The miracle of the Harry Potter series is that it keeps getting better. The genius of Ms. Rowling was her decision (probably never even seriously considered at the time) to follow Harry through his schooling. As a result, Harry's fans have never left him behind. The question is whether Ms. Rowling will be bound to him for life, as Arthur Conan Doyle was bound to Sherlock Holmes.

— Stephen King's 10 favorite books of 2005

Poor J.K. Rowling (in a figurative sense). She's always getting sideswiped by literary critics who think she's a bad writer or by Christians who think she's a witch.

A Reverend Mike Turner adds a new idea: J.K. Rowling is an inferior writer to C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien because "she has no understanding of holiness." He writes:

Holiness is a hard concept to grasp, especially in our secular world. Rudolph Otto, in his classical book on the subject, "The Idea of the Holy," said that behind all religious experience is the sense of awe and majesty that he called the numinous. This sense isn't an ordinary feeling that's simply intensified; rather, it's something that stands alone and is experienced only when we encounter the divine. We realize we're in the presence of something larger than ourselves.

That sense of the holy permeates both Narnia and Middle Earth and is the source of the wonder and delight we feel when visiting both places. In Narnia, Aslan is obviously holy as a Christ figure and, because of that holiness, stands out as the central figure in the story. The other figures in Narnia respond to that holiness either in reverence or in fear. (Source)

I agree that Aslan is represented as a Christ figure, and although we may not feel a sense of "awe" about him, so does Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter books. I really liked Richard Harris's portrayal of Dumbledore. Harris was obviously frail at that point in his life and probably knew the end was near. This gave his character a certain otherworldliness and quiet dignity. Dumbledore is a Christ-like figure, and Harris brought out that quality much more than Michael Gambon does.

Turner adds that Rowling's good characters are flat while the evil ones are much more interesting. For a children's book, he insists, this is disturbing. Well, he may have a point about the good characters.

But I'll put a different spin on it. No doubt evil itself can be intriguing. Knowing what I know of God, as revealed in Scripture and in my own life, he is awesome (to understate the matter), and we would do well to fear him in that sense. Knowing that there will be an accounting when Christ comes and that every man will be judged for everything he's ever said and done, I'm astounded that wretched man continues to live in rebellion against his Creator.

The Bible teaches that one day, everyone will know that Christ is the Son of God. What will the unrepentant feel at that moment? It will be too late for repentance. Will they be sorry? Will they make excuses? Will they remain defiant? They will suffer in damnation forever, apart from God. Yet while they're still living, they continually reject God in spite of the suffering to come. To me, such a person is foolishly interesting. I pray for them, but at the same time, I'm left speechless by their nerve. It's like slowing down to watch a horrible accident with blood and limbs strewn about. I can't bear to watch it, yet, I can't turn away.

Turner points out that Lewis and Tolkien were "devout Christians" who understand that "the world is a fundamentally moral place where the presence of the divine can be experienced," and he implies that Rowling isn't a "devout" Christian.

There's much to be said about that statement, but I'll save it for a different post. I'd like to say, though, that Rowling is a member of the Church of Scotland, but she's never talked about her faith. John Granger posits that she hasn't done so yet because learning details about her faith may give away the plots in her books.