Killing the Imposter God explores the complex religious and spiritual dimensions of the best–selling fantasy series. Donna Freitas and Jason King—scholars of religion and popular culture—reveal how humanity′s moral and religious issues play out in Pullman’s literary phenomenon, showing that the trilogy—far from preaching atheism, as many have suggested—actually presents a vision of a universe permeated with divinity and rich with the Christian tradition Pullman himself so publicly rejects. Weaving together critical theory that spans the disciplines of theology, ethics, feminist studies, and philosophy, the authors examine the questions His Dark Materials raises about destruction and salvation, love and redemption, the abuse of power, and the divine—making the case that Pullman the self–professed atheist has created a Christian classic of our times.
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Freitas and King believe that Philip Pullman—whom the New Yorker called "one of England’s most outspoken atheists"—is a theologian in spite of himself, and that Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy is a religious classic on the order of the Chronicles of Narnia. Here, the authors attempt to show that the Pullman novels are not about killing off God, but rather, annihilating an understanding of God that is antiquated and unimaginative. Analyzing lengthy scenes from the novels, they find Pullman’s views pantheistic, rather than atheistic. Pullman "resurrects a far more sophisticated divinity" and wrestles mightily with theological questions. Freitas and King explore Pullman’s beliefs about God, good and evil, and salvation, seeing the novelist as squarely situated within liberation theology and "surprisingly Greek, indebted nearly as much to Socrates and Plato as to God the Father and God the Son." Freitas ( Becoming a Goddess of Inner Poise ) and King clearly know their material and have the requisite passion for their topic. Although this is not light reading, the book release’s timing to coincide with the motion picture, His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass , should give it higher visibility to a popular audience. (Sept. 7) ( Publishers Weekly , June 11, 2007)
"Freitas and King clearly know their material and have the requisite passion for their topic." ( Publishers Weekly , June 11, 2007)
"Freitas and King clearly know their material and have the requisite passion for their topic." ( Publishers Weekly , June 11, 2007)
Review
“Most readers of Pullman’s His Dark Materials find ourselves wrestling with its ideas long after we’ve closed the books, and Freitas and King jump into the ring with passion and a truly unique perspective. Reading this lively and thoughtful book is like discussing the HDM trilogy over coffee with your very smartest friends.”––Kathryne B. Alfred, The Longstockings “Freitas and King clearly know their material and have the requisite passion for their topic.” — Publisher′s Weekly “In Donna Freitas and Jason King′s creative, compelling reading, Pullman emerges not as the atheist he always said he was, but as an unwitting witness to a divine force that longs to be with creation. It will not only change how you read Pullman—it may change how you think about your own story, too.”––Lauren F. Winner, author, Girl Meets God
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 19 people found the following review helpful
By Tempestas
Format:Paperback
The authors are Christians who love the Dark Materials trilogy, and presumably to make themselves feel less guilty about liking something written by an avowed atheist, seem to have collaborated to convince themselves (and us) that Pullman is really a closet believer, on a par with the so-called "death of God" theologians. These are the fellows who want us to reject the old fashioned, strict and bad tempered Patriarch who sits on a cloud and asks his followers to prove themselves by murdering people, and replace him with a more modern divinity, a kind of nebulous warm and woolly comfort blanket.
Thus the authors have their own agenda and if, like me, you find it slightly irritating when religious people find it impossible to accept that you can lead a happy/moral/ethical/fulfilling life without a belief in either a god or an afterlife, you might find this book irritating too.
Thus the authors have their own agenda and if, like me, you find it slightly irritating when religious people find it impossible to accept that you can lead a happy/moral/ethical/fulfilling life without a belief in either a god or an afterlife, you might find this book irritating too.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.5 out of 5 stars
2 reviews
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Increased my appreciation for His Dark Materials
26 Dec 2007
By Jesse K. Richards
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
I was skeptical before reading this, but it ended up being great and really enhanced my appreciation for the novels. After a slow start, it picks up and is really good by the end. The book also has short plot summaries of the novels, which were very helpful as I read them 2 years ago now. However, it also has an interview with Gregory Maguire which I thought was pointless. I was also unsure of the authors' "agenda" - are they Christian? Regardless, their views were well-thought-out and riveting. I would recommend buying all 4 books and reading this after the trilogy.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderfully refreshing
8 Sep 2011
By N. J. Stallman
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Freitas and King have created, what I consider to be, the best theological engagement with Pullman's His Dark Materials to date. Whilst the appeal to Liberation theology and feminist theology may not be everyone's cup of tea, the theological analysis is none the less consistent and thorough. This is an insightful analysis of the way in which God has been communicated and envisioned throughout history, culminating in the desire to move beyond restrictive, ancient images of a tyrannical God, as has been accepted from the Middle Ages onwards. Instead, they propose that Liberation and Feminist theology, just like Pullman's text, is challenging these notion of the very way in which we perceive God and communicate our understanding of God to others. They support the idea that Pullman's 'death of the Authority/God' should not be feared or shunned or condemned, but embraced as an opportunity for a new understanding and a new progression forward in contemporary Christianity.
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4.5 out of 5 stars
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