The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ

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The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ (Canongate Myths #16)

by Philip Pullman

3.25 · rating details · 2,430 ratings · 612 reviews

In this ingenious and spellbinding retelling of the life of Jesus, Philip Pullman reimagines the most influential story ever told. Charged with mystery, compassion and great power, The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ says something new about who Jesus was and asks questions that will resonate long after the book has been read.

The Good Man Jesus and the ...more

Hardcover, 245 pages

Published May 4th 2010 by Canongate U.S. (first published 2010)

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Jun 16, 2011

Stephen rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks, historical-fantasy, audiobook, religion-spirituality, 2006-2010

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Open Mind...Hey Big C, what's up?

Controversy: I’ve got another book review to do and this one could be a MAJOR PROBLEMO so I was really hoping you could help me out and be there when I post it.

Open Mind: Of course, you know I’m always glad to assist if my being present will help people get through one of your reviews.

Controversy: Believe me OM, without you there, this review is doomsville before it begins. Without you, we would have Inf...more

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Nov 23, 2011

Elizabeth rated it

Shelves: canongate-myths, 2011, books-about-books, elizabethan-my-dear, gods-myths-heroes, in-by-of-england, reviewed

I didn't know that Philip Pullman was an agonistic atheist when I read his His Dark Materials books several years ago. What struck me was the depth of understanding of the history of the medieval church and the cleverness of his critical analysis and I was impressed at how he created a vivid, compelling idea about what beliefs could be like. I thought, he has to be a recovering catholic; someone angry at what the worst behavior of the church can do to people, but still inspired by its best aspec...more

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May 26, 2010

Tom Doggett rated it

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Shelves: ebook

I liked this book far more than I thought I would, and after I was finished couldn't help but say the same thing I said after finishing the "His Dark Materials" trilogy upon the recommendation of a friend: was I *supposed* to like this?

The book is, of course, a retelling of the familiar Gospel story of Jesus of Nazareth but told from a modern perspective, understanding and commenting on everything good and especially bad that Christianity has become. Setting aside, for the...moreI liked this book far more than I thought I would, and after I was finished couldn't help but say the same thing I said after finishing the "His Dark Materials" trilogy upon the recommendation of a friend: was I *supposed* to like this?

The book is, of course, a retelling of the familiar Gospel story of Jesus of Nazareth but told from a modern perspective, understanding and commenting on everything good and especially bad that Christianity has become. Setting aside, for the moment, the question of whether or not Jesus himself would recognize modern Christian organizations I think we can safely agree that at least the writers of the four canonical Gospels had no idea what would eventually arise from their small movement. Something similar to this book might have been their reaction to everything that Christianity has become through the intervening millennia from them to our modern day.

The story is simple: Pullman takes the familiar canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and weaves what is probably the first harmony to also employ other famous early Christian gospels such as the Gospel of Thomas (in a small way) and the Protoevangelium of James (which he uses nearly unchanged to begin the book). However, in the midst of this unusual gospel harmony Pullman employs an even more unusual twist: instead of being the story of Jesus Christ instead we have the birth and life of twin boys, Jesus and his brother Christ. Pullman is able to separate the prophetic and apocalyptic nature of Jesus's ancient teachings into the character of Jesus and the authoritarian, structured organization of modern Christianity into the character of Christ. This twisting and dividing provides Pullman an excellent pulpit from which he can preach his own gospel, giving his approval to some ideas and teachings from the New Testament while denouncing and disrupting the things he hates. Of course, it's about far more than that, but on the whole the book presents the reader with the battling paradox of a relationship with God: while religion is ordered and structured through other people, devotion to God is a private and sometimes lonely affair. The two have always had difficulty mixing and have never really been friends.

Even for those who are turned off by Pullman's obvious and, to be honest, unsubtle distaste for modern Christianity the book provides a lot of food for thought as to how we personally approach God in our own private worship, how we treat others, and how fully we follow (or ignore) the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament for those of us who claim to be Christians.

And, on a final note, I cannot refrain from mentioning how much study Pullman must have done in preparing this book. The mere use of such ancient, non-biblical traditions as the Protoevanglium was a joy to read and discover. Even the central conceit of the book, that Jesus had a twin brother, is present in some early Christian documents like the Acts of Thomas. Together with the modern viewpoint, these serve to make the book a fascinating, if occasionally aggravating, read for students of early Christianity.(less)

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Jul 26, 2011

Rita rated it

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Shelves: own, 2011, alternate-history, my-reviews, myth-religion-and-atheism, fiction, airport-purchase

Initially I wanted to give this little novel 2 stars, for I wasn’t overly impressed by it. I have to be fair though. My expectations were definitely far off target and outside the author’s intention.

I expected to read an ironic and sarcastic retelling of the New Testament, which of course, after reading it, I realized was not the case. Because of my unfulfilled expectations I liked this book (probably) less than I would have otherwise. Still, I have chosen to give this book 3 stars,...more

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Jun 15, 2010

Kim rated it

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The concept behind this book is that Jesus was actually a twin - that there was one baby named Jesus and one named Christ. It is a 4 star concept, but panned out to be only a three star book. Jesus is the twin who goes out and preaches and tries to help people and Christ is the one who is more interested in establishing a religion/church. I thought the author did a nice job using familiar bible stories and retelling them in a different way -- showing how Jesus saw things versus how his brothe...more

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Aug 19, 2010

Ronny rated it

Shelves: sastra-inggris-irlandia, bukan-punya-sendiri

book#53 - 2010

Butuh waktu cukup lama nyelesaiin novel tipis yg kudapat dlm bentuk pdf ini, terutama karena ga biasa dan ga suka baca e-book, apalagi yg masih bentuk ketik2an belum diformat buku :)

Ini buku oke, meskipun masih lebih suka cara Saramago menafsirkan Yesus dan Kristianitas dalam The Gospel According to Jesus Christ. Strategi literer yang dipakai Pullman untuk memisahkan antara sosok Yesus dan Kristus sbg anak kembar ini sebenarnya menarik, karena memungkinkan s...more

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Apr 14, 2011

Erin F. B. rated it

· review of another edition

Basically a cliffs notes version of the New Testament with one slightly subversive idea. It's the slightly subversive idea that gives this the bump to two stars. Not even that well written. Philip Pullman, you really phoned this one in.

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Feb 04, 2012

Zoli rated it

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A somewhat provoking, somewhat new, somewhat predictable, somewhat old, but interesting nonetheless story about the foundation of the biggest religious group, organised Christianity. In Philip Pullman's version there's two main characters, Jesus the prophet who gathers more and more followers teaching them love, remorse and forgiveness, and his twin brother Christ who sees the potential in Jesus' teachings and wants to establish a strong church on this foundation. To achieve this goal, the somew...more

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Oct 12, 2011

Lakis Fourouklas rated it

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Ok, here it goes! I really looked forward to reading this book and when I finally did I felt nothing more than disappointed; almost cheated. I don’t know; maybe I got carried away by the title and expected too much, but in whatever way you put it I didn’t expect so little. There’s one thing that I know for sure: this is the worst work by the author that I’ve ever read. That’s maybe because it was an order-to-write kind of book, or perhaps because he didn’t bother to work too hard for it, or just...moreOk, here it goes! I really looked forward to reading this book and when I finally did I felt nothing more than disappointed; almost cheated. I don’t know; maybe I got carried away by the title and expected too much, but in whatever way you put it I didn’t expect so little. There’s one thing that I know for sure: this is the worst work by the author that I’ve ever read. That’s maybe because it was an order-to-write kind of book, or perhaps because he didn’t bother to work too hard for it, or just maybe because it’s a bit too mild for my taste.
When I’ve first read the title and some of the reviews in the British press I thought: this sounds fun. It really did, and it kind of is, but there’s nothing more to it. If someone picks up this book thinking that he or she’s about to read a heretical version of the Bible, he or she will be disappointed. Pullman just picks bits and pieces of the scriptures and rewrites them in his own way; making them somewhat more easy to understand for the reader. It starts with a bang (This is the story of Jesus and his brother Christ), but there’s nothing much to follow that grand opening. The author writes briefly about the birth and the early years of the twins and points out that Christ, the intellectual, used to get Jesus out of trouble every now and then, simply by quoting the Old Testament. He also says that Jesus was the prodigal son of the story, before taking a short dive into his miraculous but controversial life. As it looks the guy wasn’t so popular in Nazareth because he had the nerve to go and perform miracles… elsewhere, while his relation with the priests was not exactly the best as he tended to liken them with the fool in the psalms. By the way, just in case you were wondering, it was Christ and not Jesus who met Mary Magdalene, so maybe her soul is condemned to rot in hell after all. With this and that, time just flies by, it really does, and soon enough Jesus is arrested, put to trial, condemned, crucified and comes back to life again. And that’s about it.
I don’t know whether the good author had a word count limit, as the book belongs to a re-imagined myths series, but I can’t shake the feeling that this work is far from complete; or to say it boldly, it gives me the impression of a one-night-stand. If any of you would like to read some really subversive or even provocative versions of the Gospels you should look elsewhere; at the work of the great Greek writer Nikos Kazantzakis, of the recently deceased Jose Saramago (read the splendid Cain), and Robert Graves. There you can find all the knowledge and the philosophy behind the popcorn literature of the likes of Dan Brown and much more.
It’s such a pity that a writer of Pullman’s caliber couldn’t make things work in this one but, thank Caiaphas and no matter what, we can just keep enjoying his fabulous forays into the worlds of fantasy.
(less)

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Sep 26, 2011

Sam rated it

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Shelves: fiction, favourites, library, myth, religion, christianity

This retelling of the story of Jesus' life is part of the Myth series that gave us Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood and Jeanette Winterson's Atlas. I chose it because I love Philip Pullman, and will read anything that he writes. I know that it is controversial for some Christians (who Pullman had already annoyed with the His Dark Materials trilogy), but I read it without any pre-judgement.

The key difference between Pullman's story and the one you will find in the Bible is that he has sp...moreThis retelling of the story of Jesus' life is part of the Myth series that gave us Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood and Jeanette Winterson's Atlas. I chose it because I love Philip Pullman, and will read anything that he writes. I know that it is controversial for some Christians (who Pullman had already annoyed with the His Dark Materials trilogy), but I read it without any pre-judgement.

The key difference between Pullman's story and the one you will find in the Bible is that he has split Jesus into two twin brothers - Jesus and Christ. Jesus is passionate, friendly, loving, inspirational and firmly rooted in the Jewish traditions. Christ is more detached, logical, cynical and philosophical. As children, Jesus is the free-spirited one and it's often down to Christ to get him out of various fixes. As adults Jesus starts to preach and gather followers whilst Christ is left trying to understand and interpret his message.

My own personal feeling was that if this book was anti- anything, it was anti- the organisation and structure of the Christian church rather than anti-God or anti-Jesus. The character of Jesus could be seen as the "historical Jesus"; he tells his followers to follow all of the Jewish laws, he isn't interested in appealing to Gentiles and he wants the Kingdom of God to come rather than to found a church. He doesn't perform miracles either - in the story of the multipling fish and loaves, Jesus simply encourages and inspires people to share what they had but were keeping for themselves. His message is simply of love and respect. Jesus preaches about the dangers of men taking power in the name of religion and the corruption that would grow in any Church that bore his name - the punishments for disbelief, the exploitation of the poor and the wars.

In contrast, Christ stands for the church and it's interpretation of Jesus. Whilst supposedly 'recording for history' what Jesus has said, Christ is always embellishing it, making it more appealing for the "simple minded" who he thinks need miracles to believe in something. When a solitary person waves a palm leaf as Jesus enters Jerusalem, Christ turns this into Palm Sunday. He sees his brother's life as a story, something he can change and make more appealing to converts. He is willing to commit immoral acts for the sake of this good story being the foundation of his new Church and has no concern that he is misreporting what actually happened and changing what his brother said;

"Sometimes there is a danger that people might misinterpret the words of a popular speaker. The statements need to be edited, the meanings clarified, the complexities unravelled for the simple-of-understanding.....we shall begin the work of interpretation." p74.

One of the most enjoyable parts of this book was the writing. Pullman writes simply and leaves the reader to interpret events however she/he wishes. There was one or two 'cheap shots' against religion, especially concerning the conception of Jesus but to a non-Christian like me it appeared as though Jesus' message of love was respected. I think this book would only be offensive for Christians who view the gospel as literal fact rather than a message. It's not intended to be a serious biography of Jesus or in anyway historical, it's just a literary version of it designed to make people think about the development and roots of Christianity.(less)

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Aug 05, 2011

Madhurabharatula Pranav Rohit Kasinath rated it

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Shelves: religion, mythology, imaginative-retelling

The Goodman Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ is a work of utterly dark, disturbing and moving beauty and not as controversial as its provocative title might have you believe. The biblical world that Philip Pullman populates with his all too human characters is rich in its simplicity and heart breaking in its ability to portray one man who has influenced history and religion; in such a very human light.
The basic premise that Pullman works from is this – Jesus had a twin brother...moreThe Goodman Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ is a work of utterly dark, disturbing and moving beauty and not as controversial as its provocative title might have you believe. The biblical world that Philip Pullman populates with his all too human characters is rich in its simplicity and heart breaking in its ability to portray one man who has influenced history and religion; in such a very human light.
The basic premise that Pullman works from is this – Jesus had a twin brother called Christ. Jesus, calm, strong and confident, goes on to become the carpenter and future religious leader; while Christ, the weak, sickly, mothers pet, settles for being the historian who records the doings of his brother.
This is a novel about the all surpassing power of the written word and its ability to influence history for years to come. Pullman retells the New Testament with a deft hand, mirroring the simple, language of the Bible itself while he edits and rewrites the stories from a less miraculous and a more human point of view. The Satanic questions posed to Jesus in the desert are by the more practical and ambitious person of Christ, his twin brother. Already nurturing the future reality of organized religion in his mind Christ tempts Jesus with the need for Miracles to strengthen the faith of the common man, and underlines the essential weakness of the human condition.
A theme that is visited time and again in this book. People need to believe that there is a higher force that is watching over them; people need to believe in miracles, purity the possibility that there can be a life without sin and the need to strive towards it. Hope is a powerful thing, faith is a powerful thing and when both of them are twisted by the church the roots of organized religion are formed.
This is not an inside look at the greatness of Jesus. It does not make him an ordinary human being, but it does make him a human being, in love with this world, despairing of the corruption he sees in it, attempting to singlehandedly change the course of mankind. He preaches of the coming of a Kingdom of God in the hope that people better themselves in expectation of it. The Jesus of this retelling lives a practical life and the Miracles happen but not as we expect them to. When Jesus tells his followers at a large gathering that there shall be enough food for all, one person finds some left over raisins, another some olives and from these scraps the entire gathering finds sustenance. Something believable that might have actually happened. Something that has transmogrified into the Miracle we know like a game of Chinese Whispers.
And in the background lurks the wretched figure of Christ. Ambitious and with an unspoken hunger to share in the limelight of his capable brother he obsesses over him, his following, his capacity to rouse the common man and maintains a delicate record of all that Jesus has achieved. Christ is a shrewd albeit flawed human being. He has several crises of faith as seen in his encounter with the prostitute and the beautifully written chapter about his meeting the lame man at the pool of Bethesda. He has little faith in the human condition and all these incident s prove to him the need for a church that would uplift it.
Another interesting character in this novel is the Stranger. Is he an angel, or is he Satan? Is he merely a representative of the Jewish priests manipulating Christ and his recordings for the purpose of personal gain? The truth is never entirely clear and that is as it should be. The stranger walks the thin line between reality and fantasy and adds to the skillfully layered narrative in the book.
The stranger tells Christ of the need to let “truth from beyond time illuminate the pages of history”. As the narrative progresses, he poses theological questions to Christ to counter any doubts that he might have and holds him firmly in his grip. Is he a sly reference to the snake in the Garden of Eden? Is he a man or more than a man? Whatever he may be, he works through manipulation and firmly believes that there are two truths. The actual truth and the perception of the truth. Of these, he believes the latter to be more effective and hold more power.
We all know what happens next…and we all know how this tale ends. But the differences are significant – It is Christ who betrays Jesus with the kiss, it is Christ who impersonates Jesus as proof of the resurrection and it is Christ who single handedly writes the New Testament to contain the angels, the guiding star, Jesus’ premonition of his own death and the wounds that give proof of his resurrection. All with a view to form the Church.
For me the most moving and poignant chapter in the book is the monologue of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Every sentence resonates with love for the world that he will shortly be leaving; every word resonates with respect for God’s creation. In the end he refutes God, says that a loving and benevolent father would respond to him out of the silence. He has a crisis of faith, an all too human reaction to his trials. Even today, I find myself re reading these words and even now they move me. Jesus predicts the anger, corruption and injustices that the Church will commit. The pedophilia, the inquisition, the wars and the innumerable people sacrificed at the altar of organized religion. He says that if a church is ever made in God’s name it should be – “poor, and powerless, and modest. That it should wield no authority except that of love. That it should never cast anyone out. That it should own no property and make no laws. That it should not condemn, only forgive. “
The essential tragedy underlining this work is the ultimate use of the Living legend to fuel the fires of organized religion. Christ finds himself despondent but filled with a sense of power at being able to write the annals of history and succumbs to this eventual need.
Compelling and controversial, The Goodman Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ asks more questions than it answers and sheds light on some hard truths of the human condition. This is not a book for everybody and devout Christians may find the content of this book hard to accept, but with an open mind and great respect for the man who inspired generations to acts of selfless service to humanity, this is a book about stories and how stories become stories.(less)

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Jul 27, 2011

Viscount Anderson rated it

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(Note : I've not read the Bible, I'm also not a Christian. I'm treating this book as any other story and not as an altered version of the Bible.)

The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ is a book written by the British author Philip Pullman, famous for his “His Dark Materials Trilogy”. The author is also said to be one of the most outspoken atheists in his field. The book was released in 2010 and has drawn in quite a few controversies.

Mary, gi...more(Note : I've not read the Bible, I'm also not a Christian. I'm treating this book as any other story and not as an altered version of the Bible.)

The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ is a book written by the British author Philip Pullman, famous for his “His Dark Materials Trilogy”. The author is also said to be one of the most outspoken atheists in his field. The book was released in 2010 and has drawn in quite a few controversies.

Mary, gives birth to twins, boys, namely, Jesus and Christ. During their childhood, Jesus was a mischievous, troublesome kid and Christ had to save him on more than a couple of occasions from getting into trouble. On the other hand, Christ was more calculative person and was obedient towards his parents and was more responsible. He was also well read and was highly knowledgeable. Despite the thoughts of the others, Christ always believed that Jesus was a good man and true to his beliefs, there was a sudden change in Jesus' personality, inspired by John the Baptist. Eventually, Jesus left his family and didn't care about his brother Christ.

Jesus started going from place to place, giving lectures and healing people, with no instrument but faith. Naturally, people from the synagogue did not like him and tried to test him every time. When Jesus gave his Sermon on the Mount, he promised the people that the “Kingdom of God” is coming soon, where the meek will inherit the earth, sinners won't be permitted.

On the other hand, Christ also had a very important task. A stranger, whom Christ believes is an angel, gives him the task of noting down every speech of Jesus, without his knowledge, thereby, becoming The Kingdom of God's historian. Eventually, the task of Christ becomes much more complicated and the story is about him trying to accomplish the tasks given by the stranger.

Do not judge a book by its title, that is what I've got to say about this book. It was a well narrated story. There was nothing so special about the language of the book but I liked the simplicity in his writing, thereby, enabling people from any age group being able to read this book. I think people who have read the Bible maybe able to give a better opinion about the book but this is all that I've got to say about this.(less)

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Jul 25, 2011

Chloe rated it

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I don't know why... but this has come up in a foreign language...
Not to worry, I have just finished reading:
The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ - by Philip Pullman.... in English
I think I was expecting more from Philip Pullman - with all the religious controversy surrounding His Dark Materials series. But instead we get a very simple message. The story of Jesus Christ, is just a very old story. Communicated through word-of-mouth, and unreliable. He gives us, in his book, ...more

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Jun 08, 2011

Kathleen rated it

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Shelves: adults, historical_fiction, sci-fiction_or_fantasy, ya_and_ya-lit

Really it's 3.5 for me--enjoyed the new spin on the story of Jesus/Christ, but I'm a little put off by Philip Pullman's style. He's a little too heavy-handed for my taste, and I never see any real subtly in what he writes. Maybe I just don't have an appropriate caliber of mind to appreciate him, but nonetheless, appreciate him I do not. There are positives: The book is short, so Pullman's style doesn't outweigh the entertainment, and the story rocks along pretty well. Also, both protagonists ...more

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May 02, 2011

Beth Anne rated it

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Recommends it for: no one.

ebook.

i was actually quite disappointed in this book. i expect more from pullman, and i feel like this was written to try to insight anger and controversy...but with really no payoff.

i'm not sure what i wanted out of this...but i can tell you what i didn't want, but got:

1. basically the entire story of the gospels paraphrased into a 145 page book, with some minor bullshit changes that really didn't cause me to think or question or even mildly ponder anything abo...more

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Mar 22, 2011

Jeremy rated it

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What an odd little book. The blurb on the cover would lead you to believe that this is a new work of fiction but, in essence, Pullman has summarised the New Testament. Bit of a cheek really. Mind you, if it gets people who would not read the bible or go to church to think about Jesus and Christianity that can only be a good thing.

His basic premise is that Jesus has a twin brother called Christ (yes, really) and the growth and development of the two of them lead Jesus to be the person...more

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Feb 13, 2011

Terri Trimble rated it

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This novel tells a story in which Jesus was a twin, born to Mary in Bethlehem along with his brother, Christ. It recounts the familiar events of the New Testament in beautiful, timeless prose, as Christ watches his wayward, rebellious brother begin his ministry and gather a following of disciples. Christ is encouraged by a mysterious stranger to follow Jesus at a distance, writing down what he says and does, and to begin to shape the stories he's written into a narrative that will have lasting p...more

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Jan 10, 2011

Kara rated it

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The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ is written in a style that evokes the New Testament while, at the same time, reminding us that the Bible was actually written by and for imperfect people. Pullman skillfully tells a story that drew me into a world where Jesus has a twin brother named Christ, and as I opened the pages filled with his simple and easy to read prose, I could almost feel the sand in my mouth and the hear the unruly crowds. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and liked...more

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Dec 30, 2010

Emma rated it

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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Dec 29, 2010

Robin Cicchetti rated it

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Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction, religion

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The provocative title pulled me in like a moth to the flame. In the final installment to the fantasy trilogy "His Dark Materials" Philip Pullman kills God. What would he have to say about the Messiah? Reading this over the Christmas holiday actually brought more joy to the season and a greater sense of connection to the roots of Christianity than I have felt in years.
Pullman takes the story of Jesus Christ from the miraculous conception of Mary through to the Resurrection and trea...moreThe provocative title pulled me in like a moth to the flame. In the final installment to the fantasy trilogy "His Dark Materials" Philip Pullman kills God. What would he have to say about the Messiah? Reading this over the Christmas holiday actually brought more joy to the season and a greater sense of connection to the roots of Christianity than I have felt in years.
Pullman takes the story of Jesus Christ from the miraculous conception of Mary through to the Resurrection and treats it as a straight narrative. The twist is that Mary did not give birth to one son. She gave birth to two babies that night in the stable. One she named Jesus, who was strong and charismatic. The other she named Christ (Greek for Messiah), who was weaker, more intellectual, and her favorite.
The miracles, angelic visits and parables are all included in the narrative. In fact this was a wonderful touchstone for reviewing the parables and the timeline of the life of Jesus. What made it so compelling was the realistic context.
In his notes Pullman indicates that his interest is in the evolution of story and mythology. How could events, which could quite possibly have rational explanations, survive over two thousand years and become a belief system? His answer lies in the brothers.
Jesus is the natural prophet spreading he word of God and the Kingdom of the Lord. As was his cousin, John the Baptist, his preaching is elevating, rooted in a clear vision and spread because of his charisma and strong leadership. His brother, Christ, watches from the sidelines, taking notes. What he doesn't witness personally he hears from an un-named disciple who recounts the words, actions and miracles of Jesus.
Why does Christ scribble away on his scrolls? His vision of the Kingdom of the Lord is different from that of his brother. After his own discussions with an angel he develops a plan to bring about the establishment of a church. The organization and hierarchy of this church are what will ensure that the word of Jesus is carried forward.
More than anything, this was a powerful way to reconnect with the message of Jesus at a time when the celebration of his birthday seems so lost in tinsel and credit card charges. Reading this gave me back Christmas.(less)

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Dec 19, 2010

Laura rated it

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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Part of a series that takes on beloved myths and retells them. In this story, Mary had twins in that stable: Jesus and Christ. They were conceived by a mysterious stranger who appears at Mary’s window, telling her he was an angel and she was blessed among women. Jesus was born strong and healthy, grew up full of conviction and charisma. Christ was born weak and sickly, grew up full of doubt and pity.

The two of them are capable of miracles when together. Not when they’re apart. A...more

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Nov 27, 2010

Marleen rated it

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This book was send to me by by BookHugger as part of their RealReaders programme, for me to read and give my personal and honest opinion of it.

Phillip Pullman is known for his stance against organized religion. That opinion was visible in the "His Dark Materials" trilogy, for those able to read the meaning underneath the gripping adventure story.
In this book, Pullman's ideas are out in the open, clear for everybody to see and impossible to ignore.
This is the story o...moreThis book was send to me by by BookHugger as part of their RealReaders programme, for me to read and give my personal and honest opinion of it.

Phillip Pullman is known for his stance against organized religion. That opinion was visible in the "His Dark Materials" trilogy, for those able to read the meaning underneath the gripping adventure story.
In this book, Pullman's ideas are out in the open, clear for everybody to see and impossible to ignore.
This is the story of a baby boy named Jesus, and his twin brother, named Christ who were born to a woman named Mary. While Jesus was a healthy and strong baby, Christ was weak and sickly, and his mother's farvourite.
In their younger years, Jesus was the child prone to mischief while Christ was quiet and aimed to please his parents.
When Jesus starts preaching to the people, and performing miracles, Christ is one of the spectators. But, Christ is also the one who can see the potential future of Jesus's work. He looks into the future and can see his brother and his teachings immortalized, and institution erected in his brother's honour, and institution that would ensure that his brother's words would live for ever.
Jesus doesn't like the sound of this future his brother can see and wants no part in it. But Christ decides he knows better and starts writing the words and deeds of Jesus down for prosperity. Because he feels that Jesus's stories are at times ambiguous, Christ writes some things down not quite as they are but as he thinks they should be. And soon Christ is approached by a stranger, a man who never reveals his identity but appears to know all about him and his brother and agrees with him that "the statements need to be edited, the meanings clarified, the complexities unravelled, for the simple-of-understanding". And with that events take a course that can't be reversed. A course that was never planned or wanted by Jesus but forced upon him by others.
This is a story that will give the reader a lot to think about. For some this story will be confirmation of what they already felt. For others, those who are firm believers in the church and its teachings and authority, this will be a hard book to read, and a book that may well leave them angry. For me this was a beautiful and fascinating fable, and a story that will stay in my mind for a long time.(less)

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Nov 22, 2010

Samantha Johnson rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: spiritual seekers

Simplistic in nature and prose, I really enjoyed this book. I am glad to have the knowledge of the Bible that I do, as I was able to compare the subtleties and differences of the re-telling of parables and events and see the invention of a *new* history. Many of my own feelings surfaced while seeing Pullman depict how truth is revealed (or concealed) and how history or truth is lived and then created anew.

I resonate deeply with the notion of finding (or not finding?) "God"...moreSimplistic in nature and prose, I really enjoyed this book. I am glad to have the knowledge of the Bible that I do, as I was able to compare the subtleties and differences of the re-telling of parables and events and see the invention of a *new* history. Many of my own feelings surfaced while seeing Pullman depict how truth is revealed (or concealed) and how history or truth is lived and then created anew.

I resonate deeply with the notion of finding (or not finding?) "God" truly for oneself. It is not for us to find simply (complexly? ;) ) "religion" built on the platform of tradition, scripture, or other holy books, or what is "right" according to another (more enlightened) being-- these tools and strongholds may prove to be vital stepping stones for many to reach their own understanding of the Divine, and yet we must discover our own path.

Still processing my thoughts on this book, but I liked Tom Doggett's review, so I am C&Ping it here:

I liked this book far more than I thought I would, and after I was finished couldn't help but say the same thing I said after finishing the "His Dark Materials" trilogy upon the recommendation of a friend: was I *supposed* to like this?

The book is, of course, a retelling of the familiar Gospel story of Jesus of Nazareth but told from a modern perspective, understanding and commenting on everything good and especially bad that Christianity has become. Setting aside, for the moment, the question of whether or not Jesus himself would recognize modern Christian organizations I think we can safely agree that at least the writers of the four canonical Gospels had no idea what would eventually arise from their small movement. Something similar to this book might have been their reaction to everything that Christianity has become through the intervening millennia from them to our modern day.

The story is simple: Pullman takes the familiar canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and weaves what is probably the first harmony to also employ other famous early Christian gospels such as the Gospel of Thomas (in a small way) and the Protoevangelium of James (which he uses nearly unchanged to begin the book). However, in the midst of this unusual gospel harmony Pullman employs an even more unusual twist: instead of being the story of Jesus Christ instead we have the birth and life of twin boys, Jesus and his brother Christ. Pullman is able to separate the prophetic and apocalyptic nature of Jesus's ancient teachings into the character of Jesus and the authoritarian, structured organization of modern Christianity into the character of Christ. This twisting and dividing provides Pullman an excellent pulpit from which he can preach his own gospel, giving his approval to some ideas and teachings from the New Testament while denouncing and disrupting the things he hates. Of course, it's about far more than that, but on the whole the book presents the reader with the battling paradox of a relationship with God: while religion is ordered and structured through other people, devotion to God is a private and sometimes lonely affair. The two have always had difficulty mixing and have never really been friends.

Even for those who are turned off by Pullman's obvious and, to be honest, unsubtle distaste for modern Christianity the book provides a lot of food for thought as to how we personally approach God in our own private worship, how we treat others, and how fully we follow (or ignore) the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament for those of us who claim to be Christians.

And, on a final note, I cannot refrain from mentioning how much study Pullman must have done in preparing this book. The mere use of such ancient, non-biblical traditions as the Protoevanglium was a joy to read and discover. Even the central conceit of the book, that Jesus had a twin brother, is present in some early Christian documents like the Acts of Thomas. Together with the modern viewpoint, these serve to make the book a fascinating, if occasionally aggravating, read for students of early Christianity(less)

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Oct 22, 2010

Dan Glover rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: atheism-apologetics

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. In the interests of full disclosure, I will say from the start that I am a Christian who is committed to the historical veracity and authority of the New Testament account of the life of Jesus, the Christ. I realize that this commitment inherently colours my perspective on both the Bible and the book I am currently reviewing but of course no more than Philip Pullman's admitted and overt anti-theism colours his take on the first four books of the New Testament (and the rest for that matter). Ther...moreIn the interests of full disclosure, I will say from the start that I am a Christian who is committed to the historical veracity and authority of the New Testament account of the life of Jesus, the Christ. I realize that this commitment inherently colours my perspective on both the Bible and the book I am currently reviewing but of course no more than Philip Pullman's admitted and overt anti-theism colours his take on the first four books of the New Testament (and the rest for that matter). There is a popular belief out there that says atheists approach religion and the Bible on a rational, objective, neutral basis where as subscribers to the faith are subjective and irrational. The foolishness of this can be seen on the face of it. I readily admit that Christians don't embrace or examine their faith with pure rationalist logic...far from it. However they are not devoid of logic either and the atheist embraces his or her secular-humanism with every bit as much faith as the most devout saint posses.

Also, right off the start, I want to acknowledge that I am aware that the cover of Pullman's book states loud and clear that, "this is a story" as if that disclaimer preemptively answers any criticisms to his reinvention of the gospel narratives. I realize this is a fiction, Pullman's own version. However, since he is presuming to deconstruct and reinvent something as pivotal and as immense as the life of the historical Jesus, he cannot duck out of criticism simply by saying, "hey, I told you this is a story". So...to the book.

Unlike some of the reviews I've read, I was not wowed by the ingenious originality of this tale, mainly because there was very little originality to be found. In fact, much like my experience of The DaVinci Code, as I was reading I couldn't help thinking at least once a chapter how old and tired this all sounded. Like Dan Brown's shameless robbery of the central premise and many of the details of the authors of The Holy Blood and The Holy Grail, Pullman turns the "de-mythologizing", pseudo-scholarship of Liberal theologians of the past two centuries into a fictional account of the life of Jesus Christ and the origins of the Christian religion. In this project he proceeds along the familiar lines of separating the supposed tiny kernel of historical Jesus (just a good Jewish moral teacher) from the vast and distorted post-Christ mythologizations of those who used Jesus as an opportunity to construct a cult to challenge the existing power structures and replace it with their own. Like a one man Jesus Seminar, Pullman seeks to sift out the probable historical events and teachings from all supposed glosses, inventions, edits, and manifold additions of post-Christ church leadership. The literary device he uses to accomplish this in a narrative work is to divide the historical Jesus into twin brothers: Jesus, a human, red-blooded, honest Jewish teacher of the golden rule with a keen perception of human nature, and Christ, his underhanded, lowlife, back stabbing, power-hungry alter-ego of a brother whom one can nevertheless identify with. I think this is the only original part of this book.

Pullman rewrites his way chronologically through the gospel story, systematically attacking one cardinal orthodoxy after another, from the virgin birth (a naïve Mary consents to sleep with a town boy because he tells her he is an angel messenger from God and she has been chosen for a special honour), to Jesus' miracles (which are just acts of kindness or bold statements that the growing excitement of the crowds turn into rumours and stories of the miraculous), to the death and resurrection (the body was taken by those who wished to perpetuate the stories of Jesus divinity in order to use them to accomplish their own political ends), and many things in between. Again, nothing particularly new here as the gospels were long ago sifted by those wishing to retain the title `Christian' but were embarrassed by all the super-natural baggage and salvation language that such a handle brought with it.

The true center of this book is the prayer of Jesus in the garden just prior to his arrest and trial. Far from the emotional struggle of the biblical account, where Jesus, knowing his vicarious death was hard upon him, desires in his humanity to avoid the pain and separation, but trusts his heavenly Father and famously declares "nevertheless, not my will but Thine be done", here Jesus' last prayer is an angry outburst of frustration at the silence and indifference of a God he has finally lost faith in. To call this a thinly veiled projection of Pullman's own feelings toward the God of the Bible would be gross understatement. It is yet one more example of the two controlling tenets of atheism: 1) there is no God, and 2) I hate him.

I must take exception to another reviewer's opinion as the prose in this book was anything but lyric and I believe Pullman himself would agree with me. Due to the nature of this story the plain, unadorned prose suited the genre better than flowery description which one never typically finds in mythology or in the Bible (but for the poetic books). From my perspective, however, the style was the only strength of this book and if zero stars was an option on Amazon, that is what I would have rated this book. Strictly considered, I found this to be a well written (from a technical perspective, genre constraints considered) fictionalization of some worn-out secularist liberal theological railings against the historicity of the Bible's accounts of Jesus life and works. That is to say, it was like an incorrectly balanced ledger, where all the numbers and totals are nevertheless written with admirable penmanship. But however aesthetically pleasing the handwriting might be, the sums will leave you in trouble with the tax man when he audits you.

This book is the rebellious attempt to remove redemption from the redemption narrative by a man who refuses to admit his own spiritual bankruptcy and need of the Jesus Christ he is trying to rid history of. But one recalls the age old maxim, that the Christian faith is an anvil that has worn out many hammers. For those wishing to read something from an intelligent pen that takes a very different perspective on the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, try Malcolm Muggerige's JESUS: THE MAN WHO LIVES., G.K. Chesterton's EVERLASTING MAN, THE, C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity or, N.T. Wright's Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense orThe Original Jesus: The Life and Vision of a Revolutionary. (less)

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Sep 23, 2010

Lars Guthrie rated it

· review of another edition

A sound-bite synopsis--renowned atheist rewrites Matthew, Mark, Luke and John with Jesus Christ as twin brothers--would make it appear that this book is all about in-yo-face dissing of Christianity. There is an element of that, which should not surprise anyone who knows anything about Pullman.

The really surprising thing about 'The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ' is that Pullman is for the most part true to his source material, and for the most part views that material with ...more

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Aug 22, 2010

Jason Mills rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Adherents and decriers of scriptural religion

Recommended to Jason by: Coggy!

Shelves: fiction, period

For a start, this is an easy and quick read. It's linear, has few characters and is written in plain language, so the pages turn themselves.

Pullman rehashes the gospels, turning the story of Jesus into an allegory about the dangers of scripture itself and its role as the foundation of authoritarian religion. In his tale, Jesus is a passionate, wilful, uncompromising preacher, whose 'miracles' are entirely metaphorical, whilst his unknown twin Christ is a pragmatist and scribbler, kee...more

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Jul 17, 2010

Patrick rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ by Phillip Pullman (2010)

There seems to be a fad among various literacy writers to write about Jesus from the Bible in a different way. All right, probably not since all I know of the other writer was Norman Mailer who wrote ‘The Gospel According to the Son.’ And yes, the New Testament.
I was engrossed in this book by Pullman because of the easy writing, almost as if it is a children book. He came up with a new premise that th...more

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Jul 09, 2010

Patrick added it · review of another edition

So, this wasn't really a book...therefore I gave it zero stars. It is literally a word for word paraphrasing of what happens in the bible concerning the story of Jesus, with occasional and completely predictable deviations from the plot. It was like being in Catechism class again. Just as boring and entirely non stick. I don't even know how this got published. If you want a good book, in fact possibly my favorite book, read Lamb: the Gospel according to Biff; a novel which truly makes Christ...more

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Jul 04, 2010

Kirstyn McDermott rated it

· review of another edition

A retelling and examination of the gospel stories concerning the life of Jesus Christ, only Pullman posits that Mary actually had twins -- Jesus AND Christ. Jesus was the good man who preached to his followers, and attempted to revolutionise the politics and structure of Judaism. Christ was the scoundrel (although he didn't start off that way) who wrote what amounted to propaganda about his brother and, in doing so, established the basis of the Christian church. Along the way, as you might expec...more

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Jul 01, 2010

Elisabeth rated it

· review of another edition

This book begins with what seems as if it will be a Nietzschean parable: Mary has two sons, one strong and healthy, and the other sickly. The strong and healthy one, Jesus, is mischievous at times, but embarks on a career as an itinerant preacher, while the sickly one, whom Mary calls Christ, follows him around writing down his sayings and "improving" them. Christ is convinced by a mysterious figure (an angel? a rug merchant?) to focus on "truth" (or, what should be) rather ...more

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About Philip Pullman

from his official website:

"I was born in Norwich in 1946, and educated in England, Zimbabwe, and Australia, before my family settled in North Wales. I received my secondary education at the excellent Ysgol Ardudwy, Harlech, and then went to Exeter College, Oxford, to read English, though I never learned to read it very well.

"I found my way into the teaching profes...more

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Books by Philip Pullman

The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, #1)

The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials, #2)

The Amber Spyglass (His Dark Materials, #3)

The Ruby in the Smoke (Sally Lockhart, #1)

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“Lord, if I thought you were listening, I'd pray for this above all: that any church set up in your name should remain poor, and powerless, and modest. That it should wield no authority except that of love. That it should never cast anyone out. That it should own no property and make no laws. That it should not condemn, but only forgive. That it should be not like a palace with marble walls and polished floors, and guards standing at the door, but like a tree with its roots deep in the soil, that shelters every kind of bird and beast and gives blossom in the spring and shade in the hot sun and fruit in the season, and in time gives up its good sound wood for the carpenter; but that sheds many thousands of seeds so that new trees can grow in its place. Does the tree say to the sparrow, 'Get out, you don't belong here?' Does the tree say to the hungry man, 'This fruit is not for you?' Does the tree test the loyalty of the beasts before it allows them into the shade?” — 11 people liked it

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