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Reluctant Theologian
Without Dust, the creatures and humans of "His Dark Materials" would not know virtue: truth, courage and how to pursue what is good and just. Lyra's alethiometer, (the golden compass) is a device that tells truths (alethia is Greek for truth). It gets its power from Dust. By asking the alethiometer for advice on her journey, about what she must do and likewise avoid, Lyra is communing with—even praying to—God for guidance. The alethiometer is one source by which Lyra learns to be brave, to follow what is true and good even if it leads her to undertake tasks that are difficult and in which she must even defy the powerful and the powerfully corrupt.
In the universe of "His Dark Materials," we would not have salvation without virtue, without souls and bodies and ghosts. But for Pullman, it is not only creation and all its creatures that need to be saved by God. It is God as Dust, it is She Herself who needs salvation. As Lyra and Will strive to affirm the goodness of bodies and the right to cultivate a relationship with one's soul, as they shepherd ghosts into their exquisite afterlife, they face the most difficult task of all: saving Dust from the villains and technologies that threaten it, so that created life and all the universe can flourish and glory in Dust for all time.
"His Dark Materials" is a resounding call to open ourselves up to the underdogs of Christian theology—the feminists, the liberation theologians, the eco-minded, and the young lay theologians immersed in the messy work of what Christianity has to say to the poor, the disenfranchised, the women, the children, the earth—to all those groups without a voice, without a language or even images that speak to their circumstances. Like the battle to remove a corrupt, secret-keeping Authority in "The Amber Spyglass," "His Dark Materials" is a theological advocate of a sort, for those theologians who find our voices marginalized, and our theologies silenced in the face of the many powers that be in the Christian tradition today.
Donna Freitas is a visiting assistant professor of religion at Boston University. She is the coauthor, with Jason King, of "Killing the Imposter God: Philip Pullman's Spiritual Imagination in His Dark Materials," and author of the forthcoming "Sex and the Soul" from Oxford University Press.
© 2007
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Member Comments
Posted By: Aditya Mookerjee @ 08/21/2008 10:54:57 AM
Comment: If atheism is a concept that promotes the belief, that only atheism is rational, then it contradicts its own beliefs, and cannot accept the contradiction. What exactly is atheism, and what exactly is the contradiction of atheism?
Posted By: PMR1 @ 03/24/2008 11:12:34 PM
Comment: This may be a little late in coming-but the Judeo-Christian tradition is LOADED with feminine components for those who care to look, not just Sophia, there is also the Shekinah-the feminine aspect of God, Mary the Mother of Jesus (not to mention the other two Marys), Miriam the sister of Moses, Deborah, Esther, Ruth, Judith, many many many saints. I think the real question here is, why would the author of the article choose to ignore this rich tradition? Hmmm.
P.S. Usually tradition is a good place to start to find what you are looking for, it is important to grasp the basics before any sort of interpretation is drawn-much less any sort of additions, deletions etc. that are jsut based on what is currently vogue in whatever time period and culture you happen to live in. Alas, some of us have other motivations than genuine soul-searching and spiritual questing. I think it is important to keep perspective and retain humility-it is very easy to get lost in self-referential rhetoric when the only ones you speak with are those who happen agree with you.
Posted By: observer101 @ 01/22/2008 9:14:02 PM
Comment: Its a story, that someone came up with. Its for entertainment. I suppose someone wants to interpet Charlie and the chocolate factory as a story that encourages all children to eat nothing but candy and promotes unhealthy eating. And it caused obesity . Or maybe Pippy longstocking promotes running away. Maybe the evil Winnie the pooh has it in for us. Geez people enjoy the stories and teach your children whats right and wrong. Dont rely on some childless therapists or drug pushing psychiatrist to dictate whats correct for our kids to watch. I watch Looney toons and didnt go around dropping pianos on ppls heads or getting dynamite and blowing rabbits out of holes. With proper raising by a parent a child will grow up normal no matter which Potter or Golden Compass movie the watch.