Archbishop Says Pullman's "His Dark Materials" books should be taught

[Khephra]

Philip Pullman's controversial His Dark Materials books should be taught in religious studies lessons, according to the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Dr Rowan Williams, head of the Anglican Church, said the books could help kids understand what faith really is.

Many church groups are against the books which say people shouldn't follow religions, but make their own choices.

snip..........

The Catholic Herald said Pullman's books, which show the church as evil, were "fit for the bonfire."

more..........

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/uk/newsid_3497000/3497878.stm

[flamingyouth]

1. I love those books

I got completely lost in them. I'm sure some of the archbishop's parishioners will be none too thrilled to hear or read his comments, though. :-(

[Khephra]

2. I know they're making movies of the books,

But I really want to see the play. I'm tempted to give myself a gift later on a take a trip to see it, that is if I can even get tickets.

[flamingyouth]

4. I would like to see that too

I read the NYT article on it and it sounded amazing. Oh, what I wouldn't do to have my own daemon (at least one I could see!) :evilgrin:

[bobbieinok]

3. the first one is great, the 2nd pretty good, and I just can't get

interested in the 3rd

[Lizz612]

5. Try again.

Its really worth it. The third book is IMHO the best, and most tear jerking, of the three. Brings it all together very well.

[Nihil]

9. Same here

I found the third to be much better than the second (though there are
plenty of good bits in the 2nd). There again, I often find that the
second book in a trilogy is the "filler" to join up the great ideas
in the first book with the grand finale in the third ...

Nihil

[NC_Nurse]

6. I'll have to check them out

think for yourself, what a radical idea?

[Khephra]

7. Archbishop praises author accused of blasphemy

Archbishop praises author accused of blasphemy

Philip Pullman, the best-selling author with a widely advertised contempt for organised religion, has found an unlikely champion in the Archbishop of Canterbury who has risked the wrath of fundamentalists by praising the National Theatre's adaptation of the author's His Dark Materials as a "near miraculous triumph".

Rowan Williams, already regarded with some suspicion by conservative evangelicals for his liberal social views, writes in today's Guardian: "This extraordinary theatrical adventure sets a creative religious agenda in a way hard to parallel in recent literature and performance."

In a private address to religious leaders and academics at Downing Street on Monday night, Dr Williams even went so far as to suggest that study of the Pullman trilogy could form part of schools' religious education syllabuses. Such praise is a far cry from the Association of Christian Teachers, who have condemned it as shameless blasphemy.

What Dr Williams appears to have spotted, which Pullman's critics have not, is that the author's ire is directed less at religious values than at institutions, particularly Catholicism. The author was partly brought up by his Anglican clergyman grandfather.

more...........

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1165996,00.html

[ArwenJade]

8. Excellent books

I actually read them because I heard they were controversial. I absolutely loved them, and I'm Catholic. They ending almost killed me, though. I cried like a baby.