Church praises Potter philosophy

Harry Potter gained the Vatican's seal of approval in 2003

Harry Potter novels and films have been praised by a church in Kent as a way of promoting Christian values.

A youth worker at St Margaret's Church in Rainham has created a guide to help young people learn more about morals through the JK Rowling stories.

Owen Smith, who published the booklet, said: "It's all about morals... dealing with issues of trust, issues of love and sacrifice."

Some faith groups previously accused the books of glamorising the occult.

Stephen Green, of Christian Voice, said: "It could be a doorway to the occult. Young children want to act out the things that they read and that they see on the television.

"And when they do that they are likely to want to turn it into reality."

But the Harry Potter gained the Vatican's seal of approval in 2003 when an official said the books helped children "to see the difference between good and evil".