Latest Articles by Sarah Canice Funke
It has been tradition for the past several years to watch an epic fantasy every Christmas (Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, Return of the King, Narnia, Eragon). Some of these were better than others, and I believe that one year I may have missed a fantasy epic, but this year, I shall not be disappointed. Go out and read Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series immediately.
Posted by funke at 27.04.07 11:29 | TrackBack | Posted to Film & Televisionand Nicole Kidman is in it. I think she's pretty.
Posted by: Heather at 27.04.07 13:32i remember hearing a discussion on the mars hill journal about this series. it was recommended with reservation. ultimately in this story isn't satan depicted as good, and god the creator as evil?
by the way, i assume you're familiar with ken myers and mars hill. if not please let me know so i can arrange to have a sample cd sent to you at once.
Yes, the series is controversial, especially if you take Philip Pullman's fantasy world to be a direct analogy to Christianity (as is done with the Chronicles of Narnia, for example). However, Pullman is basing his stories more on Milton's Paradise Lost (which has theological problems of its own) rather than on Christianity.
Within the Pullman world, there is no God the Creator. Rather the Authority is a fallen angel who usurped power (so "god" is actually "satan." And so Lord Asriel might be another "satan figure," but he is opposing a corruption of a Thing rather than the Thing Itself.) The books are very gnostic/pantheistic in that they teach that the ultimate Power is particles of "self-awareness" rather than a personal Being.
Pullman is definitely negative towards religion, especially towards a Medieval version of the Catholic church. While perhaps the Catholic church is always getting the bad rap from Protestants, I don't have a problem in criticizing religion as an organizational *system* that forgets/denies the relational aspects of individual faith.
The book makes the children out to be heroic, and any hero becomes a Christ-figure of sorts.
There is one character who believes religion is nonscientific, but ends up becoming somewhat mystic.
Overall, I would recommend the books for the same reason I would recommend Paradise Lost: for the rich imaginative style. But don't take your theology from them. (Then again, I am not sure I would take all of my theology from the chronicles of Narnia, either; gnosticism seems to make for great fantasy).
well, you get the most thorough reply award hands down. good golly miss sarah but you are a blogging dynamo if ever i.
mars hill audio?
aslan be praised.
Posted by: damien at 27.04.07 17:50