'Baptized imagination': LOTR trilogy offers profoundly Christian vision for the postmodern world

WORLD ^ | 12/20/93 | Andrew Coffin

[expatguy]

I have noticed the same theme and how it relates to the War on Terrorism.

[SuziQ]

He missed what I think is a fairly obvious point to Tolkien's story. Did he read the books?

Ian doesn't believe in Church, Pope, archbishops, etc.; those things get in the way of his 'lifestyle'. As a result, he can't see the spirituality in the text. He's letting his own worldview color his interpretation of what Tolkien wrote.

[flowergirl]

you are right on with your comments!!

[WackyKat]

I agree; there are of course themes in LOTR that can be found in Christianity, but the same themes can also be found in many mythologies around the world.

There is nothing in LOTR that is specifically Christian; people are just reading it into the books

Incredibly,some Christians did the same thing with the Harry Potter books

[raybbr]

Sorry, I don't see the hand of Providence in LOTR. It's all about fantasy. I am not critcizing Tolkein. Just this author's overblown review.

[BibChr]

<< Sorry, I don't see the hand of Providence in LOTR. It's all about fantasy. I am not critcizing Tolkein. Just this author's overblown review. >>

If you ever read the books, you will see that you are mistaken. I am not one who sees a great deal of specifically Christian imagery there — but what you miss is, in fact, SPECIFICALLY in the books.

Dan

[BibChr]

<< Will you catch the midnight opening-night performance, Dan? >>

No.

I'm going to the ALL-DAY performance, "Trilogy Tuesday." In fact, I leave in about 90 minutes to start standing in line! Starts at 1 with the EE of FOTR, then the EE of TTT, then around 11 the premiere of ROTK!!!

WOO HOO!!!

Dan

[Gothmog]

Two major influences on Tolkien were (1) "Beowulf" and the "Ring of the Nibelung" and (2) his religious faith. It is more apparent if you read the Silmarillion and compare it with Dante's "Divine Comedy" and Milton's "Paradise Lost." Briefly:

In the Silmarillion there is one Creator. As in the "Divine Comedy" and "Paradise Lost," the Creator establishes the heavens and the earth and eventually populates it with three levels of angels. For Dante and Milton they were Cherubim, Serraphim, etc. For Tolkien they were the Vaiar, the Maiar and the elves.

Among the Vaiar, there is one bad seed, Melkor, who is obviously Satan/Lucifer. He decieves and constantly battles with the Vaiar and influences a number of the Maiar to defect. That's where Sauron and the Balrogs come from.

Eventually, Melkor is finally beaten and Sauron takes over as the main evil force. He is also a deciever, mainly of men. In reply, the Vaiar send some Maiar to oppose him -- Gandalf and Saruman.

Thematically, Tolkien, like Dante, adopts deception as the greatest sin. Melkor decieves the Vaiar, elves, etc. Sauron decieves the elves and men. Smeagol decieves his brother Deagol for the ring. The ring is contantly decieving whoever wears it.

In the Bible, who are the great decievers? Satan, Judas. And in Dante's hell the worst ring is reserved for decievers.

Anyway, the LOTR series is not explicitly religious, but Tolkien did adopt many religious themes and values when he wrote it.

[Bella_Bru]

I am so jealous.

Tickets sold out here too fast.

[wardaddy]

Indeed....nice to see wonderful insight from a performer...too infrequent sadly.

At least they did not turn this trilogy into a social engineering crusade as so many films do.

[BibChr]

Well, if I'd been smart (four words that I could use to begin a great many statements), I'd've bought FIVE and put two up immediately on E-Bay.

Dan

[OXENinFLA]

LOTR:John Rhys-Davies (Gimli) Interview (MUST READ)Islam Vs. The West

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1042278/posts

[nutmeg]

LOTR ping!