The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ available on the BHA Amazon store

During the past two decades, Philip Pullman has established himself as one of the great authors in the British tradition of fantasy fiction. One trait that has distinguished him from some of the best-known earlier writers in this tradition has been his hostility to organized religion, and especially those forms which resemble Christianity. In this context, it is not surprising – though it is highly provocative – that on making a contribution to the Canongate Myths series, which invites prominent writers to retell famous imaginary tales in a personal way, Pullman has chosen to tackle what he regards as the myth of Jesus Christ. The similarity of his title to a Brecht play is not coincidental: the action is broken up into a series of self-contained dramatic episodes, like a stylized piece of theatre. They are narrated in a flat, simple and dispassionate voice, bereft of colour and personal engagement in the manner of a traditional religious text. The result could be read as satire, or perhaps as blasphemy, but perhaps most convincingly on its own apparent terms, as heresy: a modern equivalent to a Gnostic Gospel.

Pullman takes as his framework a reaction to the Christian Gospels which is common among modern liberal humanists: to praise the social justice preached by Jesus and his radical attitude to established religious forms, while expressing unease with the theological claims made for him and condemning the use made of them by powerful churches. His solution of the problem is masterly in its simplicity: to have two opposed Christ-figures, twin brothers born in the stable at Bethlehem who divide these qualities between them. The more straight-forward is the one actually called Jesus, a carpenter who becomes an evangelical preacher and has the career of the biblical Christ. He delivers the same uncompromising social, moral and religious message, and Pullman’s retelling of the famous parables brings out their wisdom, boldness and effectiveness.

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/the_tls/article7097229.ece

Philip Pullman is a Distinguished Supporter of the British Humanist Association.