Religion

Religion is woven throughout Enemy of God, as the title would suggest. Traditional Druidism and Christianity have locked horns in a fight to the death. Isis and Mithraism, also introduced to the island by the Roman occupiers centuries before have smaller followings. Arthur believes in live and let live, but this is strictly a minority view. The Druids, voiced by Merlin, want him to massacre the Christians before they get more dangerous, and the Christians feel obliged to convert all pagans before the expected Second Coming of Christ, which most are sure will occur in a few years, in AD 500. Because the unconverted, even if virtuous, will be consigned to hell without baptism, any means bringing about conversion—including violence—is an act of love. A more elevated vision of human nature, Pelagianism, is mentioned but gets no play. Arthur suggests that if he were to...