[JenB]

It's not in the book, no. And it is universalist in intent, but I looked at it as "this is what happens to Christians". And from Gandalf, it's fitting - he's already died! And he'd know.

Since LotR was written from a Christian worldview, some of that carries over to the movies. I think you have to look at it as if the stuff they mean generally applies to a narrow group of people than the filmmakers think...

Have fun! I'm going after church on Sunday.

[HairOfTheDog]

Don't you think you might be going a bit far in attempting to apply Christian rules to Middle Earth heaven?

This is a fantasy story in a pre-Savior culture with no obvious doctrine to accept or reject to gain salvation. It either is a universalist world where all souls would conceptually have a shot at heaven or a world in which only the elves and other selected people get to go.... if there is a boat to take them.

Gandalf's speech is from the book, but in a different context than in the film.... it is from the Grey Havens.

[BibChr]

Thanks. Some of my coworkers are wondering how many tickets will end up framing my monitor!

Dan