Since the first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, was published in 1997, J.K. Rowling’s ‘Potterheads’ have done close-readings of the series. From determining detailed Hogwarts house characteristics to theories claiming Ron Weasley is actually Headmaster Dumbledore, the Potter fans have generated seemingly endless ideas and continue to find hidden meanings and symbols in the books. One particular trend in the series is the copious amount of biblical parallels. This is not just a reader-fabricated concept-it has been confirmed by Rowling that the books have strong Christian undertones, being a member of the Church of Scotland herself. In an interview Rowling said “There is a lot of Christian imagery in the books. That’s undeniable. And certainly in Hallows [it is]
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By throwing herself in front of Harry to save him from the Killing Curse, Lily Potter enacts a counter-charm so strong that Voldemort is unable to kill Harry . In Sorcerer’s Stone, Dumbledore says to Harry “…love as powerful as your mother’s for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign… to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever.” The biblical parallel becomes obvious with this quote. Lily sacrificed herself consciously out of love, even when given the chance to step aside and live. Her sacrifice and its effects line up very closely with Jesus Christ’s death on the cross. Even when he could have complied with the Roman government and lived, Jesus gave himself to die as a sacrifice, giving his people-whom he loved so deeply—a chance to spiritually live for eternity (John 3:16). His sacrifice protects those who choose to be a part of him and his church, shielding them from the darkness and evil of the world. (Ephesians 5:2, Psalm
By throwing herself in front of Harry to save him from the Killing Curse, Lily Potter enacts a counter-charm so strong that Voldemort is unable to kill Harry . In Sorcerer’s Stone, Dumbledore says to Harry “…love as powerful as your mother’s for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign… to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever.” The biblical parallel becomes obvious with this quote. Lily sacrificed herself consciously out of love, even when given the chance to step aside and live. Her sacrifice and its effects line up very closely with Jesus Christ’s death on the cross. Even when he could have complied with the Roman government and lived, Jesus gave himself to die as a sacrifice, giving his people-whom he loved so deeply—a chance to spiritually live for eternity (John 3:16). His sacrifice protects those who choose to be a part of him and his church, shielding them from the darkness and evil of the world. (Ephesians 5:2, Psalm