"The Gospel According to the Son" and Christian Belief

The Gospel According to the Son is best understood in the context of the philosophical concerns running through Mailer's fictional oeuvre rather than as Mailer's attempt to "set the record straight" about Jesus through the latest research on ancient manuscripts and archeology, as one might think. The struggles between a father and son and the subtle transmissions of power that result from the brushes of good with evil are two central Mailerian themes. Nonetheless, Mailer's rendition of the gospel story, while holding strangely close to the biblical account, subtly challenges Christian views. Like the Devil Mailer imagines, his novel employs "the Devil's best gifts" by acting "like a thief, a great thief." This paper explores just what valuables the novel attempts to steal and why they are important to an orthodox Christian view.