Is “Harry Potter” an anti-Catholic text? This friar says no

Ever since the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone many years ago, this popular book series we all know and love has been met with fire by some religious groups around the world for its supposed promotion of the occult and Satanic texts. There have even been those who have tried to ban the books from public schools, in order to protect their children from reading them.

In as much as the Potter series has been met with fear and hate from these groups, however, there has been equal measure on the other side, with academics and religious leaders claiming the Harry Potter series not only doesn’t subvert religious doctrines but also that it’s practically alligned with them. Many have argued, for instance, that Potter is actually rife with certain Biblical symbolism – as has been suggested about C.S. Lewis’s Narnia series – and is truly a Christian text.

One friar by the name of Br. Nick takes this second position. In order to reach out to Catholics who are unsure about how the faith is reflected in the series, he has created a series of YouTube videos that explore the question reasonably and deeply. You can check them all out right here.

How do feel religious belief is represented in the Harry Potter series? Jo has been rather evasive about the topic in interviews over the years but has always maintained that her own, unique spirituality is present.