Pop Culture and Christianity

Most of the non-political blogs I read on a daily basis are either Christian or have a strong Christian bias. Since I love science fiction and fantasy, and always have, and I consider myself a Catholic in good standing, I am especially interested in the discussions concerning Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, and The Chronicles of Narnia.

The discussions seem to focus on two things: the use of witchcraft and/or the occult and the moral of the story. To summarize: does the use of witchcraft and sorcery in the story endorse witchcraft and sorcery in real life? Does the message of the story--love, friendship, responsibility--override the particular types of images or mythology used by the author?

I find the discussion a bit ironic, especially this time of year. For Christmas and Easter are, perhaps, the most blatant examples of Christian use of pagan symbols. From candles to Christmas trees to eggs to rabbits to lambs, to the selection of the day chosen to celebrate Christ's birth and His Resurrection, all have their roots in non-Christian cultures. Christianity did not merely use pagan symbols; it completely subsumed them and integrated them into its celebrations.

Modern Christians need to do the same.

I worry when I hear calls that we need "Christian literature" or "Christian films." What we need is good literature and good films. I recently read a theory that Shakespeare's plays contain covert Catholic messages, echoing the Catholic Easter liturgy, subtly telling Queen Elizabeth that many of her subjects were unhappy with her new Anglican Church and that she should practice tolerance for the old Catholic religion. Similarly, we need authors, screenwriters, and directors who can present the Christian values to those who are unacquainted and unaware. If a book screams "Christian," who is likely to read it? The "choir," so to speak.

Christ's parables used the imagery His audience was familiar with: Middle Eastern farmers and fishermen. Modern parables should do the same. I believe that Tolkien and Lewis did just that by using the story format of myths and fairy tales that many Europeans were familiar with. Rowling is their modern equivalent.

Harry Potter is qualitatively different from many of the other fantasy books aimed at children. DD#2 thoroughly enjoys A Series of Unfortunate Events. I enjoy the subtle wordplay, the fact that the children use their wits and their skills (Violet as an inventor; Klaus as a reader and researcher) to get out of the bleak situations they find themselves in. We both enjoy reading the adventures of Charlie Bone, who looks at a photograph and knows what the subjects are thinking and feeling. DS#2 enjoys Artemis Fowl, about a young street urchin who finds that he has mysterious powers. But they're not Harry.

The difference is in the message. Without being preachy, while being true to whatever age Harry happens to be (and since DS#2 is the same age as Harry, I have a "control" subject), Ms. Rowling shows her readers the importance of family, of friends, of love, of using your talents to benefit others. She shows her readers what happens to those who succumb to the allure of evil: The Dark Lord (and I don't think she chose that nickname for Lord Voldemort by accident) may be very powerful, but he was defeated by a baby. He is physically ugly. He has no friends, only subordinates who obey him out of fear or out of their own greed. Much like Darth Vader, Voldemort shows the limitations of the Dark Side. Voldemort is not happy. Neither is Dudley, Harry's cousin, who has been spoiled beyond belief by his parents. (I'm thinking Veruca Salt here.)

As I see it, the challenge for us Christians is to take what modern culture gives us and transform it for the Greater Glory of God and His Son. Not just to take modern forms, but to take the actual symbols themselves, much like John Granger has with Harry Potter. Or, as an older example, The Gospels According to Peanuts.

The real challenge, of course, would be to do The Gospels According to Doonesbury.