More on the Compass

In my last post, Pointing to Truth? Really?, I made some comments in regard to the current film, The Golden Compass. I hope, however, that I was clear that I had not then seen the film and could only report second-hand information. Now I've seen the film and I have to say it is not as overtly anti-Christian as some would have you believe. It is a fantasy film with very good special effects and a somewhat predictable story to tell. And unlike some films, this movie sets the stage for the sequel. But the story itself makes few direct attacks on faith – perhaps no more than other fantasy or science fiction films.

The movie begins with an unnamed narrator addressing the audience identifying the setting as a parallel universe to this one – a universe where people's souls, referred to as "demons," live in the form of animals outside their bodies. Apparently in this universe children's demons have the ability to change shape until some age when their innocence is lost and the soul then takes on its permanent form which seems to represent something of the person's personality. This universe is controlled by a council known as the "Magisterium" which is the most direct attack against the church and seems to be directed toward the Roman Catholics. In an interview with Peter Chattaway, Philip Pullman notes that the use of the Magisterium is in effect a statement against "the political exercise of religious authority. . . and the regrettable tendency of humankind to believe in 'one size fits all' answers: to cling to the extreme of dogmatic fundamentalism whether religious or not." This does seem to be the case in the film and frankly a challenge which must be made. As Christians, we shouldn't be expected to "check our brains at the door of the church" and take everything we are taught as absolute. Luke applauded the Berean church for "examining the Scriptures" to see if Paul's teaching was true. This is the way error and heresy in the church begins and something Peter warned against in 2 Peter 2:1-3, 10-13. We should learn to think and not to fear a challenge to our beliefs, but to use the challenges to test and strengthen that which we do believe and to explain that belief to others (1 Peter 3:15).

The other aspect which seems up for discussion is this remarkable substance in the film called "dust." In the same interview noted above, Pullman writes, "Dust is my metaphor for all the things that your atheist materialist friend no doubt believes in as firmly as I do: human wisdom, science and art, all the accumulated and transmissible achievements of the human mind. This is both material (located in books, etc, and in living people who can talk about it) and, like consciousness, seemingly non-material. But without matter, it wouldn't be there at all. Everything that is Dust is the result of the amorous inclinations of matter." Please note that except for its presence, and the substance which one of the characters in the film seeks, dust is neither explained nor really questioned in the movie. It is interesting to note that when a character dies, his soul, or demon, explodes in a cloud of dust yet the body remains. Otherwise, the significance of dust is left for the next installment.

So returning to Albert Mohler's Blog and his question, "So, what should Christians do?", I recommend re-reading the first couple of paragraphs:

A good first step would be to take a deep breath. The Christian faith is not about to be toppled by a film, nor by a series of fantasy books. Pullman has an agenda that is clear, and Christians need to inform themselves of what this agenda is and what it means. At the same time, nothing would serve his agenda better than to have Christians speaking recklessly or unintelligently about the film or the books.

This is about the battle of ideas and worldviews. While Christians will not celebrate the release of this film, we should recognize the mixture of challenge and opportunity that comes with millions of persons watching this film and talking about the issues it raises. When the movie is mentioned in the workplace, in school, on the playground, or in the college campus, this is a great opportunity to show that Christians are not afraid of the battle of ideas.

In summary, the worldview of The Golden Compass, is not the same as mine. But very few films are. As entertainment, it is sufficient. As theology, this film is no more damaging that the worldview of hundreds of others, including the entire Star Wars collection or the treasure hunting archaeologists such as Indiana Jones or Lara Croft. As I said before, we can use conversation about the film as an opportunity to demonstrate that Christ is truth and that truth cannot be found in a golden "alethiometer."