The Darkness of His Dark Materials

While I believe Carl Trueman is right to caution against an overreaction to Philip Pullman, I still believe that his books, particularly, must be distinguished from Harry Potter, the Arabian Nights, and most other secular literature for children.  Here is why: it is clear from Pullman's many public comments on the subject and from the story line of his trilogy that he is seeking to subvert the Christian faith.  It is his deliberate intention to deny the sovereignty and goodness of God and to undermine the ministry of the church.  This puts his work in a different and more dangerous category than works that simply come from a non-Christian worldview and yet, by common grace, often reflect the truth about things.  Perhaps Pullman's trilogy, in various ways, also reflects the truth about things, but there is a malevolent intention at work--one not to be minimized.