God and Harry Potter at Yale

This book had an interesting story in it, but it also had much more theology than I was expecting. That didn't make it terrible, and some of the theological discussion was interesting, but it wasn't what I was expecting or what I was looking for. Also, many of the connections between the books and the theology felt tenuous, relying both on fringe theology and odd interpretations of the book to even find a meeting point between the two.Oh, one final positive: the author showed that she really cared about her students, and I think that's important. Maybe I would have viewed it differently if I'd been a student rather than just reading the book.

Excellent, very thoughtfully and respectfully written book. Engages in important and deep issues whilst providing a solid background of philosophy an theology theories and research. All this while keeping the text short, readable and engaging.

Nice book. Thanks.

A well grounded and researched look at contemporary culture through the lens theological thought. An entertaining and engaging work.Taken a step further, wouldn't it be equally interesting and valid to approach other popular contemporary cultural phenomena using the same parallel comparisons.

Engaging read -- I can understand why so many students fought to get in this class!

Most college students, most people, in fact, seem to view theology in the same way they view flossing or eating Brussells sprouts: as something that they know is important but which isn't fun, engaging, or very easy to understand. J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books, beloved by millions of readers, appear to be at the opposite end of the spectrum, as they are fun, engaging, and easy to read and since they are often (incorrectly) thought to be more entertainment than edification. Who would have thought that theology and Harry Potter could have been combined to create a class that changed lives at Yale? The answer to that question is Rev. Danielle Elizabeth Tumminio, who created an incredibly popular seminar at Yale, tackling the sometimes daunting subject of theology by studying it in the context of the Harry Potter universe. The class took on subjects such as sacrifice, Christology, grace, and the problem of evil, as portrayed in Rowling's novels. The incredibly popular course garnered international attention, and now, Rev. Tummino takes readers where she has taken students, to a study of theology unlike any other. Follow me after the jump for the full review.God and Harry Potter at Yale: Teaching Faith and Fantasy Fiction in an Ivy League Classroom (Unlocking Press 2010) is a delightful read, covering the creation and implementation of the first semester of her beloved course of Harry Potter and Christian thought, as well as visiting the major themes covered in the class. Rev. Tumminio's writing is engaging and approachable, making the reader often wish for the opportunity to be in an actual class with her. She takes daunting subjects like Arianism, soul-making theodicy, and the Pelegian heresy and makes them accessible and clear, without diminishing their complexity and importance. Along the way, readers will discover the theological richness of the Harry Potter novels and get to visit with Christian thinkers from Augustine to Julian of Norwich to C.S. Lewis, who preside over the study rather like the old Hogwarts Headmasters in their portraits: nodding, adding comments, and, above all, vibrant and engaging rather than long-gone, dusty fellows who put us in mind of Professor Binns.Rev. Tummino also includes thought-provoking discussion questions at the end of each chapter that will allow the reader to continue his or her own explorations of these topics, and which also serve as excellent tools for the teacher who might like to use this text in an academic setting.Though the topics sometimes plumb the depths of Christian thought, Rev. Tummino never lets the reader tumble into the abyss. With a perfect balance of easy-to-grasp theology and connections to the Potter universe, she makes both theology and Harry Potter more relevant and meaningful.So, grab your Bible, your copies of the Harry Potter books, and an every-flavor cupcake, and join this delightful teacher for an amazing journey that will teach, encourage, and inspire. God and Harry Potter at Yale is a must read for teachers, for students who will wish they had Rev. Tumminio on their faculty, and for anyone who wants to understand theology or Harry Potter in a wonderful new way.

I agree with the other reviews by HPFan29 and Muggle13 that this book does a great job of blending together an introduction to some fairly weighty theological concepts with the fantastical world of Harry Potter.The short version of this review: I'd definitely recommend the book.The longer version: Exactly what you get out of it may depend a bit on the perspective you're entering from, whether you're a big HP fan with a passing interest in religion, or vice versa. (I'm assuming here that if you're hugely into both, you have already bought this book, and if you have no interest whatsoever in either, you would not have stumbled onto this page in the first place.)The most obvious target audience would be students (or just curious individuals) who want to get an introduction to theological scholarship, but may be discouraged by the thought of having to pore over thick volumes full of literally millennia of dense philosophical arguments. For those folks, here's some good news: Even if you took out all the Harry Potter bits, this book would still be a great introduction to many of the core concepts of Christian theology (evil, sin, salvation, grace, etc.). The style is a bit more conversational and far easier to read than most textbooks, without being too cursory to be a useful academic reference.The framework of examining these concepts in the context of the Harry Potter universe makes them even easier to digest; the typical structure is to spend a few pages introducing and discussing some theological concept, and then a few pages relating it to HP and his pals. This alternation of vegetables and dessert, as it were, is great for keeping you going if you're not too familiar with theology to start. Although "Yale" is in the title, and indeed that's where the course on which this book is based was originally taught, the good news is you don't have to be a Yale student to enjoy and learn from Reverend Tumminio's writing.Academics and more experienced theologians will find lots here to like as well. Since just about everyone has read the Harry Potter books or seen the movies, the book's examples can provide some great ways to introduce theological concepts to students or acquaintances. English and literary majors may find this book of interest also, even if they don't specialize in theology; the sections on the Harry Potter world, in addition to illuminating the theology introduced in the rest of the book, also serve as a fairly substantial literary analysis of various the Christian themes present in Rowling's work.All in all, the style is engaging, the pacing is good, and if you're interested in Harry Potter and/or theology enough to have found yourself to this page, I think you'll find "God and Harry Potter at Yale" an interesting and informative read.

Fantastic arguments and written in a conversational tone which made me not want to put it down.