The Harry Potter stories show many similarities with the teachings of Christianity. Here are some biblical teachings displayed in the Harry Potter novels:
� Self Sacrifice - Just as Jesus sacrificed himself on Calvary (A hill outside ancient Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified), Lilt Potter sacrificed herself to save Harry as an infant.
� Friendship � There are similarities between the friendship show by Jesus� apostles and the friendship between Harry, Ron, and Hermoine.
� Loyalty � The �good� characters all exhibit loyalty throughout the story. A main one being the loyalty all the student�s show to Dumbledore.
Symbolism of Christ and the Devil
Two different creatures in the Harry Potter realm are used to represent Christ: the phoenix and the unicorn. The phoenix representing Christ�s resurrection, while the unicorn symbolizes Christ�s purity.
The devil is represented as a serpent or a snake. As Slytherin house shows (Slytherin is repreented by a snake) serpents symbolize evil. The basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets is also a representation of the evil of Satan.
Similarities of Peter Pettigrew and Judas
Judas is on of the twelve apostles and therefore a trusted friend of Jesus, just as Pettigrew is a close trusted friend of the Potter family. Both of these characters betray those close to them (Judas betrayed Jesus, Pettigrew betrayed Lily and James Potter) resulting in the death of their trusted friends.
Judas betrayed Jesus by telling the soldiers where Jesus is praying in the garden, and received a payment of twenty pieces of silver for this act. Pettigrew betrays the Potters by telling Voldemort their location, and also by bringing Harry to the graveyard where Voldemort�s revival occurs. For this he received a silver hand.
Both Judas and Peter Pettigrew betrayed those closest to them, and were rewarded for their actions.
The Mark of God versus Harry�s Scar
In Revelation 9, there are a few verses that refer to God granting protection to those who have His mark on their foreheads. The lightning-bolt scar on Harry�s forehead will forever remain as a mark of his mother�s sacrifice to save him. Dumbledore tells Harry in Sorcerer�s Stone that his mother�s death instilled in Harry a protective force to guard him from Voldemort, which is a direct parallel to this Biblical reference.