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'''Philip Pullman''' is the atheistic author of many novels for children and young adults, including the ''[[His Dark Materials]]'' and ''Sally Lockhart'' series. However, his works have come under criticism for their subversively anti-religious nature.

'''Philip Pullman''' is the [[atheist]] author of many novels for children and young adults, including the ''[[His Dark Materials]]'' and ''Sally Lockhart'' series. His works have come under criticism for their subversively anti-religious nature.

==Pullman's Life==

==Pullman's Life==

Philip Pullman was born in Norwich, [[England]], in 1946, to Audrey and Alfred Pullman. The early years of Pullman's life were spent traveling, because his father was a member of [[United Kingdom|Britain]]'s [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF). His father died when he was age 7, and his family then traveled to [[London]] to find work. A year later, Pullman's mother remarried, to another man working for the RAF. His family lived in [[Australia]] for much of those next two years. When Pullman was ten years old, his stepfather quit his job at the RAF to help his growing family. In 1965, Pullman won a scholarship to attend [[Exeter College]] in [[Oxford]]. He did so, for four years. <ref>http://www.hisdarkmaterials.org/information/philip-pullman/biography</ref>

Philip Pullman was born in Norwich, [[England]], in 1946, to Audrey and Alfred Pullman. The early years of Pullman's life were spent traveling because his father was a member of [[United Kingdom|Britain]]'s [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF). His father died when he was age 7, and his family then traveled to [[London]] to find work. A year later, Pullman's mother remarried to another man working for the RAF. His family lived in [[Australia]] for much of those next two years. When Pullman was ten years old, his stepfather quit his job at the RAF to help his growing family. In 1965, Pullman won a scholarship to attend [[Exeter College]] in [[Oxford]]. He did so for four years.<ref>http://www.hisdarkmaterials.org/information/philip-pullman/biography</ref> At the age of 25, Pullman became a teacher at a middle school also in Oxford. From 1986 to 1994, he taught at Westminister College. Pullman wrote his first book ''[[Count Karlstein]]'' in 1982.  <ref>http://www.philip-pullman.com</ref> Today, Pullman lives in Oxford with his wife Jude. Pullman is a father to two grown children and has two grandchildren. <ref>http://www.randomhouse.com/features/pullman/author/author.html</ref>

At the age of 25, Pullman became a teacher at a middle school, also in Oxford. From 1986 to 1994, he taught at Westminister College. Pullman wrote his first book, [[Count Karlstein]], in 1982.  <ref>http://www.philip-pullman.com</ref> Today Pullman lives in Oxford with his wife Jude. Pullman is a father to two grown children, and has two grandchildren as well. <ref>http://www.randomhouse.com/features/pullman/author/author.html</ref>

==Pullman's Works==

==Pullman's Works==

**''The Golden Compass'' (''Northern Lights'' in the UK)

**''The Golden Compass'' (''Northern Lights'' in the UK)

**''The Subtle Knife''

**''The Subtle Knife''

**''The Amber Spyglass

**''The Amber Spyglass''

==Awards==

==Awards==

Frank Furedi wrote:

Frank Furedi wrote:

<blockquote>

<blockquote>

... He is adept at public moralising. He has denounced [[Narnia]] as ‘morally loathsome’, describing [[C.S. Lewis]]’s series of books as amongst the ‘most ugly and poisonous things’ he has read. Indeed, Pullman directly counterpoises his ‘non-Christian’ trilogy to the ‘Christian’ Narnia. <ref>http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/4169/</ref>

... He is adept at public moralising. He has denounced [[Narnia]] as "morally loathsome," describing [[C.S. Lewis]]’s series of books as amongst the "most ugly and poisonous things" he has read. Indeed, Pullman directly counterpoises his "non-Christian" trilogy to the "Christian" Narnia. <ref>http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/4169/</ref>

</blockquote>

</blockquote>

<blockquote>

<blockquote>

Pullman is a [[militant]] [[atheist]] and [[secular humanist]] (who describes himself as both an [[agnostic]] and an atheist)  

Pullman is a [[militant]] [[atheist]] and [[secular humanist]] (who describes himself as both an [[agnostic]] and an atheist). He has said, "I don’t profess any [[religion]]; I don’t think it’s possible that there is a [[God]]; I have the greatest difficulty in understanding what is meant by the words 'spiritual' or '[[spirituality]]'" and despises [[C. S. Lewis]] and the [[Chronicles of Narnia]]. His motivation for writing this trilogy was specifically to counteract Lewis's symbolism of [[Christ]] that are portrayed in the Narnia series. <ref>http://www.joelevi.com/blog/index.php/2007/12/04/the-golden-compass-an-attack-on-god/</ref>

has said "I don’t profess any [[religion]]; I don’t think it’s possible that there is a [[God]]; I have the greatest difficulty in understanding what is meant by the words ’spiritual’ or ’[[spirituality]]’" and despises [[C. S. Lewis]] and the [[Chronicles of Narnia]]. His motivation for writing this trilogy was specifically to counteract Lewis’ symbolisms of [[Christ]] that are portrayed in the Narnia series. <ref>http://www.joelevi.com/blog/index.php/2007/12/04/the-golden-compass-an-attack-on-god/</ref>

</blockquote>

</blockquote>

Most of Pullman's criticism is based solely on the controversial His Dark Materials series, the series for which he became famous and is most well known.  The killing of [[Yahweh]], the Judeo-Christian God as the climax of the novels has gathered the most criticism.

Most of Pullman's criticism is based solely on the controversial ''His Dark Materials'' series, the series for which he became famous and is most well known, in particular the killing of [[Yahweh]], the Judeo-Christian God as the climax of the novels.

 

 

==External Links==

==External Links==

[http://www.randomhouse.com/features/pullman/author/author.html|A website about Philip Pullman and his writing.] <br/>

[http://www.randomhouse.com/features/pullman/author/author.html|A website about Philip Pullman and his writing.] <br/>

[http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1359866 http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1359866|A negative review of the author.]

[http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1359866 http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1359866|A negative review of the author.]

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