Doubtless you have your own story about the first time you heard ofHarry Potter or read a Harry Potter novel. My story, as it reflects theperspective and consequent insights that became this book, is perhapsthe fitting way to introduce Looking for God in Harry Potter. I am what reporters without fail call a “traditional Christian.” Given that they use this description for Christian believers rangingfrom snake handlers in Appalachia to Tridentine Mass RomanCatholics, the phrase is robbed of much meaning. But as I fallsomewhere between the ends of that spectrum (near the Mere Chris-tianity of C. S. Lewis), I can accept the tag. My wife and I haveseven children, and we consider it our chief responsibility to raiseour children in the context of our faith. Without being paranoid orover-sheltering, we have decided that for our family that meanschurch attendance and family prayers, as well as homeschoolingand living without television. Mary and I are also pretty carefulabout what books we choose to read to the children or what titles