Wizards and Religion (specifically Anglicanism)

[Rosemary Hoyt]

I'm writing a story in which I want a christening to be a central event and so became curious about Wizarding religious customs.

We know they celebrate Christmas and Easter as a rule and even recognize Father Christmas...but what about church attendance and adherence to various sects of Christianity? Can wizards be Catholic? Anglican? Lutheran? JKR never really mentions God in the novels, and wizards tend to invoke Merlin rather than Jesus in their oaths.

However, I wanted to know if it would be appropriate to write an Anglican christening for a proper, ancient, British pure-blood wizarding family (I thought Anglicanism would be most appropriate to the setting).

[MrsRuebeusHagridDursley]

Well, as far as attending church goes I don't think they would, seeing as the children are at Hogwarts most of the time, and from our time spent with the Weasley family it doesn't seem so.

Perhaps a muggle born witch or wizard would attend church during the holidays, but I think that would be it.

We know they celebrate Christmas and Easter as a rule

Well, the school system does. I think that it's that way because most school systems are arranged that way. We know that the Weasleys (and apparently Hermione) celebrate Christmas, but it seems likely that other families celebrate Hannukah or Kwanza. Yes, the school is decorated and celebrates Christmas, but if students are welcome to go home for the holidays, so if the students celebrate something else they can go home and celebrate whatever they'd like there.

I don't think that the wizarding world is as religious as the muggle world can be, as it seems that traditional practices would be harder to carry out. Perhaps they have different ways of showing their religion?

I hope nothing I said affended anybody, if I did I really didn't mean to. And I hope I helped you, Rosemary Hoyt!

~Morgan

[h_vic]

I don't think it would seem odd for a wizarding child to be Christened because Harry presumably was since Sirius was his godfather.

Hope that helps,

~Hannah

[Rosemary Hoyt]

I don't think it would seem odd for a wizarding child to be Christened because Harry presumably was since Sirius was his godfather.

Yeah, that's what I thought. But then, in DH Lupin just asks Harry to be godfather, and we never see any kind of ceremony.

I think I'm going to go ahead with the christening scene and hope I don't break canon. Thanks, guys!

But if anyone else has any input, it's always appreciated!!

-RH