Looking for God in Harry Potter, looks like an interesting one. I love the Potter books and have been annoyed with the bad press they have gotten by certain fundamentalist Christians. It is nice to see a little more Christian backing there--I still haven't been able to convince my sister to let her boys read them(I know they would love them!) Maybe this book will push her into the Potter camp? One can only hope.

A "spread" of thought you've pounced on. :)

Joyella- this book (Looking for God) is fabulous! I am so thankful that I found it. I actually read an article about it in Christianity Today at Kris' house, and sent myself an e-mail with the name and author. I love it because it encourages me to not just give a knee-jerk response, but to use my mind to think through things. I think we created human beings sometimes forget that God, the perfect artist, made us in His image and that we have an inate desire to be creative like He has been and is. Our expressions are as unique and vast (architecture, production, various mediums of art, teaching, writing, mathematics, sciences) as He has created us.

I believe that there are some areas that are obvious for the Christian to discern as evil and unacceptable (p0_n_gra_h_) and there are others that are more grey and require further examination and investigation. In this case, by me- the parent. I read them before I allowed my oldest daughter to and have set an age limit of 13 for all my other daughters. Not because I find them scary, but because I want them to be old enough to understand all the meanings behind and woven through the stories.

I also think that many "fundamentalist" Christians reject any educational training, except that of seminary/Bible college, as being completely secular. They wrongly accept only a literal interpretation of loving the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind.

While he cautions and supports parents concern about true evil, Granger does an excellent job of distinguishing between invocational magic (wrong and evil according to scripture) and incantational magic, the latter which mimics God (as we do in decorating, building, and designing, planning, implementing, etc).

I know exactly what you are talking about (your sister). The secretary at our former church is also one of the church librarians and has stocked the shelves with anti-Potter rhetoric. I think that is fine, however, in the name of allowing people to make their own truly "informed" decisions, this book, Looking for God, should be right there next to them.

It seems that anytime I meet someone who was adimently against HP before reading them, did a complete turn around after reading them. It seems that those who are opposed are judgmently of those who are not, and those who are supportive of the series, are truly sad for those who won't read, as they are missing out on a truly great and future classic piece of literary work.

I have several friends who are wanting to read this after me, but I would have no problem sending it to you when they are finished :D

Chrys-??