I have never been convinced that Tolkien ever evidenced a Christian theology.
I’m not saying that he was trying to teach Christianity in a fantasy garb, but the themes are there.
I read that Tolkien and Lewis belonged to a literary club, and they wanted to write secular stories with Christian themes.
That is, The Hobbit & LOTR were not written as allegories, but the stories did explore themes like honor and duty, good versus evil, and so on.
You may be looking at him through a Reformation lens and thus missing much of his Catholic symbolism.
Gratned, he was not a theologian as Lewis was, but the theological content is there.
Aren’t the books stronger than the movies?
There are any number of Tolkin interviews in which Tolkin himself discussed his stories connection with Christian theology. He certainly never hid it.