Good analysis. Can't add much. Unlike "Narnia," "Rings" isn't meant to be an exact metaphor for Christian belief. I think Tolkien's idea was to create another Creation, or "sub-Creation," or something like that. At least that's what I've read.
The Ghost Army: Tolkien was a Catholic. Souls in purgatory given a chance at redemption.
Not exactly. Every soul that enters purgatory is bound for heaven. Purgatory represents a state of purgation or cleansing prior to heaven. Purgatory does not represent a "second chance."
1 Corinthians 3:10-15But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work.If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
Grin. You agreed and then disagreed. I think you are right in both cases because Tolkien is not using direct theologically precise symbols or direct allegory but may have created more than he realized in a Christian context. When Lewis gained Tolkein’s agreement to write direct allegories of Christianity, Lewis as Science Fiction, Tolkien as fantasy, Lewis promptly wrote the Perelandra series. Tolkien promptly wrote . . . nothing. I think Tolkein used up what he had to say in LOTR, he exhausted his imagination with that eruption, whether he knew it or not.
Above I said Tolkein agreed to write fantasy . . . I think it was actually time travel in a Christian context that Tolkien agreed to write about . . . Lewis about space travel . . . Lewis wanted to take two sci-fi genres and put them in a Christian literature. Anyway, same point, Tolkien didn’t do it while Lewis was very excited about it.