I think so – but only if the church is willing to learn from someone like Pullman. And being willing to learn doesn’t mean the church has to ignore what they think he is wrong about. Only to consider, is he right about anything – like you said.

I’m not sure they’ll be making the rest of the trilogy – it did way worse in the US than they were expecting. Probably because they assumed more name recognition than the book really has over here. A bad error in judgment, imo. Even the negative Christian publicity didn’t get that many people to the movie. ;-)

I know it did better in Europe but I think they needed stronger US sales to be profitable.

Pull man did get things wrong and does need a gentle Christian response. But perhaps Christians, instead of getting all defensive, also asked what Pullman may have got right about us.

Here is a sobering question:

Is there any way in which Pullman might be an unintentional prophet to the church?

A well informed, level headed guide to a Christian assessment of the novels is a book by Tony Watkins at Damaris called “Dark Matter: A Thinking Fans Guide to Philip Pullman”. No knee-jerk stuff there.

But while “The Golden Compass” looks to be a very interesting movie and book series (I’d like to see it, but don’t tell too many evangelicals…) what rubs me wrongly is the marketing aimed at children here in the US. It’s one thing to market a movie with not-so-subtle undertones at a wide, adult audience. I applaud that. Adults, at least in theory, are rational and capable of discernment. Though it’s not enough for me to condemn a movie (I don’t think I could ever do that…), the hopes of the author and the marketing by the studios raise some concern for me.

Our church staff decided that we would not come out with an out-and-out condemnation of the movie (thank God), but rather use it as a teaching moment for parents. We encouraged them to be active, involved in their children’s lives; to know what they read, watch, talk about, etc., and then to use those times as teaching moments. If they decide to watch “the Golden Compass”, watch it as a family and discuss it with the children. That seems to me a balanced idea…

Thanks for the blog there.

Josh Heilman

I do understand that some Christians might want to avoid the book. I don’t have a problem with that: whether to engage on a specific issue is a choice.

What I’d like is that Christians who choose to engage or warn others off something they believe is dangerous: a) do read the book and/or see the movie so their comments are based on first-hand knowledge (I know the podcast speaker did and I appreciate that) and b) make every effort to be balanced. I’m not convinced the podcast speaker did that. But it was a thoughtful review and I appreciated him saying that Pullman was a great writer.

And yes, Pullman could have made different choices. He could have not been so vindictive about the church. He could have not depicted God out to basically fit the Biblical description of Satan. He could have been kinder to Christians.

But I always wish Christians would lead by example, since they make the greater claims (imo). There is so much villification of atheists by Christians out there that it’s hard to think they have set Pullman a great example of how to be generous about someone else’s beliefs/nonbeliefs.

If Christians claim the high moral ground then surely the only consistent way to behave is to lead by example in generosity and kindness. If they don’t then, yes, it makes sense to appeal to Pullman and other atheists “Be kinder to us – show us how!”

It’s hard for me not to be biased…I admit that. I appreciate you challenging me to be as balanced as possible just as I’m asking the same of Christians.