[ican'tbelieveit]

We know that Tolkien and Lewis spent a lot of time discussing their loves. From Lewis we know that the Lion in his children books is not to be Christ himself, but a representation of what might happen in another world along those lines. I think Tolkien is taking us down that road in a less direct way with Gandalf.

But the Bible also had many other people who could be represented by Gandalf. You have Joseph, Moses, and of the New Testament Disciples.

[LinnieBeth]

Yes, I agree. I loved Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia too, and found them more allegorical than Tolkien's work.
There are so many complexities in Tolkien's work.
There are a lot of parallels with Biblical canon.
He seems to use a mixture of "scriptural aspects" for his characters, incidents, locales and goals to further the story.
Ultimately, it is a story of good versus evil, with the potential destruction of 'earth as we know it', in the balance.
Tolkien does a great job of showing us how seemingly small inconsequential choices and actions do have their resulting consequences- and that developing the habit of consistently making good choices and decisions can become very important, even dynamic in the final analysis.
The biggest difference that I can see, is that the Bible clearly lets you know that there is a God, and an unshakeable 'standard'; Tolkien's characters move around using or resisting that 'standard' and there is never any clear depiction of A God that is all powerful and undefeatable. Tolkien seems to be intent on showing us how important our actions and responses can contribute to historical change.
Dunno?? goin' to meditate a bit more.....