A Recap of Harry Potter and the Sacred Text
Hello Potterheads!
This week I tried out the Harry Potter and the Sacred Text podcast, which is hosted by Vanessa Zoltan and Casper ter Kuile. The purpose of the podcast is to reexamine the Harry Potter series as a sacred text as opposed to entertainment. They go in chronological order and each episode is based on a single chapter of the series, which they look at through a certain theme. The idea was thought up when one of the cohosts reread Harry Potter while taking a divination class and felt more connected to it over the Bible. The first episode was focused on chapter one of The Sorcerer’s Stone and examines it through the theme of commitment.
The podcast began with an intro that I definitely appreciated. Casper is heard reading aloud the first chapter of The Sorcerer’s Stone before his voice fades out as serene instrumental music is played, and finally, the hosts introduce themselves. After a short story about commitment- the chapter’s theme- each host attempts to summarize the chapter in 30 seconds and then they dive into their examination. Vanessa begin by stating the controversial opinion that she understood and sympathized with the Dursley’s-shocking, right? -when reading the chapter through the lens of commitment. Vernon Dursley specifically is committed to his family by pursuing normalcy in the Muggle world and working so hard to provide for them. They also shed light on two underrated characters, that I personally believe deserve way more credit than they receive: Hagrid and Professor McGonagall. Both hosts discuss how committed Hagrid is to protecting Harry upon their first meeting by safely delivering him to Privet Drive, a commitment that is often overshadowed by other figures in Harry’s life. They also touch on McGonagall’s commitment to the task at hand and how she is always focused on her responsibilities while others are being more lighthearted around her.
The podcast ended with the incorporation of two religious elements to connect the sacred aspect back to the show. They began by using Lectio Divina, which means sacred reading in Latin, a Christian practice. They flipped through the chapter and chose a sentence to read at four different levels of reading. They then chose characters to bless at the conclusion of the episode. Each which they will choose a different religious practice to use to examine the text closely.
So, the reason that I chose this podcast was because I am also a lover of Harry Potter and love to see how Rowling’s wizarding world continues to expand and grow. This was a different take on the universe and it intrigued me to see just how the hosts would pull off their task. Based on this single episode, I would definitely go back and listen to more. I would love to see how they apply religious practices to Harry Potter, something that I would have never considered. I could also see how they broke the episode into segments, with the intro, then the story, then a fun portion where they each summarize the chapter before breaking it down and finally the religious practice and then the blessing. If you’re looking for a new and creative look at the Potter world, I would check out Harry Potter and the Sacred Text; currently, Casper and Vanessa have reached The Order of the Phoenix.
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