the world.

3. Both re-appeared after their death experience
Jesus returned three days after his death and appeared to many so that we could know of his victory over death and sin(Rom 8:8-10). Harry chose to return from his near-death so that he could finish off Voldemort (representation of death, sin and Satan).
That’s about as far as this parallel goes, although I mention it because I think in many ways it’s the biggest indication that Rowling intended Harry to be a “Jesus figure”. It completes the cycle that lifts Harry from being a common sacrifice character that fill many books and movies, to being a “whisper of Christ” in a similar manner to CS Lewis’ Aslan. There are hints quite early on in the series that Harry would fulfil this role. From the first book, Harry’s wand has been made from Holly (apparently derived from Holy) wood and a Phoenix feather (a mythical bird known for its ability to resurrect itself). Holy resurrection… sound familiar?

Apart from the above three, there are numerous parallels, symbols and links which could be further drawn between Harry and Jesus. They may not all be intentional and there is certainly a danger in looking to hard to find things that aren’t there, but the following are a few for interests sake:

• Harry fighting against the Ministry of Magic/ Jesus opposing the Pharisees and teachers of the law
• It had to be Jesus who died (fully man and fully God) in order to accomplish everything on the cross/ It had to be Harry to die because he had some of Voldemort inside of him.
• Jesus was betrayed by Judas just before he faced death/ Harry felt betrayed by Dumbledore just before his death (stretching things here)
• God as Jesus’ source of authority/ Dumbledore as Harry’s “God figure”
• Both are recognised as victor’s over death

So what are some of the differences between Jesus and Harry? Well…like their similarities, there are lots:

1. Harry Potter is not perfect
Whilst there is a sense throughout the series that Harry has particularly noble or “good qualities” (remember the mirror or desire/erised? Harry couldn’t see glory and fame like Ron could), Harry falls into some fairly major pitfalls inherent to his age. He becomes at times extremely self involved, moody, rebellious and snaps at his friends unjustifiably many times. He is, in short, not Jesus.
Jesus on the other hand is our perfect, unblemished saviour who “knew no sin” (2 Cor 5:21)

2. Harry does not ascend to Heaven
This brings up one of the biggest criticism’s some Christians have levelled against the Harry universe- that there is no heaven, no mention of what happens after death, no mention of God. This isn’t completely true. Rowling offer’s a few hints over the series. The mere existence of Ghosts and Nicholas’ explanation that he chose “not to go on” is the earliest reference in the second book. There are also the whispers behind the veil in the ministry where Sirius falls through, which Luna indicates are dead people (Book Five). There are all the pictures/photo’s scattered around everywhere which seem to act independent of their originals, Snape even takes suggestions and advice from Dumbledore’s portrait in Book 7 after Dumbledore had died in book 6. And of course there is the chapter in Hallows named Kings Cross (note the double meaning of the name) where Harry meets Dumbledore again (who is dead) and is in some other realm which is insinuated to be between life and the life after death.
Nonetheless, Harry stays on earth, gets married, raises a family and by all appearances keeps a normal life at the end of the series. This is a far cry from Jesus who has ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of God! (Eph 1:20-23)

3.Jesus does far more in his death than Harry
In his sacrifice, Harry defeats one evil wizard for good. Quite an accomplishment, but again, paling in comparison to Jesus.

Jesus doesn’t just defeat one piece of evil, he defeats all evil. He overcomes death and paves the way for all who accept him into heaven. He bore the sin of everyone on his shoulders, taking it from us, making us clean and blameless before God. He shields us from Gods rightful anger and takes that upon himself also.

And so, whilst Harry Potter may be in some ways a reminder of Jesus, in a similar way to Aslan and perhaps even some old testament people (David). He is but a shadow of the real thing.

When I stand before God in judgement, I want Jesus in front of me, not a fictional wizard who’s signature move is Expelliarmous.