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Why do Christian critics love Lord of the Rings and not Harry Potter?
Harry Potter has magic. Lord of the Rings has magic. Harry Potter has wizards, dark evil, and an unlikely hero who overcomes obstacles with friendship and courage. So does Lord of the Rings. Yet reactions from conservative Christian critics have not been so similar.

Yesterday, The Boston Globe picked up on the dichotomy:

"The world of Christian conservatives that shuddered at the wizardry and witchcraft of J.K. Rowling's wildly popular fantasy works about boy wizard Harry Potter is now rejoicing at the revival of interest in the sorcery-packed The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien," staff writer Michael Paulson reports.

The Harry Pottermovie (and the books before it) met with hesitation and condemnation from evangelicals last month while many of the same critics are now offering little caution and much praise about Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring.

As a pastor in The Boston Globe article said, "Tolkien has been much more accepted in the evangelical community." So much so, according to the article, that some theologians and pastors have taught themselves Tolkien's made-up elfish language. Meanwhile, Harry Potterbooks are burned in church parking lots.

For the last three weeks, Christianity Today's Film Forum has cataloged the raving praise for Fellowship of the Ring from religious and mainstream critics. The only red flags religious critics have raised concern the film's frequent and sustained violence.

So why are the reactions to two magical fantasies so different? The Globe found a crucial difference: Who the authors are.

"Tolkien was a devout convert to Catholicism whose religion informed his writing, while Rowling, a member of the Church of Scotland, has not emphasized her religion as a central part of her biography," the article says.

There are no explicit references to God in Tolkien's fantasy, but he did confirm later in his life that religious themes are embedded in Lord of the Rings's symbolism and characters.

Another factor, the article says, could be the depiction of the world around the heroes. Tolkien celebrates the ordinary folk who rise up to save the day. On the other hand, critics say, Harry Potter exists in a world where wizards are superior to regular people who Rowling calls "muggles."

Still another difference is the target audience: Harry is aimed at children while Frodo's tale is adult fare.

Obviously, not all Christians hate Harry Potter. Much of the criticism is largely media hype. Many Christian leaders like the boy wizard. He is used in Bible studies, sermons, and in couple-counseling classes. In 1999, Christianity Todayrecommended reading the books to your children.

Likewise, some film reviewers have found little fault. Christianity Today's Douglas LeBlanc said "an evangelical viewer must be rather stubborn to find Sorcerer's Stone worthy of contempt."

However, most Christian recommendations of the film include a caveat that it could open a door to evil. The U.K.'s Evangelical Alliance urges Christians to see the movie but not to "ignore the potential dangers of the stories as an unintended apologetic for the occult; particularly among children."

In his review of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, LeBlanc wrote that the boy wizard will continue to inspire debate in evangelical circles. But that can be a good thing: "Ultimately, this conflict is a gift, an opportunity for vigorous discussion on what we believe about good and evil, storytelling, and our faith."

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December (Web-only) 2001, Vol. 45