[B-Chan]

“Politically, traditional Catholic culture has been hierarchical. Feudalism itself was formed in great degree by the Faith, as is shown by the great difference between the Feudal system of European history, and its equivalents in the India of the Mughals, the Japan of the Tokugawa, and the China of the Warring States. Ideas of Chivalry and Hierarchy suggested by the Church did not merely shape European Catholic polity, but continue to determine political structures in such settings as Catholicised African tribes, ethnic Catholic Asian settlements, and Latin America. The relationships of King to Subject, of Lord to Vassal, of Comrade to Comrade-in-Arms remain, though often under other names.

In traditional Catholic societies, the King is, in a lessened sense, the Vicar of God. While not approximating the Sacral Kingship of non-Catholic peoples, the Catholic Monarchy nevertheless retains a certain sacredness. This remains the case, even when in conflict with the Church. After the calamities of the Reformation, English Civil War, Glorious, French, Industrial, and Russian Revolutions, etc., the King became more than that; he became the exiled leader of the faithful, whose return alone would bring a return to the old ways, and an end to change and unrest.

[...]

The concept of society as an organic whole, without class conflict, with a communal structure, is one that has characterised Catholic social thought since the Roman Empire. In many ways the Shire expresses perfectly the economic and political ideals of the Church, as expressed by Leo XIII in Rerum novarum, and Pius XI in Quadragesimo anno. Traditional authority (the Thain), limited except in times of crisis; popular representation (the Mayor of Michel Delving), likewise limited; subsidiarity; and above all, minimal organisation and conflict. It is the sort of society envisioned by Distributists Belloc and Chesterton in Britain, by Salazar in Portugal, by the framers of the Irish Constitution, by Dollfuss in Austria, and by Smetona in Lithuania. How ever far short or close these dwellers in the real world came to their goal, the fact remains that it is something very close to the Shire they had in mind.”

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[Xthe17th]

Karl Rove is Grima Wormtongue. I sure hope Gandalf and Aragorn arrive soon to wake up Theoden Bush.

[polemikos]

Wow! Great find.

In his Hieroglyphics: Notes on the Ecstatic in Literature, Mr. Arthur Machen declares, "Literature is the expression, through the artistic medium of words, of the dogmas of the Catholic Church, and that which is in anyway out of harmony with these dogmas is not literature," for "Catholic dogma is merely the witness, under a special symbolism of the enduring facts of human nature and the universe."

[Rose in RoseBear]

Pingpingping!

[Huber]

PING

[Smocker]

Good article, thanks for posting.

[maestro]

Isn't this just Richard Wagner re-worked.

Das est 'Gau' ideas at it's 'roots'.

The mythical 'Volk' earth-spirits moving again?

Sure isn't the 'work' of America's Founding Fathers is it?

Just more media brainwashing...(rewriting/rejecting) 'history'?

/sarcasm

[The Duke]

Just this previous weekend the family and I saw "Return of the King". Probably the most amazing thing to me about these three stories is the number of moral lessons they offer. Two that occured to me during the movie were:

• The price of apathy is blood - the accumulation of evil in Mordor was characterized as being attributable to man's inattentiveness.

• Strength of character trumps physical strength - Only the virtuous Frodo was capable of carrying the ring, even though he was physically perhaps the weakest.

[Tax-chick]

Later

[ecurbh]

Ring Ping!!

There and Back Again: The Journeys of Flat Frodo

Anyone wishing to be added to or removed from the Ring-Ping list, please don't hesitate to let me know.

[Aquinasfan]

The fact that "LOTR" and "The Passion of Jesus Christ," probably the two greatest "Catholic" movies in history, are coming out at the same time cannot be a coincidence.

[John O]

After the calamities of the Reformation, English Civil War, Glorious, French, Industrial, and Russian Revolutions, etc

If he's referring to the Protestant Reformation then calamity is the wrong word to use.

[SuziQ]

This is an interesting article on the Catholic view of LOTR. It's a long read, but well worth it.

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

Lord of the Rings is indeed a Catholic work

So that would make Catholicism Fantasy because thats what Lord of the Rings is !

[Lloyd227]

Was Tolkein Catholic? Practicing?

Sorry, but I don't see a Catholic work in Lord of the Rings. It's a very fine story and well told, but what exactly makes it any more "Catholic" than any other brand of Christian?