The philosophical ideal articulated by Lord Asriel and ultimately embraced by Lyra: that there should be no Kingdom of Heaven ruled by an authoritarian god, but rather a Republic of Heaven built by conscious beings in the physical world. The Republic of Heaven means taking responsibility for one's own life and world rather than submitting to divine authority. It is Pullman's answer to the question of what replaces religion - not nihilism, but a commitment to building meaning and justice in the here and now.