Annotated Chapter 3 Page 16
“Word” in Greek is “Logos.” All the way back in 2004, I combined this passage with the Hellsing opening theme to conclude that the anime took place in “a world without God.”
For any readers who remembered that moment, this page is the first foreshadowing that BICP’s world doesn’t have a God either.
If not, Lily’s total disinterest still works as foreshadowing that she’s not any kind of angelic figure…and that her Master isn’t nearly as Christian-y as he claims.
Timothy: It’s weird that you wouldn’t know about the Bible . . . But I guess when you’re descended from angels, there’s no need to connect with God through ordinary objects, huh?
Lily: . . . That, and your language is hard to read. Is it a good book?
Timothy: It’s a very Good Book!
. . . and it’s the only one Brother Alvah lets us have.
Lily: Read me some of it. One of the good parts.
Timothy: I’d love to. This is one of my favorite passages: In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was . . .
Lily: No, no, I‘ve heard that one. Can’t you find anything more interesting?
I’d say the reference doesn’t necessarily show that there is no god. For it to be able to authoritatively answer that question, it would need to come from an authoritative being. But what happened 4000-6000 years ago is not authoritatively documented.
Lily’s attitude here doesn’t show that she’s not an angel. Just, if she *is* an angel, either she’s not immune to getting tired hearing the same old thing millions of times over the course of her lifetime, or that book’s wrong.
To be clear, I’m an agnostic, so I’m good at pointing out what we do not know. But as far as religion goes, I’m a one trick pony.
Ah, but I didn’t say it was an authoritative answer to any of those questions! I said it was foreshadowing.