Differences Cited in ‘Harry Potter,’ ‘Rings’

Some conservative Christians have attacked the movie “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” and related books by J. K. Rowling, claiming they foster occult religion. But two Southern Baptist theologians are hailing J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” fantasies.

“Fellowship of the Ring,” the first of three movies based on the Tolkien books, is out this week. President R. Albert Mohler Jr. and professor James Parker of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary noted in a radio discussion that the novels of Rowling and Tolkien both include magic.

But Tolkien’s wizard, Gandalf, is a kind of archangel sent from God who has special abilities to help people, Parker said, while the Potter wizard is a supernaturally empowered human being who performs magic that can be used for selfish or evil purposes. Parker said Tolkien’s mythical “Middle-earth” includes accountability to God and a sharp distinction between right and wrong, while there’s moral fuzziness in the Potter books.