Comments on: Harry Potter and Christianity, part 3–Renouncing Eternal Life http://www.thelandofunlikeness.com/2007/08/26/harry-potter-and-christianity-part-1-renouncing-eternal-life/ Catholic Anglican Reflections on Theology and Culture Thu, 04 Dec 2008 09:54:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Janet Leslie Blumberg http://www.thelandofunlikeness.com/2007/08/26/harry-potter-and-christianity-part-1-renouncing-eternal-life/#comment-273 Janet Leslie Blumberg Wed, 29 Aug 2007 03:57:11 +0000 http://www.thelandofunlikeness.com/2007/08/26/harry-potter-and-christianity-part-1-renouncing-eternal-life/#comment-273 Our rector treated the OT passage last Sunday by pointing out that the historical setting was that Sennacherib was descending in force on Jerusalem, and so Israel had made an alliance (covenant) with Egypt -- of all nations -- to protect them. An outright alliance with the idol worshippers from whom God had delivered them out of Egypt, when the Law was given to Moses.... The prophetic outrage is pretty understandable. They were afraid of being killed by Sennacherib's armies, so they signed a covenant with Egypt. Our rector treated the OT passage last Sunday by pointing out that the historical setting was that Sennacherib was descending in force on Jerusalem, and so Israel had made an alliance (covenant) with Egypt — of all nations — to protect them. An outright alliance with the idol worshippers from whom God had delivered them out of Egypt, when the Law was given to Moses…. The prophetic outrage is pretty understandable. They were afraid of being killed by Sennacherib’s armies, so they signed a covenant with Egypt.

]]> By: DWM http://www.thelandofunlikeness.com/2007/08/26/harry-potter-and-christianity-part-1-renouncing-eternal-life/#comment-271 DWM Tue, 28 Aug 2007 15:11:36 +0000 http://www.thelandofunlikeness.com/2007/08/26/harry-potter-and-christianity-part-1-renouncing-eternal-life/#comment-271 I wonder, however, if our friend wouldn't suggest that this reading of Isiah is completely skewed and rather anti-semitic. The Israelites, as we know, weren't completely idolatrous. I'm reading a good book on this issue right now that suggests that there was an internal struggle between those we might call the Faithful - or Rowling's Order of the Phoenix - and the unfaithful/idolatrous - the death eaters. And, as with the HP books, those in the middle, often wishing to remain "neutral", although HP brilliantly brings out that there is no such thing as neutral. It's burke, I believe, who said "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." I wonder, however, if our friend wouldn’t suggest that this reading of Isiah is completely skewed and rather anti-semitic. The Israelites, as we know, weren’t completely idolatrous. I’m reading a good book on this issue right now that suggests that there was an internal struggle between those we might call the Faithful - or Rowling’s Order of the Phoenix - and the unfaithful/idolatrous - the death eaters. And, as with the HP books, those in the middle, often wishing to remain “neutral”, although HP brilliantly brings out that there is no such thing as neutral. It’s burke, I believe, who said “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”

]]> By: A.D. http://www.thelandofunlikeness.com/2007/08/26/harry-potter-and-christianity-part-1-renouncing-eternal-life/#comment-270 A.D. Tue, 28 Aug 2007 14:09:05 +0000 http://www.thelandofunlikeness.com/2007/08/26/harry-potter-and-christianity-part-1-renouncing-eternal-life/#comment-270 Yes, I think that there is a definite allegation that the Israelites, especially their rulers (perhaps referring to foreign powers?) are completely idolatrous. The reading is from Isaiah 28 and while we don't usually associate these passages with Apocalyptic literature, there seems to be at least the seeds of an end time thinking here. There is perhaps more bleed between prophecy and apocalypse then is usually let on--the prophet begins to articulate deliverance as Divine aid that reduces human resistance to rubble and straw. Yes, I think that there is a definite allegation that the Israelites, especially their rulers (perhaps referring to foreign powers?) are completely idolatrous. The reading is from Isaiah 28 and while we don’t usually associate these passages with Apocalyptic literature, there seems to be at least the seeds of an end time thinking here. There is perhaps more bleed between prophecy and apocalypse then is usually let on–the prophet begins to articulate deliverance as Divine aid that reduces human resistance to rubble and straw.

]]> By: Davis http://www.thelandofunlikeness.com/2007/08/26/harry-potter-and-christianity-part-1-renouncing-eternal-life/#comment-269 Davis Tue, 28 Aug 2007 13:19:47 +0000 http://www.thelandofunlikeness.com/2007/08/26/harry-potter-and-christianity-part-1-renouncing-eternal-life/#comment-269 Hey guys, I just received the newsletter from St Paul's K Street, DC and there is a superb article (1st of a series) by John Orens, professore at Geo Mason U. The article should be available online at: http://www.stpauls-kst.com/pdfs/Epistle-Sept07.pdf and is entitled Liberating Orthodoxy/The Adventure of Anglo-Catholicism. I can't recommend it highly enough. Hey guys, I just received the newsletter from St Paul’s K Street, DC and there is a superb article (1st of a series) by John Orens, professore at Geo Mason U. The article should be available online at:

http://www.stpauls-kst.com/pdfs/Epistle-Sept07.pdf

and is entitled Liberating Orthodoxy/The Adventure of Anglo-Catholicism. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

]]> By: DWM http://www.thelandofunlikeness.com/2007/08/26/harry-potter-and-christianity-part-1-renouncing-eternal-life/#comment-268 DWM Tue, 28 Aug 2007 03:47:43 +0000 http://www.thelandofunlikeness.com/2007/08/26/harry-potter-and-christianity-part-1-renouncing-eternal-life/#comment-268 Aron, nice post. Thanks for drawing all this out. I was thinking about your reading of the Older Testament passages and trying to imagine what the citizens of Jerusalem must have thought they meant when they were originally delivered, other than the simple NT "fulfillment" style reading. Do you know anything about the context of the passage that might illuminate? I find it particularly interesting that the people of Israel, who clearly identified themselves above other nations as people of in covenant with YHWH, are here being identified as being faithful to an entirely different covenant, analogous - as you point out - to Voldemort having a covenant with death (and death eaters), when he himself preaches that he has done more than any other magician to destroy/conquer death. Aron, nice post. Thanks for drawing all this out. I was thinking about your reading of the Older Testament passages and trying to imagine what the citizens of Jerusalem must have thought they meant when they were originally delivered, other than the simple NT “fulfillment” style reading. Do you know anything about the context of the passage that might illuminate? I find it particularly interesting that the people of Israel, who clearly identified themselves above other nations as people of in covenant with YHWH, are here being identified as being faithful to an entirely different covenant, analogous - as you point out - to Voldemort having a covenant with death (and death eaters), when he himself preaches that he has done more than any other magician to destroy/conquer death.

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