by Rob Rynders

Recently the film The Golden Compass was released and promptly caused a stir among circles of Christian debate. I had at least three different invitations to groups on Facebook asking that I boycott the movie and the books. Now, if you know me I am the type to be suspicious of anything that asks me not to do something, so I promptly decided I should take a group of Christians to see the movie. The controversy over the movie is similar to that over Harry Potter and even the Lord of the Rings films to an extent. All of these films have been charged with promoting witchcraft and Satanism and Christian groups worldwide have made the claim that if we see these films we could corrupt our faith and belief systems. Compass, however, has stirred additional controversy because the author of the book, Phillip Pullman, that it is based on (the first of a series) has taken a public position against organized religion and many argue the series was written to deter children from being a part of religious groups and many are angry because the plot of the series is to kill a character named “God.”

I would like to make the argument, however, that whether it was the author’s intent or not that Compass actually portrays a post-modern notion of God and religion that is relevant for our faith and the church. I left the movie with the impression that the plot was not to bring down organized religion, but in fact it was to challenge the rigid and corrupt structures of organized religion that sometimes seek to suppress knowledge and progress for its own self-preservation. Although the movie has reduced the religious overtones of the book I believe the religious critique still remains.

The plot of the movie revolves around a little girl named Lyra who is torn between loyalty to her uncle, a free thinking academic/explorer, who is seeking the “truth” that uninhibited knowledge and science can bring and Mrs. Coulter a representative of “The Magesterium,” the controlling government that wishes to maintain the status quo. Lyra’s uncle has discovered a substance called “dust” that acts in a sense as a person’s soul, enabling them to have free will. Without giving away too much more of the movie plot, the battle over the ability to have free will and the extent to which we should have control over it is the overriding theme. The “Magesterium” seeks to rid the world of the knowledge of dust while those like Lyra, her Uncle and a cast of others seek to stop the Magesterium of their quest.

The movie is a bit more detailed and complicated, however, I believe it makes a valid point about government and religious structures as they exist today. It can be strongly argued that while we are “free” in America that many of our liberties have been placed on hold in the name of freedom, safety, and protection. It is argued that giving up a bit of our free will we will be better off in the long run. This too is the idea in much of organized religion and is currently one of the main controversies in the United Methodist Church. The question is, how much leeway should be given in theological debate and in formation of official beliefs of the UMC. Should we allow free exchange of thought and debate over doctrines of salvation, Christology, scripture, moral behavior, etc.? Should these beliefs and doctrines always remain fluid and subject to our changing world as we discover more about science and continue to expand the realm of philosophy and religion? Or are we better off sticking to tradition, letting a few leaders decide what is best for all?

I believe the critique of God specifically in the film can also be seen in a way other than God as a jealous tyrant who wants to limit our free will. So often we only think of God in a limited sense, that God is distant from the world and only acts through supernatural means (miracles and such) and that God punishes and rewards as God pleases. What if we see God in the movie on the side of Lyra and her allies engaged in a battle against the demonic (much like the imagery in the Lord of the Rings)? As a God working to bring freedom and justice to a world covered in darkness, selfishness, and injustice. A God that works in and through all things at all times bringing transformation and redemption to a corrupt place. Would it not be just to attack a vengeful and evil God? In fact at the end of the series the “God” that is killed turns out to be a false representation of God. Could one not agree then that it is a good thing to unmask and bring down the false gods of injustice, violence, and oppression? I believe this series of books critiques the false gods of punishment, favoritism and retribution that a very large number Christians worship. Indeed the God we know and worship is the God represented in Jesus Christ, the God of love and justice who walks amongst us, not the God represented in The Golden Compass or the other books in the series.

Of course the next question would be does the destruction of this false god have to happen through acts of violence? Are the Magesterium and Mrs. Coulter worthy of redemption and forgiveness? Should truth and freedom be attained and protected only through magnificent battles between good and evil? Can our free will be preserved through non-violent acts? Is a world filled with peace and justice only truly possibly through means that are peaceful and just? Is the “peace” that violence brings real peace? Of course a movie that spends the last hour or so with all the characters sitting around a negotiating table is probably not as exciting as an epic battle scene. And perhaps the final film in the series will come to a more creative solution.

Overall I believe we must critique notions of God, religion, and government that in turn command us not to. We must engage these sorts of films and books in debate and conversation and look beyond what we think they may or may not be about. Our faith and beliefs go far beyond our local churches and Sunday school classes. Our response to these controversial issues must come through scripture, tradition, reason, and experience. Our ability to have free thought is in fact a gift from God and must be used responsibly. Movie reviewer Roger Ebert states that Pullman’s series of books has been more popular in the UK because Britons may represent “more confident believers whose response to other beliefs is to respond, rather than suppress.” Whether you agree with me or not I encourage you to see the movie, read the books, and engage others in serious and open discussion as opposed to outright rejection.