Danielle Elizabeth Tumminio
Encyclopedia
Danielle Elizabeth Tumminio is a priest, theologian, a certified life coach and spinning instructor, and the author of God and Harry Potter at Yale: Teaching Faith and Fantasy Fiction in an Ivy League Classroom. She was the instructor of the "Christian Theology and Harry Potter" seminar at Yale University
in the spring of 2008; in 2011, she repeated the course at Tufts University
. Tumminio has also presented material on the intersection between theology and the Harry Potter
series at the Infinitus Symposium in Orlando, Florida in 2010, the Portus Symposium in Dallas, Texas, in the summer of 2008, and she chaired the panel on Harry Potter and Religion at the 2008 American Academy of Religion
conference. Her teaching has been praised by Harry Potter
commentator John Granger
on his Hogwarts Professor website.
series heretical based upon the characters' use of witchcraft. She has said that in order to consider whether they truly are heretical, Christians must analyze whether the writings of J.K. Rowling violate a number of core theological doctrines, including sin, evil, sacrifice, and grace. To that end, she offered the Yale seminar in order to offer students an opportunity for sustained discussion about the status of the series. She later used that sustained discussion as the basis for her first book, God and Harry Potter at Yale: Teaching Faith and Fantasy Fiction in an Ivy League Classroom. She has maintained that the books are not heretical and are in fact powerful tools for teaching theology to curious academics, seekers, and faithful Christians.
, The Christian Century
,, State of Formation, and the Yale Daily News
. She also regularly blogs for Huffington Post.
series has been featured on televised broadcasts including CNN
, Today Show Australia, and the national Canadian news talk show Connect with Mark Kelley
. She has also appeared in radio broadcasts, including the Colin McEnroe Show and the nationally syndicated Bob and Sheri Show. Her interviews have been featured in print publications including Christianity Today
, and Ministry Values.
In 2011, Tumminio appeared twice as a guest on the television show "Sister Wives
." On the show, she asked the family questions about their marriage and religion and arranged for them to speak in an academic context.
, which she credits for giving her extensive biblical, theological, and musical training at an early age. She sang during her college and graduate school years with the choir of Christ Church
in New Haven, Connecticut. She also was a member of the Yale Glee Club
. She credits music as a powerful force in her ordination discernment.
, where she studied with prominent theologians Marilyn McCord Adams
, Emilie Townes, Miroslav Volf
, and Serene Jones
. She pursued doctoral studies at Boston University, beginning in 2008 under the direction of Shelly Rambo and Bryan Stone; her studies focus on the intersection between theology, trauma, and infertility. At Boston University, she studied with Elie Wiesel
.
Tumminio attended high school with comedienne Amy Schumer
.
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in the spring of 2008; in 2011, she repeated the course at Tufts University
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
. Tumminio has also presented material on the intersection between theology and the Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
series at the Infinitus Symposium in Orlando, Florida in 2010, the Portus Symposium in Dallas, Texas, in the summer of 2008, and she chaired the panel on Harry Potter and Religion at the 2008 American Academy of Religion
American Academy of Religion
The American Academy of Religion is the world's largest association of scholars in the field of religious studies and related topics. It is a nonprofit member association,...
conference. Her teaching has been praised by Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
commentator John Granger
John Granger
John Granger is a speaker and writer whose principal focus is the intersection of literature, faith and culture. He is most well known as the author of several books analysing J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels. He writes a weblog called 'the Hogwarts Professor'.Granger was born in Corning, New...
on his Hogwarts Professor website.
Beliefs about Christianity and Harry Potter
Tumminio stands in opposition to those in Christian circles who call the Harry PotterHarry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
series heretical based upon the characters' use of witchcraft. She has said that in order to consider whether they truly are heretical, Christians must analyze whether the writings of J.K. Rowling violate a number of core theological doctrines, including sin, evil, sacrifice, and grace. To that end, she offered the Yale seminar in order to offer students an opportunity for sustained discussion about the status of the series. She later used that sustained discussion as the basis for her first book, God and Harry Potter at Yale: Teaching Faith and Fantasy Fiction in an Ivy League Classroom. She has maintained that the books are not heretical and are in fact powerful tools for teaching theology to curious academics, seekers, and faithful Christians.
Publications
Tumminio has authored various editorials and feature articles on religious issues, many of which focus on the intersection between Christianity and popular culture. Her work has appeared in publications including CNN's Belief Blog, The GuardianThe Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, The Christian Century
The Christian Century
The Christian Century is a Christian magazine based in Chicago, Illinois. Considered the flagship magazine of U.S. mainline Protestantism, the biweekly reports on religious news; comments on theological, moral, and cultural issues; and reviews books, movies, and music...
,, State of Formation, and the Yale Daily News
Yale Daily News
The Yale Daily News is an independent student newspaper published by Yale University students in New Haven, Connecticut since January 28, 1878...
. She also regularly blogs for Huffington Post.
Appearances
Tumminio has been interviewed for various national and international media outlets. Her take on Christianity's role in the Harry PotterHarry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
series has been featured on televised broadcasts including CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, Today Show Australia, and the national Canadian news talk show Connect with Mark Kelley
Connect with Mark Kelley
Connect with Mark Kelley is a Canadian news talk show, which debuted October 26, 2009 on CBC News Network. Hosted by Mark Kelley, the show airs weeknights live from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. eastern time...
. She has also appeared in radio broadcasts, including the Colin McEnroe Show and the nationally syndicated Bob and Sheri Show. Her interviews have been featured in print publications including Christianity Today
Christianity Today
Christianity Today is an Evangelical Christian periodical based in Carol Stream, Illinois. It is the flagship publication of its parent company Christianity Today International, claiming circulation figures of 140,000 and readership of 290,000...
, and Ministry Values.
In 2011, Tumminio appeared twice as a guest on the television show "Sister Wives
Sister Wives
Sister Wives is an American reality television series broadcast on TLC in 2010. The show documents the life of a polygamist family, which includes patriarch Kody Brown, his four wives and their 17 children. The family began the series living in Lehi, Utah, but has since moved to Las Vegas, Nevada...
." On the show, she asked the family questions about their marriage and religion and arranged for them to speak in an academic context.
Religious upbringing and commitments
Tumminio is ordained in the Episcopal Church of the United States, the tradition in which she was raised. She grew up singing in the girls' choir of the Episcopal Cathedral of the IncarnationCathedral of the Incarnation, Garden City
The Cathedral of the Incarnation is an Episcopal church in Garden City, New York, and the cathedral church of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island. The Cathedral was established in 1876 as a memorial to and mausoleum for Garden City founder, Alexander Turney Stewart...
, which she credits for giving her extensive biblical, theological, and musical training at an early age. She sang during her college and graduate school years with the choir of Christ Church
Christ Church (New Haven)
Christ Church, also known as Christ Church New Haven, is an Episcopal parish church in the Broadway district of New Haven, Connecticut. Christ Church follows an Anglo-Catholic style of worship and has a strong focus on urban ministry...
in New Haven, Connecticut. She also was a member of the Yale Glee Club
Yale Glee Club
The Yale Glee Club is a mixed chorus of men and women, consisting of students of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Founded in 1861, it is the third oldest collegiate chorus in the United States after the Harvard Glee Club, founded in 1858, and the University of Michigan Men's Glee Club,...
. She credits music as a powerful force in her ordination discernment.
Education
Tumminio is a three time graduate of Yale UniversityYale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, where she studied with prominent theologians Marilyn McCord Adams
Marilyn McCord Adams
Marilyn McCord Adams is an American philosopher working in philosophy of religion, philosophical theology and medieval philosophy.-Family:Adams is the daughter of William Clark McCord and Wilmah Brown McCord...
, Emilie Townes, Miroslav Volf
Miroslav Volf
Miroslav Volf is an influential Christian theologian and currently the Henry B. Wright Professor of Theology at Yale University Divinity School and Director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture, which focuses in part on workplace spirituality. He has been a member in both the Episcopal...
, and Serene Jones
Serene Jones
Serene Jones is the president of Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York. She was formerly the Titus Street Professor of Theology at Yale Divinity School, chair of the Gender, Woman, and Sexuality Studies at Yale University ....
. She pursued doctoral studies at Boston University, beginning in 2008 under the direction of Shelly Rambo and Bryan Stone; her studies focus on the intersection between theology, trauma, and infertility. At Boston University, she studied with Elie Wiesel
Elie Wiesel
Sir Eliezer "Elie" Wiesel KBE; born September 30, 1928) is a Hungarian-born Jewish-American writer, professor, political activist, Nobel Laureate, and Holocaust survivor. He is the author of 57 books, including Night, a work based on his experiences as a prisoner in the Auschwitz, Buna, and...
.
Life and career coaching
Tumminio is a licensed life and career coach and is certified through CoachU. As a coach, she works with clients across North America to add meaning and success to their personal and professional lives.Trivia
As a child, Tumminio was a first place winner on the PBS game show "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego".Tumminio attended high school with comedienne Amy Schumer
Amy Schumer
Amy Beth Schumer is an American stand-up comedian. She placed fourth on NBC's Last Comic Standing Season 5, and she placed second on Comedy Central's Reality Bites Back.-Life and career:...
.