Old Stuff

Philip Pullman vs. the Exsultet

I caught a bit of an interview with Philip Pullman last night on NPR. In it he describes his view of original sin and the "felix culpa" - the "happy fault" (or "happy sin", as he translates it). It appears that the thesis in one of his books, which he described as his personal view of reality as well, is that mankind was created in a state of sinlessness - he uses the term "innocence" - and that our subsequent sin was a necessary step toward maturity. Aren't we glad we sinned and finally grew up?

Mr. Pullman uses his quotes selectively. He cited the "felix culpa" phrase from the Easter hymn Exsultet as support for his view of necessary and salutary sin. Well, that's not exactly the point of the phrase. The whole thing is "O felix culpa, quae talem ac tantum meruit habere Redemptorem!" - roughly, "O happy fault which gained for us so great a Redeemer!" The point of the phrase "felix culpa" is God incarnate, not "go and sin."

Three lines later, the Exsultet vitiates Mr. Pullman's view of reality:

Therefore the sanctification of this night blots out crimes, washes away sins, and restores innocence to sinners, and joy to the sorrowful. It banishes enmities, produces concord, and humbles empires.