The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ

The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ is a novel by Philip Pullman.

The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ

Author	Philip Pullman
Publisher	Canongate Books
Publication date	2010
Pages	245
ISBN	978-0-8021-2996-3
OCLC	456177369

Published in 2010 by Canongate Books,^[1] as part of the Canongate Myth Series, it retells the story of Jesus as if he were two people, brothers, "Jesus" and "Christ", with contrasting personalities; Jesus being a moral and godly man, and his brother Christ a calculating figure who wishes to use Jesus' legacy to found a powerful Church.^[2][3]

Critical reception

Pullman's historical understanding has been criticised by Jesuit theologian Gerald O'Collins.^[4]

While Christopher Hitchens, author of God Is Not Great, praised Pullman's His Dark Materials, he was more critical of The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ, labelling Pullman "a Protestant atheist" for supporting the teachings of Christ but being critical of organised religion.^[5]

Diarmaid MacCulloch reviewed the book positively for Literary Review.^[6]