Rating: 
Summary: Finally, the Voice of Sanity
Review: Connie Neal has written a gem of a book that any parent or caregiver can use to help the child(ren) in their life benefit from the moral reflection available in the Harry Potter books. It is so wonderful to see a Christian using sanity, reason, and common sense in dealing with the Potter phenomenon instead of the knee-jerk reactions made by so many Christian "leaders" who don't even bother to READ THE BOOKS before they condemn them. Way to go, Connie. Thank you.
Rating:
Summary: Finally, the Voice of Sanity
Review: Connie Neal has written a gem of a book that any parent or caregiver can use to help the child(ren) in their life benefit from the moral reflection available in the Harry Potter books. It is so wonderful to see a Christian using sanity, reason, and common sense in dealing with the Potter phenomenon instead of the knee-jerk reactions made by so many Christian "leaders" who don't even bother to READ THE BOOKS before they condemn them. Way to go, Connie. Thank you.
Rating: 
Summary: Neal Brings Good News to Potter Fans in Intriguing "Gospel"
Review: Evangelical and other devout Christians distrust popular culture and at times see it with outright hostility. This has been true in theater, on radio (Christian rock pioneer Larry Norman's wailing "Why should the devil have all the good music?") at toy stores and bookstands. J.K. Rowling's wildly successful Harry Potter book series is notable here, its themes of supernatural powers, combined with huge sales to pre-teens, inspiring criticism and even misguided protests such as library lawsuits and book burnings. Recently, however, many conservative Christians have come to respect the Potter books for sophisticated portrayals of good and evil. Connie Neal addresses her Potter interpretation "The Gospel According to Harry Potter" to these Christians plus the few left who remain hostile toward a book series many of them never read. Ms. Neal traverses through the first four Potter books, summing overlaying themes of each. She selects episodes (standing on the 9 ¾ platform, the shrinking door keys mystery, Ginny Weasley's rescue), character profiles (false faces of Professor Quirrell and Mad-Eye Moody, consistent citing of Hogwarts headmaster Dumbledore as a God-like figure) and character quotes. She then relates this at length to a Biblical story or theme, constantly focusing on the panoramic, constant battle between good and evil and subtleties within it. (Neal states on its front cover no one involved with the Potter series proper has authorized this book. Perhaps this is reason Neal provides a teaspoon of Potter followed by two cups of Bible.) Ms. Neal, perhaps for Christian unity or not wanting to put Christian words into Harry's lightning-scarred head, fails somewhat to directly contradict anti-Potter views or any of the series' darker themes. (In personal asides, she recalls criticism received in radio and TV interviews and dealing with fallout from a satirical story on the Onion Web site relating Potter to Satanism.) A librarian at a Micigan Christian school and webmaster of one of the larger Harry Potter sites recently said of Rowling,"She is writing extremely moral books that show that evil is real and you have to take a stand against it, even at great cost to yourself." Connie Neal effectively relates that bedrock Biblical truth to Harry's spiritual quest. She also compares friends, enemies, mentors, and wolves dressed as sheep Harry encounters to Jesus' own ministry, while retaining Jesus' divinity and Harry's mortality. To that end, the "Gospel According to Harry Potter" is useful to homilists and Sunday school teachers wanting to relate today's most popular action-adventure story with the first and truest. This book allows non-Potter readers to effectively discuss the series with those who've read them. It is recommended to Scripture readers intrigued by "the boy who lived", essential for Potter readers intrigued by the One who lives.
Rating:
Summary: Creative Engagement with Popular Culture
Review: I had the privilege of providing some editorial review to the manuscript for this book prior to its publication. I became aware of Mrs. Neal's work through her previous volume on the controversial Harry Potter series, and was intrigued by her approach and perspective. She continues this fine work with this latest volume. It is no secret that the Harry Potter series has set off a firestorm of controversy. In Western popular culture the dividing lines have been drawn over the series (now expressed in film with the second film due in theaters in November in the U.S.), with a polarization between pro- and anti-Potter perspectives. Traditionally, evangelical Christianity has a track record of articulating many valid concerns about the rise and influence of Paganism in American culture, but little work has been done addressing just why so many are rejecting the church in favor of alternative spiritual pathways, or creatively engaging popular culture to mine various concepts that can be used as bridges to communicate the gospel. Thankfully, _The Gospel According to Harry Potter_ provides a remedy to this situation. Mrs. Neal recognizes that both pro- and ant-Potter advocates can (and will) find elements to support their contrary views on Potter. Thus, Mrs. Neal specifically states that she is not writing to articulate a pro-Potter position, but rather, she is looking at the Potter series with the specific intention of finding elements within the series that discerning Christians can use as bridges for communication to individuals interested in Potter (and perhaps the general fantasy genre as well). Just as the Apostle Paul drew upon various Pagan sources and ideas that were used to communicate the gospel to sophisticated Pagans of the first century, contemporary Christians may wish to explore Mrs. Neal's book for suggestions on evangelizing contemporary Pagans and others interested in spirituality but "turned off" by the church. Although not everyone will agree with her approach, it is worthy of careful consideration. Mrs. Neal has done the Body of Christ a real service in authoring this book. It is my hope that the efforts of others interested in creative engagement with popular culture on behalf of Christ will be stimulated by this fine volume.
Rating:
Summary: A great peice of literary interptation
Review: I love this book! The way Neal ties the Harry Potter books to the Bible is really cool. The book itself is well-writen, and overall it's a great example of literary interptation. I enthusiastically recommend this book to any Harry Potter fan.
Rating: 
Summary: Somebody stop her!!
Review: Neal couldn't get anyone to listen to her so she decided to ride the coattails of Rowling. Please, don't ruin someone else's brilliant work with your WWJD interpretation.
Rating:
Summary: Somebody stop her!!
Review: Neal couldn't get anyone to listen to her so she decided to ride the coattails of Rowling. Please, don't ruin someone else's brilliant work with your WWJD interpretation.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting read, not strong for group study
Review: Our Sunday School class tried to use this book as a basis for a weekly class. While the book itself is engaging and interesting, you really have to be a die-hard Harry Potter fan to come back to it week after week. The book does not work well for group study -- it is mainly a series of snippets from the novel combined with a Biblical application of that snippet. Each is short -- 2 to 3 pages -- and we found that the application information was highly repetitive. That said, I enjoyed reading the book myself, and would recommend it especially for anyone who's trying to relate the cultural context of Harry Potter to their religious convictions. The author does an outstanding job of pointing out the good in the books.
Rating:
Summary: Haven't read it but....
Review: Reading the reviews is enough. So, this book shows the good in Harry Potter? Hmmm. Well, I see no good in it. These books tricked me into thinking that witchcraft was good, and what's sad about it is I've been a Christian since I was 6, I'm 13 now. I don't care what good is in Harry Potter. Because no matter what, it will not out-weigh the bad in it. The reason that I go against Harry Potter is because the Bible and God go against it. Deuteronomy 18:9-14 tells us that God does not like witchcraft. He did not say, "Well, there are some good witches in the world." No, He said that all witchcraft is an abomination to Him. This book seems very weak in its defense for Harry Potter. It probably just shows Harry Potter as being the "good" guy in his books. And, I must admit, as opposed to Professor Snape, the Slytherins, Professor Umbridge, and Voldemort, Harry is a good guy. But, even though the stories are fiction, they get deep down into a child's mind, opening them up for any type of the occult as they get older. I found out the reason that Harry Potter is so popular in the world: Because Harry is just a supposedly "normal" kid, going through life's ups and downs. His guardians hate his guts. He's mistreated. He levels with millions of kids all over the world who feel like there's something different about them. That they're not like a lot of other kids. So, soon, they are backing up in a corner, thinking that no one understands them, but their good friend, Harry Potter. And, later, when they get older, if they don't find out the truth about these books, then, the way they felt when they were younger is programmed into their minds and they think well, since I'm unique and different, then why don't I find my "true self". People think that the only way they can find their "true self" is through witchcraft. Satan has used these books to get to children. I used to be one of them. I always felt different than lots of other kids and Harry could sympathize with me. That's why when I was sad or not feeling good, I'd go get a Harry Potter book. Instead of turning to God, I turned to Harry Potter, witchcraft, and blindly: Satan. I didn't know that the "uniqueness" that I felt was not something to be despised, or feel ashamed about. The uniqueness that I have is Jesus Christ. I thought that the call that I have on my life was to use towards witchcraft, but I was wrong. The call on my life is to be used for God. After all, it is God who calls us. Satan just uses us for his own use. But, with Jesus, we're forgiven, and cleansed of all of our sins. Satan just reminds us of our sins and past. Satan is using witchcraft to get millions of people to hell. Although it is true that children can't go to hell, because they're innocent, and Satan knows that. But, the only reason that Satan is cramming the occult into their head now, is so that they get used to the idea that witchcraft is a normal way of life. Then when they get older, they will, somehow (by Satan) get into the occult. That's the whole reason of Harry Potter. A crash course in witchcraft. Please, do not read this book "The Gospel According to Harry Potter" or any of the Harry Potter books. Jesus is the ONLY way. Please. I love you all. God bless!
Rating:
Summary: The Gospel According to Harry Potter: Spirituality in the St
Review: The Gospel According to Harry Potter: Spirituality in the Stories of the World's Most Famous Seeker by Connie Neal is an amazing book that shows the reader that their plenty of spirituality in a book filled with magic.
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