The Gospel According to Tolkien

Visions of the Kingdom in Middle-earth

(2003)
Ralph C. Wood

Finished Reading: 11.2009

This is a summary of Tolkien's work, seen through the lens of Christianity. The story can be read and enjoyed without this monocle, but the lens provides some different color. Ralph Wood explores Tolkien's creation story (as beautifully told in the Silmarillion), wrestles with the reality of evil, the insistence of good to overcome evil, the redemption of sins, and finally an interesting parallel of the after-life (from The Debate of Finrod and Andreth, which I have not read). In addition to these sources, the author draws heavily from all three volumes of The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and various other published histories of Middle-earth.

The Gospel is the fulfillment and completion of all other stories, and the Kingdom can be seen in many places, often in simple clothing, not easily noticed. The author argues that Tolkien's work is influenced by his Christian faith, though The Lord of the Rings is not an allegory with a one to one connection (such as is the case with his contemporary, C.S. Lewis' story of Aslan the Lion playing the part of Jesus Christ in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe). Rather, the author explores how Middle-earth is a pre-Christian culture that can exist within the framework of historical Christianity. My interpretation of this is that, since there are no Jews in these stories to have received revelation from God (as the chosen people did before the coming of Christ), the Elves, Hobbits and Men of these stories would have their own explanations for what is going on in the world around them, and it is totally conceivable that some future traveler might show up one day from a far away land to link the Gospel to all their experiences.

Much like the Aztecs or Mayans who had no direct connection with the ancient Jewish culture, though they shared a time and a planet, God was yet at work in all peoples. Middle-earth recognizes that there is a God, but doesn't quite know how he works. This shows that God's love, morals, and peace can still be known without direct knowledge of Jesus and his saving work on the cross. Just as the ancient mezzo-American cultures had a spiritual and religious life that isn't nearly Christian, Middle-earth was doing it's own thing the only way it knew how; but the author argues that it can be seen as being closer to Christianity than one would guess at first glance.

Examples of Good and Evil and the Redemption of sin can be found throughout the stories. Frodo is continuously merciful to Gollum. The resurrection of Gandalf was a sacrifice to save the others in the Fellowship. The promise of the coming kingship is realized in Aragorn. Balrogs and Ringwraiths have turned to evil, abandoning any good that once may have been to follow something "precious."

What happens after death is not well-established in Tolkien's major works. Elves are immortal and don't think much on death, but Men are meant to die after a short time on Earth. The Elves can return to the Undying Lands of Valinor (which seems to parallel heaven in some ways) but an after-life for Men is not understood (save "going to join one's Fathers"). In the last chapter of Wood's book, he references an interesting, though little known Tolkien story called The Debate of Finrod and Andreth, where the title characters, one an Elf the other a Man have a conversation about the after-life. He alludes that this story contains the strongest ties in Middle-earth to a Christian after-life, with Men having eternal souls and speaking of knowing God (Illuvitar) who is incarnated and descends bodily to Middle-earth in the "Consummation of All Things," which sounds a lot like the End Times. From the point of view of Tolkien's major works, this idea is seen as a Christian-like hope for a life beyond the present.

In some ways this book is academic and dry as the author searches to find and rationalize what he is looking for in the text. Often the obvious is stated, but perhaps for good points. To learn more about a beloved masterpiece of literature through a new lens is interesting and educational but the best opinions are perhaps given wings on the soaring pages of fantasy.