Moral Horror and Moral Maturity: Philip Pullman's Theological Anthropology for a Godless World
Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy challenges Christianity in many ways, most strikingly in its fundamental rewriting of what goodness means. Pullman's counter-institutional moral vision relies on individual creativity and curiosity - figured in Dust, and realised in characters�...
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Oxford University Press
[2016]
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| In: |
Literature and theology
Year: 2016, Volume: 30, Issue: 2, Pages: 198-214 |
| IxTheo Classification: | AB Philosophy of religion; criticism of religion; atheism CA Christianity NBE Anthropology NCA Ethics |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (Resolving-System) Volltext (doi) |
| Summary: | Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy challenges Christianity in many ways, most strikingly in its fundamental rewriting of what goodness means. Pullman's counter-institutional moral vision relies on individual creativity and curiosity - figured in Dust, and realised in characters' self-appointed tasks - to counter the stultifying and murderous Church. It also requires those who would fight the Church to engage in similarly violent, destructive deeds. This engagement with evil is part of the protagonists' moral education: in Pullman's world, full moral responsibility requires an encounter with horror, and goodness can only be defended by those willing to do evil for its sake. |
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| ISSN: | 1477-4623 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Literature and theology
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1093/litthe/frw011 |