Finding God in the Lord of the Rings

Rating:
Summary: Only Scratches the Surface
Review: The authors make a valiant effort here to bring some of their own respect for Tolkien's work into the light of Scriptural themes. What I expected to be an in-depth look at "The Lord of the Rings" turns out to be more like a daily devotional, with short chapters that sum up Biblical ideas as seen in Tolkien's work. The idea is laudable; the execution only scratches the surface.

First, let's make it clear that Tolkien never intended his works to be allegorical--most fans know this already. On the other hand, he said that "In 'The Lord of the Rings' the conflict is not basically about 'freedom', though that is naturally involved. It is about God, and His sole right to divine honour." (The Letters of JRR Tolkien, pg. 243) It is impossible to read Tolkien without taking into account the context of his faith. For that reason, "Finding God in the Lord of the Rings" is a book that many have waited for. While it may satisfy the thirst of some, it will only whet the appetite for others. Overall, I recommend what the authors have done here. They write clearly and with great affection for Tolkien's writing; they speak plainly of Godly characteristics throughout this fantasy epic; they do not, however, plunge headlong into the deeper waters that I hoped to explore.

I'll enjoy this book as a coffee-table piece, one to be thumbed through for daily thoughts and encouragements. For more insight to Tolkien's meanings, I'll turn back to his own letters.

Rating:
Summary: Inpiring & no allegory
Review: This book is inspirational. I, a Christian having reread Tolkien's books many times, have succumbed to the chief temptation: Using allegory, I have tried to harness the reason for The Lord of the Rings' inspirational power. I could tell you at length how Frodo, Aragorn, and Gandalf each fit archetypes found in Christ. Tolkien, having written a large essay on the nature of fairy tales, clearly stated that his books are not allegories. Accordingly, this book does not force allegorical interpretation onto its readers.

However, it does assume Tolkien's statement, "God is the Lord, of angels, and of men - and of elves." Each chapter starts with a quote from Tolkien and ends with a reflection, a principle found both in the Bible and in The Lord of the Rings. I have intuitively held these principles during my life, but this book has helped me to realize them (art imitating life). They are the impetus behind my ongoing desire to reread Tolkien. I also was able to observe differences between archetypes and allegory. The book's chief principle stems from Kurt Bruner's other book The Divine Drama. It seems to me that we have a tendency to get caught up in our own 'smaller' soap-opera stories, but Bruner emphasizes our place as characters in a larger, epic drama on the scale of Paradise Lost or The Silmarillion.

If you, while reading, feel that the authors have imposed their views onto Tolkien's writing, then skip ahead to the Epilogue. It explains why they wrote this particular book. I recommend this book even to those outside the Christian faith because it will help you realize powerful, archetypal aspects of story (and maybe find God too, though that's your personal decision). Besides, you should have no trouble reading this book in two hours.

Rating:
Summary: The book is something that was inevitable
Review: Ideas, such as the ones expressed in this book, inevitably followed great works of art throughout the history of mankind.

It is ridiculous to connect the tale, history, or any of the characters with religion. Numerous people who blindly believe in everything they are told always try to connect such things to their beliefs. It is stupid, shortsighted and narrow-minded to express such thought. J.R.R. Tolkien said himself in foreword of the book: "As for any inner meaning or 'message', it has in the intention of the author none. It is neither allegorical nor topical. ... I cordially dislike allegory in all its manifestations, and always have done since I grew old and wary enough to detect its presence."
The least people can do is respect authors wishes.

Rating:
Summary: The Lord of the Rings as seen from a Biblical perspective.
Review: This is one of the best books on the fiction of J.R.R. Tolkien ever written. Kurt Bruner and Jim Ware show with great skill and integrity how a Biblical and Christ-centered perspective helps to illuminate literary works such as Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. This book is a more than adequate demonstration that "God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise...That no flesh should glory in his presence" (1 Corinthians 1:27-29). For all who have read and enjoyed such "foolish things" as Tolkien's fiction and for all who are leery of the fantasy genre I thoroughly recommend this book. May this book be a means of leading one to the recognition that the Bible is the word of God and that it is only through Jesus Christ that we can find true and everlasting happiness.

Rating:
Summary: Spiritual insights into Tolkien's classic trilogy
Review: Written by Kurt Bruner (a vice-president of Focus on the Family, perhaps best known for its Peabody Award-winning Focus on the Family Radio Theatre programs), and Jim Ware (a graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary), this Oasis Audio edition of Finding God In The Lord Of The Rings is an unabridged CD audiobook rendition of spiritual insights into Tolkien's classic The Lord Of The Rings trilogy. Respecting J.R.R. Tolkien's own abiding faith and revealing how it threads through the difficult journeys of his cherished yet fallible heroes, Finding God In The Lord Of The Rings is a deeply moving and inspirational experience which is very highly recommended and inspirationally rewarding listening. 3 CDS, 3 hours.

Rating:
Summary: Light but potentially enlightening
Review: With the installment of the hit movie adaptations of "The Lord of the Rings," there have been dozens of books reprinted or published in an effort to jump in on the cash wagon. "Finding God in the Lord of the Rings" has a more unusual purpose, as it seems to be more of a reassurance that the trilogy (books or movies) is in no way objectionable and has good stuff in it.

Bruner and Ware examine various passages in "Lord of the Rings," and then examine Biblical passages and teachings that can be associated (indirectly) with the scenes from Tolkien's work. Themes such as humility, friendship, knowing that good and evil are not packaged obviously, the nature of evil, and so on are explored.

The Lord of the Rings, the foremost and best fantasy work, is not a religious book the way we think of it. However, as Tolkien was a devout Catholic, it would have been nearly impossible for him to not frame the heroes of Middle-Earth in his beliefs. Themes about temptation, redemption, punishment, good and evil, and theology are included in his created universe. However, as I am glad the authors acknowledged, Tolkien disliked parables and would never have made those beliefs blatant. Rather they were elements of morality, and actions that the heroes took.

Several of their chapters are quite nice and even thought-provoking. Some of them, such as "Shutting Out The Night" and "The Last Homely House," get a little sidetracked and start to sound slightly strained. And many of the lessons are pretty basic and bland, skimming the surface but never going into the deeper implications of morality and the impact of religion upon the book. But the writing style is breezy and the authors never get too tangled in their own words and theories. And they never become enmeshed in psychological speculation (either about Tolkien or the characters) or irrelevant New Age stuff.

There are some annoying flaws. For one thing, it is "Elven," not "Elvin." Second, the authors sidestep several faith-related points in the book, due to the fact that they directly reflected Tolkien's Roman Catholic faith. When talking about Christianity's influence on "Lord of the Rings," not talking about Tolkien being a Catholic is like talking about Legolas but neglecting to mention that he is an Elf. There are various other errors, which while they do not undermine the messages in the book, are more than a little distracting.

It's a nice but ultimately lightweight look at "Lord of the Rings" and the moral and religious overtones present in it. If you're new to "Lord of the Rings," then you might want to read this.

Rating:
Summary: Only Scratches the Surface
Review: The authors make a valiant effort here to bring some of their own respect for Tolkien's work into the light of Scriptural themes. What I expected to be an in-depth look at "The Lord of the Rings" turns out to be more like a daily devotional, with short chapters that sum up Biblical ideas as seen in Tolkien's work. The idea is laudable; the execution only scratches the surface.

First, let's make it clear that Tolkien never intended his works to be allegorical--most fans know this already. On the other hand, he said that "In 'The Lord of the Rings' the conflict is not basically about 'freedom', though that is naturally involved. It is about God, and His sole right to divine honour." (The Letters of JRR Tolkien, pg. 243) It is impossible to read Tolkien without taking into account the context of his faith. For that reason, "Finding God in the Lord of the Rings" is a book that many have waited for. While it may satisfy the thirst of some, it will only whet the appetite for others. Overall, I recommend what the authors have done here. They write clearly and with great affection for Tolkien's writing; they speak plainly of Godly characteristics throughout this fantasy epic; they do not, however, plunge headlong into the deeper waters that I hoped to explore.

I'll enjoy this book as a coffee-table piece, one to be thumbed through for daily thoughts and encouragements. For more insight to Tolkien's meanings, I'll turn back to his own letters.

Rating:
Summary: Christian theme? Factual!
Review: To the reader on January 31, 2004 and to all who think like this person: J.R.R. Tolkien himself was a Christian and thus his rendition of the Lord of the Rings was a Christian work. Tolkien may not have written his work as an allegory, but he did write his work with a Christian conscience. I, as well as many others, see in these books many allusions to various themes in the Bible. I have not read this book, but am looking forward to in the future. Tolkien may not have meant his work to bear a Christian theme, but it does.

Rating:
Summary: Okay, as far as it goes...
Review: Which, unfortunately, is not far enough. What was in the book was fine, but, because the authors are Protestant and writing for a Protestant publisher, there was just so much left out. Tolkien was a pre-Vatican II Catholic, living in a country which had, since the 1500s been often very anti-Catholic. His Catholic identity and culture and faith were personally very strong and were evident throughout the entire "Lord of the Rings" saga. If a Catholic author had written a similar book, it would have included such things as: lembas as viaticum ("food for the journey", the Eucharistic connection), elf lore in poetry and song (Marian images and the Mysteries of the Rosary), the Stations of the Cross (Frodo and Sam),Purgatory (the dead who follow Aragorn, himself a symbol of Christ the King), the Communion of Saints (Elbereth), the Church Militant, Suffering, and Triumphant, free will contrasted with predestination. The list, like the road, "goes ever on and on"! While it's true that Tolkien hated allegory, it's also true that "The Lord of the Rings" was not separate from who he was, and his identity was bound up with these Catholic ideas and images.

"The Lord of the Rings" and its prequel "The Silmarillion", are amazingly religious books, but I don't think that "Finding God in the Lord of the Rings" fully explores the depths of their religious content. Still, all in all, it was worth reading, and I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in this dimension of Tolkien's works. Just don't expect too much depth.

Rating:
Summary: a simple and memorable read
Review: I am a young fan of the Lord of the Rings and took a great interest in both the books and the movies in the last two or three years. I found some comparisons between the characters and Christ, yet I couldn't fully grasp the Christianity in the story of Middle Earth. This book was incredibly enlightening and easy to read for a younger person like me. I didn't need scholarly and deep writing to understand the beauty of Tolkien's work. This book was thought provoking without becoming difficult to understand. I have now read it several times over, and each time I take a little piece of Tolkien with me to think about. Keep in mind that it deals with the story in the books, not the movies, and only touches on Christian values. The writers do not pair any certain character as Christ, but rather show how they all have Christ-like quality and that is why they triumph. If you are looking for something that is deep, this isn't for you. But if you just want to scratch the surface, it's a well written, easy to understand book, and a must have for Tolkien fans.