The other day I was reading a “commentary” on the Lord of the Rings trilogy. It was a very interesting read, from what I have read. It is by an Episcopalian priest, Fleming Rutlege, who is focusing on the theology found in the narrative itself, and not in the types and themes found in the books. He spends a lot of time supporting what he says about the book from letters that Tolkien had written himself about his precious Middle-earth. Here is one quote that I found puzzling to say the least.
Tolkien understands God in the biblical sense, not as the object of human quest or journey, not as the goal of human moral striving or human religious activity, but as the active subject, calling and sending, independent of the creation but always engaged in redemptive history. — Fleming Rutledge, The Battle for Middle-earth: Tolkien’s Divine Design in The Lord of the Rings, pg. 5.
What I find puzzling is that this is both true and false. God is the subject as he describes in this quote. God is the one calling and sending and acting independent of the creation but on its behalf. That is quite true if one were to read the Scriptures, they would see that it is the story of God working redemption for his people.
However, I think Tolkien–and I think Rutlege shares Tolkien’s view–misses on the whole point of eternal life and the work of Christ. John 17:3 says, “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” Peter says in 1 Peter 3:18, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God.” God is the object of our life in Christ. Christ died so that we might have a relationship with the Father. This statement above seems to show that there is no end result, no point to the redemption. It seems like God saves for the sake of saving, and God saves the people he saves for the sake of the people not going to hell. Where as in the Bible, God saves not just so people don’t go to hell, but to bring them to himself and have an intimate relationship with us, the ideal and perfect Father-son/daughter relationship.
What do you guys think of this and Tolkien’s work?
2 Comments
In Tolkien’s works, God is completely unapproachable. Illuvatar is too far removed from his creation for the humans or other inhabitants of middle earth to have a real relationship with him.
So, while I don’t know about Tolkien’s personal or stated religious views, the theology of his literary works is quite removed from Protestant Christian theology.
In sum, I agree with your analysis.
After further reading of the commentary by Rutledge, I found that one reason he thinks Tolkien made Illuvatar so distant was that Tolkien wanted to avoid a pantheistic view of God. Thus he made Illuvatar like Yahweh in Esther. It is interesting, but I still don’t completely agree with the posted quote.