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Paroma
Fun fact: This book was actually written as the antithesis to the Chronicles of Narnia, which are very Christian. These books are quite antireligious, but you could still enjoy them regardless of your faith. The Golden Compass does not deal as much with religion, but the second and third books really delve into the topic.
Andrew Francis Edgar
I am an atheist who went to a roman catholic school and I felt that this series of books brilliantly points out the flaws of the organised church and its leaders. However it doesn't mock it and one of the biggest themes of the series is spirituality, belief and faith, partly in a higher power but more in yourself and your connections with the world around you.
Annette
The comments in this thread are fascinating. There has always been metaphor, allegory, preaching (obvious or otherwise), influence-peddling, etc in literature, including children's literature. There has been sexism, racism, anti/pro/other-religion/church/government. This is part of the value of a liberal education; we are prepared to deal with diversity, complexity, and the rapidly evolving challenges of our times. Choosing authors for their beliefs is one approach, I suppose. But I hope everyone reads everything with an open mind and filters, learns, and hones their own truth. This book is a gift to children, young and old. It helps us play and it makes us think.
Debra Byrd
It is a critique on contemporary Christianity and it's failings. Non-Christians don't catch all the references. I recommend every serious Christian who wants to address the problems of contemporary Christianity read it and learn from it.
Boy Blue
The author is an Atheist and a massive fan of Paradise Lost. This series is definitely not christian though it does use christian iconography and themes. One of the major arcs of the narrative involves Asriel travelling across multiverses, to kill the god that rules them all and free the world from his cruel order. Lord Asriel is a version of Lucifer hence the similarity in name to the Azrael of the hebrew, islamic and christian faith. If you want further proof you could look at Asriel's basalt fortress, his opposition to the church or think how hard the Catholic Church worked to make the film adaptation a flop and try to stop a sequel being made. It is in many ways an Anti-Narnia.
Maya
The author is a very outspoken atheist. This series in fact presents a strong critisism of organized religion (though I found it didn't denounce faith completely).
Richard
Its a book about killing god! You can't get more anti-theist than that!!!!!
Trevor
I saw the film - don't judge me! - and I found it was strongly anti-Christian.
The Magesterium seemed a mere straw man to me - a shallow representation of the church, any church as the bad guy - only built up to be knocked down again.
Personally I found the story interesting, but the anti-church preaching distracting.
I felt that Philip should had gotten on a soap box first, then cleared his heart and lungs of every anti-church sentiment he had been stewing over first, even if it took him days and days, and /then/ sat down to write a proper book second.
I have a problem with anyone of any flavour of belief or unbelief who pretends to sell me their book, song, comedy or whatever, but is really only using it as a Trojan Horse to try to smuggle in their own world view unawares.
If I want your world view, I will ask and politely listen.
But I didn't.
I just wanted a good story.
And the other thing, is that this is a child's book, essentially.
Adults can tell (or should be able to) tell the difference between fiction and propaganda.
Children may not have been introduced to the concept yet.
So while they think it's just a story, it is a little of a propaganda vehicle, too.
Which is, I think, a little unfair..
The Magesterium seemed a mere straw man to me - a shallow representation of the church, any church as the bad guy - only built up to be knocked down again.
Personally I found the story interesting, but the anti-church preaching distracting.
I felt that Philip should had gotten on a soap box first, then cleared his heart and lungs of every anti-church sentiment he had been stewing over first, even if it took him days and days, and /then/ sat down to write a proper book second.
I have a problem with anyone of any flavour of belief or unbelief who pretends to sell me their book, song, comedy or whatever, but is really only using it as a Trojan Horse to try to smuggle in their own world view unawares.
If I want your world view, I will ask and politely listen.
But I didn't.
I just wanted a good story.
And the other thing, is that this is a child's book, essentially.
Adults can tell (or should be able to) tell the difference between fiction and propaganda.
Children may not have been introduced to the concept yet.
So while they think it's just a story, it is a little of a propaganda vehicle, too.
Which is, I think, a little unfair..
Cogent Asparagus
The rather bizarre insistence upon which some Christian readers insist that the notoriously atheist author Pullman is actually a Christian promoting a Christian message should instruct one as to why Pullman is so vehemently anti-theist. Yes, it is about Christianity, but in the same was that 12 Years A Slave is about slavery; it is in total condemnation of it.
Jennifer Drees
The book is definitely a Christian book, but by no means a normal Christian interpretation of Biblical events. Philip Pullman is a Blake scholar and very aptly displays William Blake's ideas and interpretations of Christianity and religion (which Blake reinterpreted into a new mythology) in another new mythology of Pullman's own imagination.
Dan'l
The book doesn't say anything about God.
It does show how religions use teachings about God for material, political ends, and I imagine that made some people uncomfortable.
It does show how religions use teachings about God for material, political ends, and I imagine that made some people uncomfortable.
Rambling Reviews
If the book raised interesting, new, or critically valuable points about religious belief, I'd be on board with it.
That's not what this book (or series) is.
Instead we get what is essentially a mocking diatribe of eyeroll-inducing hatred for religion (oh I'm sorry 'organised religion') based on old, simplistic, and/or strawman arguments.
I read this hoping to be challenged; I was looking forward to some critical thinking.
Instead I got a whole lot of old-school author-on-board that left me with with a bad taste in my mouth.
That's not what this book (or series) is.
Instead we get what is essentially a mocking diatribe of eyeroll-inducing hatred for religion (oh I'm sorry 'organised religion') based on old, simplistic, and/or strawman arguments.
I read this hoping to be challenged; I was looking forward to some critical thinking.
Instead I got a whole lot of old-school author-on-board that left me with with a bad taste in my mouth.
Southfar
Although I was quite young when I read the series and I have not re-read them since, I was vastly surprised at the allegation, which first came to my notice during the filming of the movie based upon the first book, that the trilogy asserted an atheist standpoint. To be sure, the books promote a somewhat critical view of the Catholic Church, although shielded by the deniability of this view being upon a portrayal of the Church as we know it to exist. But that does not in itself imply an atheist standpoint, I'm sure we can agree; in my reading, the book states very little on the actual Deity (with some justification, it could be said to state nothing on the subject) whose properties the Church has ascribed to another entity. (And this is a reading favourable to what I believe to be Pullman's own line of reasoning - I find the the relation of worship far too vague to state it as anything more than a tentative hypothesis that one is actually capable of asserting the worship of a deity - true or feigned - over whose attributes one is in error by confusing them with the attributes of yet another entity.) To me, and without the intent to spoil, an almost gnostic reading seems to be far closer at hand - which certainly is not the cosmological promulgation of our contemporary Christianity and insofar, the cosmology of the trilogy is antithetical to dogma, but it neither asserts the non-existence of a Deity, nor, as would perhaps be a more prima facie reading, dystheism.
EbonyRae
The book is not christian at all, although I did not perceive the book as being overtly atheist either. Its more like a re-interpretation of the bible, similar to The Chronicals of Narnia. There is a common misconception that CS Lewis was a devoted christian. Lewis viewed the bible as a type of Fable that was more of a moral guide than an actual account of events that took place (Which is also very ironic because later in life, Lewis became a lay theoligan). Lewis wrote The Chronicles of Narnia as a representation of the symbolism of bibical principles. Hence the magical land in the closet and talking animals ;). Phillip Pullmans trilogy has a fascinating quality of melding science, spirituality and the metaphysical. I highly reccomend it, and think it can be appreciated reguardless of ones religion!
Kate Herbert
To me, this book clearly references contemporary themes in cosmology and physics, and although it refers to imagined mythologies and religions, these are not central to the story. So, my answer is NO, it is most definitely is not a Christian book, I would say that if anything, it advocates a plurality of world views, but would be particuarly pleasing to people who enjoy science and also especially pleasing to athiests.
Megan Votour
Pullman is an Athiest, but he is a big fan of Milton, excluding his beliefs, so people who are familiar with paradise lost will see familiar elements.
Emilie
its not a christian book
Usethegoogle
This answer contains spoilers…
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Jonathan
Pullman literally says, "I'm trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief." But I believe there are many things he thinks are the basis of Christian belief which actually have little to do with it, and thus whether he is trying to undermine Christianity or just the errors of some sects is up for debate.
fedefiction
This book takes a lot from christian iconology and religious belief. It does NOT mock the belief and basic traditions, in my opinion it actually is pretty respectul of it and of the people who believe. Ultimately this is a critique of organized religion and religion fanatism used in grabs for power.
Caleb Gross
This books have elements of Christianity in it, but they have little pieces here and there.
Betsy
It might be a good idea to explore some biographical material on Pullman. A Wall Street Journal biographical article published on 10/17/20 about him clearly states he's atheist and "makes plain his antipathy for religious authority." "Every church is the same: control, destroy, obliterate every good feeling." He is very critical of the "Christian underpinnings of the Chronicles of Narnia which he argues keeps its child characters artificially pure by killing them off before they can entertain any supposedly sinful desires." No doubt he is not Christian nor are the books in this series.
Nora Navardauskaitė
The author mentions and touches a few of the more important topics, but does not really delve in them. I didn;t feel it overpowering the story, at least.
Niels Bugge
I wouldn't say it is atheist: It has God and angels, and they behave pretty much as you would expect if you have ever read the Old Testament or paid attention to how the Christian Church has behaved everytime it got too much power.
Aud
Really if you look, it can be either but on the surface, no, not really.
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