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J.R.R. Tolkien's Sanctifying Myth: Understanding Middle Earth
With a new introduction by the author
Peter Jackson's film version of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy - and the accompanying Rings-related paraphernalia and publicity - has played a unique role in the disemmination of Tolkien's imaginative creation to the masses. Yet, for most readers and viewers, the underlying meaning of Middle-earth has remained obscure. Bradley Birzer has remedied that with this fresh study. In J.R.R. Tolkien's Sanctifying Understanding Middle-earth, Birzer reveals the surprisingly specific religious symbolism that permeates Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He also explores the social and political views that motivated the Oxford don, ultimately situating Tolkien within the Christian humanist tradition represented by Thomas More and T.S. Eliot, Dante and C.S. Lewis. Birzer argues that through the genre of myth Tolkien created a world that is essentially truer than the one we think we see around us everyday, a world that transcends the colorless disenchantment of our postmodern age.
Peter Jackson's film version of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy - and the accompanying Rings-related paraphernalia and publicity - has played a unique role in the disemmination of Tolkien's imaginative creation to the masses. Yet, for most readers and viewers, the underlying meaning of Middle-earth has remained obscure. Bradley Birzer has remedied that with this fresh study. In J.R.R. Tolkien's Sanctifying Understanding Middle-earth, Birzer reveals the surprisingly specific religious symbolism that permeates Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He also explores the social and political views that motivated the Oxford don, ultimately situating Tolkien within the Christian humanist tradition represented by Thomas More and T.S. Eliot, Dante and C.S. Lewis. Birzer argues that through the genre of myth Tolkien created a world that is essentially truer than the one we think we see around us everyday, a world that transcends the colorless disenchantment of our postmodern age.
254 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2002
37 people are currently reading
1121 people want to read
About the author
Bradley J. Birzer
31 books64 followersBradley J. Birzer is an American historian. He is a history professor and the Russell Amos Kirk Chair in American Studies at Hillsdale College, the author of five books and the co-founder of The Imaginative Conservative. He is known also as a J.R.R. Tolkien scholar.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
May 16, 2022
I think the only issue I'm experiencing now after reading this book, is the bitter disappointment I feel that I'll never get the opportunity to sit down with Tolkien, with a mug of coffee, ready to discuss his wonderful creation that is, of course, Middle Earth.
But; I do get to read his works to my hearts content, so maybe that's enough.
This was a mostly fascinating insight into Tolkien, his faith, and how that weaved amicably with his creation of Middle Earth. God is never mentioned in The Lord of The Rings, but the sense of there being a theme of Christianity seems ever present.
There was so much interesting information about Tolkien and his relationship with C.S. Lewis, and I found it fascinating to learn that they didn't always get along so well. Middle Earth and Narnia are the places I've loved since childhood, and, they are where I'd like to set up home, so it was enthralling to read about the two men who created those worlds.
This was such a wonderful change for me, and reading about how Middle Earth was influenced by Tolkien's faith has definitely given me a better understanding and sense of it all.
But; I do get to read his works to my hearts content, so maybe that's enough.
This was a mostly fascinating insight into Tolkien, his faith, and how that weaved amicably with his creation of Middle Earth. God is never mentioned in The Lord of The Rings, but the sense of there being a theme of Christianity seems ever present.
There was so much interesting information about Tolkien and his relationship with C.S. Lewis, and I found it fascinating to learn that they didn't always get along so well. Middle Earth and Narnia are the places I've loved since childhood, and, they are where I'd like to set up home, so it was enthralling to read about the two men who created those worlds.
This was such a wonderful change for me, and reading about how Middle Earth was influenced by Tolkien's faith has definitely given me a better understanding and sense of it all.
April 24, 2018
Despite its staggering popularity and deep cross-cultural resonance, there is very little decent criticism of
The Lord of the Rings
. Almost as tho, if one's spirit does not cry out in answer to the spirit of Middle-Earth - I fear many critics' spirits do not - one can neither really grasp nor appreciate Tolkien's masterwork.*
This book, however, is not only the best critical work on Tolkien I've read - it also makes it difficult for me, typing in the afterglow, to imagine that it could be bested. Birzer writes from a comprehensive familiarity of Tolkien's works in their many versions, published and otherwise, with a lover's understanding. He elucidates all the things that you've always felt intuitively to be true in the Middle-Earth myth but lacked the wisdom, the words, or perhaps the courage to express yourself.
Indispensable.
*Update: as has happened to me rather often lately, I wrote down a thought only to discover soon after that Mr. Chesterton had written it long before and better. He elaborates on much the same idea in "Man and Mythologies" (Part 1 Chapter 5 of The Everlasting Man). It may be a sign of my youth that this keeps happening, for compared with mankind's library who after all is old?
This book, however, is not only the best critical work on Tolkien I've read - it also makes it difficult for me, typing in the afterglow, to imagine that it could be bested. Birzer writes from a comprehensive familiarity of Tolkien's works in their many versions, published and otherwise, with a lover's understanding. He elucidates all the things that you've always felt intuitively to be true in the Middle-Earth myth but lacked the wisdom, the words, or perhaps the courage to express yourself.
Indispensable.
*Update: as has happened to me rather often lately, I wrote down a thought only to discover soon after that Mr. Chesterton had written it long before and better. He elaborates on much the same idea in "Man and Mythologies" (Part 1 Chapter 5 of The Everlasting Man). It may be a sign of my youth that this keeps happening, for compared with mankind's library who after all is old?
March 2, 2013
This is an astonishingly good book, due mainly to the fact that Birzer has done his homework better than many of the more recent works on the Inklings. I wish we could have induced him to write a full biography of Tolkien. This is the first book I've read, for example, that uses quotes from Tolkien's many interviews and personal friendships.
The book is the best single-volume introduction to Tolkien, his world, and the theology at work in LOTR. The book begins with a biography of Tolkien (one chapter so as not to bore the reader), and it then moves seemlessly through discussions on C.S. Lewis, mythopoeia, explanations of Tolkien's legerdemain, Catholic-Protestant relations, England, Anglo-Saxon history, etc.--and it does all of this in 137 pages, even though it saves a few pages to give an initial impression of Peter Jacksonn's "Fellowship of the Ring". I was dubious at first that a book this short would provide any real insights into Tolkien, but I would dub it a poor-man's version of the deeper analysis done by Kreeft and Thomas Howard. His philosophical musings are not as lengthy, but they get the reader moving down the right path.
Above all Birzer is careful with his language, speaking matter-of-factly about complex debates involving Tolkien's works, and yet he has cobbled together material in such a way as to answer a number of questions simply and effectively.
Case in point: the ongoing strain on the relationship between Tolkien and Lewis. English wonks and literary historians tend to treat this with a shrug and a passing comment that Tolkien was jealous of the relationship between Lewis and Charles Williams, or they offer an obligatory send-up to the fact that Lewis was Ulster Protestant and Tolkien Roman Catholic. Birzer navigates this relationship exceedingly well, giving us more personal insights as to the hurt Tolkien suffered at the hands of Lewis and others for his Roman Catholic beliefs. What emerges is an intuitive sense as to how the relationship drifted apart, though it never fully ruptured, and it later provoked Tolkien to mourn the fact that he never healed their relationship once Lewis had died.
The book is the best single-volume introduction to Tolkien, his world, and the theology at work in LOTR. The book begins with a biography of Tolkien (one chapter so as not to bore the reader), and it then moves seemlessly through discussions on C.S. Lewis, mythopoeia, explanations of Tolkien's legerdemain, Catholic-Protestant relations, England, Anglo-Saxon history, etc.--and it does all of this in 137 pages, even though it saves a few pages to give an initial impression of Peter Jacksonn's "Fellowship of the Ring". I was dubious at first that a book this short would provide any real insights into Tolkien, but I would dub it a poor-man's version of the deeper analysis done by Kreeft and Thomas Howard. His philosophical musings are not as lengthy, but they get the reader moving down the right path.
Above all Birzer is careful with his language, speaking matter-of-factly about complex debates involving Tolkien's works, and yet he has cobbled together material in such a way as to answer a number of questions simply and effectively.
Case in point: the ongoing strain on the relationship between Tolkien and Lewis. English wonks and literary historians tend to treat this with a shrug and a passing comment that Tolkien was jealous of the relationship between Lewis and Charles Williams, or they offer an obligatory send-up to the fact that Lewis was Ulster Protestant and Tolkien Roman Catholic. Birzer navigates this relationship exceedingly well, giving us more personal insights as to the hurt Tolkien suffered at the hands of Lewis and others for his Roman Catholic beliefs. What emerges is an intuitive sense as to how the relationship drifted apart, though it never fully ruptured, and it later provoked Tolkien to mourn the fact that he never healed their relationship once Lewis had died.
July 20, 2016
A must read for anyone who has been moved by Tolkien's works and wants to know why. But perhaps even more important, a must read for those who don't understand or who misunderstand what Tolkien has created. Far more than escapist literature for hippies and geeks, The Lord of the Rings is a sanctifying myth that illustrates some of the foundational truths of life to a world that has forgotten them. Bradley Birzer truly understands the significance of Tolkien and his work and explains it in a clearly written, organized, well-researched and thoroughly documented way. Superb in every respect. Highly, highly recommended.
May 11, 2022
I have read a ton of books about Tolkien. (Literally—if you put them all on a scale, it would be really, really heavy.) And somehow, there’s always more to learn—a slightly different perspective, facts put together innovatively, additional material from archives brought into the conversation. (You can learn all that there is to know about his ways in a month, and yet after a hundred years he can still surprise you at a pinch.) Even when the facts are just the story I’ve heard many times before, I still enjoy it, because I so admire Tolkien’s outlook on so many areas of life and art. (Not every area: for example, I don’t care for the way he disdained C. S. Lewis’s Anglican faith; disagreement is fine and natural, but some of what Tolkien said or wrote about his friend’s Christian tradition felt in appropriate.)
There are numerous books specifically about Tolkien and his Christian faith. I haven’t read many of them, but from skimming a few, I see that they seem to tend toward saying as much about the biographer’s faith than about Tolkien’s—which is fine, but I’m more interested in understanding Tolkien, rather than finding an immediate, direct application to my own life, in a devotional sense. Bradley Birzer’s book J. R. R. Tolkien’s Sanctifying Myth: Understanding Middle-earth fits within the category of books that explore Tolkien’s faith, but it also goes beyond, or deeper. Though not specifically a biography, it’s actually one of the best single-volume books about Tolkien that I’ve read. In clear, well-crafted prose, Birzer draws on primary sources—the usual books by Tolkien and Christopher; the Carpenter biography; Tom Shippey’s books; the Letters; but also archival documents and newspaper and magazine writing from Tolkien’s lifetime through the present—to convey an understanding of Tolkien’s life, beliefs, and what he intended in his work. Because so much of the book is extracts of original sources, rather than Birzer inserting his own opinions, the result is an excellent, concise overview of the author I love. The tone all throughout is just right, and I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about the man behind Middle-earth.
My only criticism of the book is that Birzer sometimes assumes the reader is familiar with The Silmarillion and other times talks about it as though the reader has never seen it. This is most true in chapter five, “The Nature of Evil,” in which Birzer devotes about five pages to summarizing The Silmarillion. That was the only chapter in the book that felt padded. Otherwise, all other chapters were good overviews of themes related to Tolkien’s life and work: a first biographical chapter, and then “Myth and Sub-creation,” “The Created Order,” “Heroism,” “The Nature of Evil,” “Middle-earth and Modernity,” and a concluding chapter, “The Nature of Grace Proclaimed.” In each chapter, Birzer draws together a wide range of great sources and sets an even, fair tone in his own writing.
There are numerous books specifically about Tolkien and his Christian faith. I haven’t read many of them, but from skimming a few, I see that they seem to tend toward saying as much about the biographer’s faith than about Tolkien’s—which is fine, but I’m more interested in understanding Tolkien, rather than finding an immediate, direct application to my own life, in a devotional sense. Bradley Birzer’s book J. R. R. Tolkien’s Sanctifying Myth: Understanding Middle-earth fits within the category of books that explore Tolkien’s faith, but it also goes beyond, or deeper. Though not specifically a biography, it’s actually one of the best single-volume books about Tolkien that I’ve read. In clear, well-crafted prose, Birzer draws on primary sources—the usual books by Tolkien and Christopher; the Carpenter biography; Tom Shippey’s books; the Letters; but also archival documents and newspaper and magazine writing from Tolkien’s lifetime through the present—to convey an understanding of Tolkien’s life, beliefs, and what he intended in his work. Because so much of the book is extracts of original sources, rather than Birzer inserting his own opinions, the result is an excellent, concise overview of the author I love. The tone all throughout is just right, and I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about the man behind Middle-earth.
My only criticism of the book is that Birzer sometimes assumes the reader is familiar with The Silmarillion and other times talks about it as though the reader has never seen it. This is most true in chapter five, “The Nature of Evil,” in which Birzer devotes about five pages to summarizing The Silmarillion. That was the only chapter in the book that felt padded. Otherwise, all other chapters were good overviews of themes related to Tolkien’s life and work: a first biographical chapter, and then “Myth and Sub-creation,” “The Created Order,” “Heroism,” “The Nature of Evil,” “Middle-earth and Modernity,” and a concluding chapter, “The Nature of Grace Proclaimed.” In each chapter, Birzer draws together a wide range of great sources and sets an even, fair tone in his own writing.
February 25, 2021
Simply excellent overview that ties together Tolkien's underlying worldview from both his life and from his literature.
February 13, 2023
There's some fantastic quotes in here, particularly in the Introduction. Birzer's writing is excellent: wide vocabulary, nuanced, doesn't over-explain, and yet is easy to follow. You can feel he writes from a Catholic perspective, which makes sense for Tolkien.
The idea of the "true myth" in Lewis's and Tolkien's writing is one of my favorite topics. The only problem is that I wanted even more! He barely scratches the surface, and I wish Birzer would have gone even further. What is the next step for this thesis?
The idea of the "true myth" in Lewis's and Tolkien's writing is one of my favorite topics. The only problem is that I wanted even more! He barely scratches the surface, and I wish Birzer would have gone even further. What is the next step for this thesis?
February 28, 2022
[Rounding up from 3.5]
This book is an insightful and helpful exposition of the message and themes of Tolkien’s life work. At a brief 137 pages (subtracting the endnotes), it’s just too short, but it’s remarkable how much useful analysis Birzer is able to pack in. I might have been more satisfied had he elaborated for another 100 pages.
Here’s an excerpt:
“The lessons of Tolkien mythology, finally, are simple, straightforward, old-fashioned, and hence, unfashionable. For one, Tolkien wanted to teach his readers that God‘s grace, like faerie, is everywhere. But we must be open to it, willing to accept it as a freely given gift, and realize, as Frodo did not when he desired martyrdom at the Cracks of Mount Doom, that we are given just enough to achieve our given task, and no more. Tolkien’s myth calls us to embrace the sanctity of each human person and our obligation to act as faithful stewards of creation. We are also called, like Beowulf or Aragorn, to fight for the protection of the good and the oppressed, even to the point of self-sacrifice. And we must not shy from doing the right thing, regardless of what those around us may think as a result… And finally, we must expect dark ages, as man is fallen and easily succumbs to sin. ‘The evil of Sauron,’ Gandolf laments, ‘cannot be wholly cured.’ The gulags, holocaust camps, and killing fields of the 20th century refute utopian optimism.
“And yet, Tolkien believed just as firmly that there is always hope. Even deep in Mordor…that hope and especially the grace imparted by the incarnation, reminds us that we must sanctify the world and “redeem the time.”
This book is an insightful and helpful exposition of the message and themes of Tolkien’s life work. At a brief 137 pages (subtracting the endnotes), it’s just too short, but it’s remarkable how much useful analysis Birzer is able to pack in. I might have been more satisfied had he elaborated for another 100 pages.
Here’s an excerpt:
“The lessons of Tolkien mythology, finally, are simple, straightforward, old-fashioned, and hence, unfashionable. For one, Tolkien wanted to teach his readers that God‘s grace, like faerie, is everywhere. But we must be open to it, willing to accept it as a freely given gift, and realize, as Frodo did not when he desired martyrdom at the Cracks of Mount Doom, that we are given just enough to achieve our given task, and no more. Tolkien’s myth calls us to embrace the sanctity of each human person and our obligation to act as faithful stewards of creation. We are also called, like Beowulf or Aragorn, to fight for the protection of the good and the oppressed, even to the point of self-sacrifice. And we must not shy from doing the right thing, regardless of what those around us may think as a result… And finally, we must expect dark ages, as man is fallen and easily succumbs to sin. ‘The evil of Sauron,’ Gandolf laments, ‘cannot be wholly cured.’ The gulags, holocaust camps, and killing fields of the 20th century refute utopian optimism.
“And yet, Tolkien believed just as firmly that there is always hope. Even deep in Mordor…that hope and especially the grace imparted by the incarnation, reminds us that we must sanctify the world and “redeem the time.”
May 18, 2019
There are better-known books about Tolkien’s Christianity, but this one is IMO as good as any of them. Perhaps I like it because it strikes me as being written for a general reader, rather than for a reader who is intensely Christian, and it is more about understanding Tolkien’s Christianity rather than being about using Tolkien to bolster one’s own Christian beliefs (a problem I have with at least one other book, mostly because I don’t think that author is reading Tolkien correctly). This book is very close to my own understanding of what Tolkien was saying and what Catholics teach.
Many of those who study and teach and write books about Tolkien want to describe Christianity as one of his motives, then go on as if it has nothing to do with the writings themselves. In some cases, they are even openly biased against Christianity, to the point of misreading not only Lord of the Rings but Tolkien’s letters just to minimize the obvious reality that Lord of the Rings was based on, inspired by, and about Christian belief. Christianity is ultimately what Lord of the Rings is about. You can read it otherwise, but it’s much richer when you get the whole story. So books like this are important.
It’s also significant that Protestants and Catholics see some issues very differently. It’s possible for people from some Protestant denominations to miss some of the gorgeous symbolism in Lord of the Rings altogether. I believe that, regardless of one’s own understanding of Christianity, there is a real value in understanding Tolkien’s writings not only as explicitly Christian, but as explicitly Catholic.
Back to the book itself: I really enjoyed it, I learned a lot, I still liked it years later when I reread it, and it seems to me to be an excellent introduction to what for many people is an alien set of beliefs.
I thought it very well-written. This is a personal thing – what one person finds beautiful, another person finds cringeworthy, and when you’re trying to describe transcendent truths this really shows. So this is subjective, but I felt the book helped to bring out what makes Lord of the Rings so beautiful, without reducing the text to a hokey inspirational greeting card.
I never saw much beauty in Christianity when I was young. I wanted to know why so many of the world’s most beautiful works were inspired by such an ugly religion, and why more ‘logical’ beliefs didn’t seem to be very good at beauty in general. Tolkien’s Christianity is full of beauty. This book talks about why that is and how that beauty works and how to see it.
Many of those who study and teach and write books about Tolkien want to describe Christianity as one of his motives, then go on as if it has nothing to do with the writings themselves. In some cases, they are even openly biased against Christianity, to the point of misreading not only Lord of the Rings but Tolkien’s letters just to minimize the obvious reality that Lord of the Rings was based on, inspired by, and about Christian belief. Christianity is ultimately what Lord of the Rings is about. You can read it otherwise, but it’s much richer when you get the whole story. So books like this are important.
It’s also significant that Protestants and Catholics see some issues very differently. It’s possible for people from some Protestant denominations to miss some of the gorgeous symbolism in Lord of the Rings altogether. I believe that, regardless of one’s own understanding of Christianity, there is a real value in understanding Tolkien’s writings not only as explicitly Christian, but as explicitly Catholic.
Back to the book itself: I really enjoyed it, I learned a lot, I still liked it years later when I reread it, and it seems to me to be an excellent introduction to what for many people is an alien set of beliefs.
I thought it very well-written. This is a personal thing – what one person finds beautiful, another person finds cringeworthy, and when you’re trying to describe transcendent truths this really shows. So this is subjective, but I felt the book helped to bring out what makes Lord of the Rings so beautiful, without reducing the text to a hokey inspirational greeting card.
I never saw much beauty in Christianity when I was young. I wanted to know why so many of the world’s most beautiful works were inspired by such an ugly religion, and why more ‘logical’ beliefs didn’t seem to be very good at beauty in general. Tolkien’s Christianity is full of beauty. This book talks about why that is and how that beauty works and how to see it.
February 20, 2023
When I can't sleep in the middle of the night--which these midlife days is sadly often--my comfort reading is always by or about Tolkien. I read this one over several of those nights, and I appreciated the open embrace of Tolkien's faith life. It's an influence on his fiction that often gets shoved aside as an embarrassing fact to hush up in other Tolkien circles I'm a part of. While I understand why they do that--Tolkien's fans include all sorts of people, believers and non-believers, and faith isn't necessary to love his writing--it's nice to read some criticism that not only acknowledges that faith but celebrates its integrality to the worldview that gave birth to his legendarium. This book was a comfort to me in the night.
June 22, 2024
I loved this thought-provoking analysis of Tolkien's work. Birzer provides an overview of Tolkien's life, then various aspects of his work, such as Tolkien's work as a myth, heroism, modernity, the created order, and the nature of evil. He looks through the lens of Tolkien's Roman Catholicism in particular. His friendship with C. S. Lewis figures in highly. Birzer includes footnotes, a bibliography, and an index.
Birzer's writing is scholarly, but not pedantic. He writes to be understood, not to impress with complex sentences. He uses examples from the major works, letters to or from Tolkien, and quotations about Tolkien, the subject of that chapter, or the times. I especially enjoyed the chapter on heroism. I found it interesting that Tolkien's works were banned in the Soviet Union but are extremely popular now.
I believe that many who enjoy Tolkien's works will enjoy this book, especially those who have a Christian worldview. It is thoughtful writing and requires thoughtful reading.
Birzer's writing is scholarly, but not pedantic. He writes to be understood, not to impress with complex sentences. He uses examples from the major works, letters to or from Tolkien, and quotations about Tolkien, the subject of that chapter, or the times. I especially enjoyed the chapter on heroism. I found it interesting that Tolkien's works were banned in the Soviet Union but are extremely popular now.
I believe that many who enjoy Tolkien's works will enjoy this book, especially those who have a Christian worldview. It is thoughtful writing and requires thoughtful reading.
December 13, 2007
This was one of the best literary criticisms I have ever read. Bradley Birzer has countless insights into Tolkien's Middle-earth, and especially into the spiritual foundations of Tolkien's life and writings. The whole book is very easy to follow. I especially loved how he explained Tolkien's view of the myth; I will never read anything in the same way again. If you are a Tolkien fan, this is a must-read! Five stars and highly recommended.
January 13, 2015
If you thought you loved The Lord of the Rings before, you will love it even more after reading this book! This book adds a whole new dimension to Middle Earth by showing Tolkien's method and inspiration as he was creating the stories and mythology of Middle Earth. A must read for any fans of Tolkien and the stories of Middle Earth!
July 14, 2021
The forward and introductions to this book make it clear the potential and actualized resistance to this academic look at Tolkien's life and work. The reason for this is a general shift in societies perception of relgiion, and while Tolkien has tended to escape some of the scathing and often embattled treatments of Lewis, any book that gives a fair and rationalized look at the faith that informed Tolkien, and inparticular his famous trilogy in Lord of the Rings is bound to lead to a degree of resistance. LOTR is so ingrained in the culural psyche that a stong tendency is apparent in certain efforts to coopt it and shelter it from its own sensibilities (Narnia apparently is a much easier target with its overt religiousity).
Birzer's wonderful and must read book for any Tolkien enthusiast is not an apologetic. It is an academic examination of the literature and history on its own terms. He makes the point that people's biases and often hatred for religion (and in particular Chrsitianity) has led to a lot of bad readings and a lot of poor understandings of Tolkien and his works. Which is unfortunate, because this also then inhibits our access to history as a whole, and even a more well rounded view of relgion, myth and Christianity as well.
Tolkien has much to say and to teach us about what what myth is, the power of linguistics/language, and the nature of story and the development of storytelling methods/traditions. Birzer does an amazing job at bringing this stuff to the surface rather than coloring it through Modern presuppositions. And what emerges is a kind of clarity and motivating concern that allows us to see Tolkien (and the Inklings of course) as a part of a much larger discussion and historical moment. It allows us to see Tolkien in the midst of critics and allies and likemnded thinkers with equally boisterous opinions and convictions about the state of things and the study of things. We also get to see where he distinguishes himself as an academic, as a writer and as a thinker. Tolkien can help us to see and understand the development ot traditional storytelling methods in the ongoing Westward shift, and Birzer helps us to use that as a window into LOTR (and the larger body or work that accompanies it) on its own terms. And for me, it brought the story to so much greater light. I had read some of this book before and encuontered Birzer's work elsewhere in articles and interviews and podcasts, so this wasn't out of the blue for me personally. But having to chance to sit down and give this book its full due was absolutely worth it.
Birzer's wonderful and must read book for any Tolkien enthusiast is not an apologetic. It is an academic examination of the literature and history on its own terms. He makes the point that people's biases and often hatred for religion (and in particular Chrsitianity) has led to a lot of bad readings and a lot of poor understandings of Tolkien and his works. Which is unfortunate, because this also then inhibits our access to history as a whole, and even a more well rounded view of relgion, myth and Christianity as well.
Tolkien has much to say and to teach us about what what myth is, the power of linguistics/language, and the nature of story and the development of storytelling methods/traditions. Birzer does an amazing job at bringing this stuff to the surface rather than coloring it through Modern presuppositions. And what emerges is a kind of clarity and motivating concern that allows us to see Tolkien (and the Inklings of course) as a part of a much larger discussion and historical moment. It allows us to see Tolkien in the midst of critics and allies and likemnded thinkers with equally boisterous opinions and convictions about the state of things and the study of things. We also get to see where he distinguishes himself as an academic, as a writer and as a thinker. Tolkien can help us to see and understand the development ot traditional storytelling methods in the ongoing Westward shift, and Birzer helps us to use that as a window into LOTR (and the larger body or work that accompanies it) on its own terms. And for me, it brought the story to so much greater light. I had read some of this book before and encuontered Birzer's work elsewhere in articles and interviews and podcasts, so this wasn't out of the blue for me personally. But having to chance to sit down and give this book its full due was absolutely worth it.
December 28, 2022
Extremely interesting, I would never notice the more subtle inspirations and symbolisms without reading this.
Another aspect is how Catholic faith served as inspiration, but not as a way to have a preaching allegory. After all, most people can read/watch the series without really ever noticing or bothering with such aspects, while they provide deeper layers for those who delve into it.
Another aspect is how Catholic faith served as inspiration, but not as a way to have a preaching allegory. After all, most people can read/watch the series without really ever noticing or bothering with such aspects, while they provide deeper layers for those who delve into it.
July 20, 2025
Absolutely brilliant. I love how he dives into Tolkien’s beliefs on myth, faith, and the modern world, and how he incorporates Tolkien’s writing into it.
It’s given me a lot to think about.
It’s given me a lot to think about.
June 27, 2009
Tolkien said the Lord of the Rings was not an allegory. In his foreword to the second edition, he asserted, "As for any inner meaning or 'message,' it has in the intention of the author none." This was said in opposition to interpretations of Lord of the Rings as representing World War II, and the One Ring being nuclear weapons. On the other hand, Tolkien did say that "his Catholic faith was the most important or most ‘significant’ influence on the writing of the work.”
Tolkien’s Sanctifying Myth examines many elements which Tolkien drew on, namely his Catholic faith; his view of the role of myth, that “myths express far greater truths than do historical facts or events”; his love of languages, especially Anglo-Saxon, Old Norse, Gothic, and Welsh; medieval literature and studies, such as Beowulf; and Christian humanist philosophy.
God is never directly mentioned in Lord of the Rings, but Christian themes and symbols pervade. As Tolkien was mentally immersed in the ideas of sin, redemption, kings, prophets, priests, sacraments, Creators, angels, fallen angels, and so on; he made those things intrinsically part of the story. The story does not repeat the gospel in code as an allegory would, but it is a re-expression of the true concepts of redemption, heroism, overcoming evil, the continual return of evil, and so on.
To me, Birzer’s most fascinating explanation is how Frodo is a priest “who carries the Ring—the cross of Christ, the sins of the world—into the heart of hell (Mordor).” This representation complements my own Christian belief that sin is the power by which Satan strives to enslave humanity. Sam Gamgee is the story’s protagonist—the saint, his character sanctified and defined by loyalty. The story ends with Sam’s return to life as it should be, becoming a husband and father in the Shire.
Birzer’s book explains a great deal in a short space, just 138 pages of commentary plus notes/index. I will want to refer to it again, and recommend it as “what to read next” when Lord of the Rings has been enjoyed.
Tolkien’s Sanctifying Myth examines many elements which Tolkien drew on, namely his Catholic faith; his view of the role of myth, that “myths express far greater truths than do historical facts or events”; his love of languages, especially Anglo-Saxon, Old Norse, Gothic, and Welsh; medieval literature and studies, such as Beowulf; and Christian humanist philosophy.
God is never directly mentioned in Lord of the Rings, but Christian themes and symbols pervade. As Tolkien was mentally immersed in the ideas of sin, redemption, kings, prophets, priests, sacraments, Creators, angels, fallen angels, and so on; he made those things intrinsically part of the story. The story does not repeat the gospel in code as an allegory would, but it is a re-expression of the true concepts of redemption, heroism, overcoming evil, the continual return of evil, and so on.
To me, Birzer’s most fascinating explanation is how Frodo is a priest “who carries the Ring—the cross of Christ, the sins of the world—into the heart of hell (Mordor).” This representation complements my own Christian belief that sin is the power by which Satan strives to enslave humanity. Sam Gamgee is the story’s protagonist—the saint, his character sanctified and defined by loyalty. The story ends with Sam’s return to life as it should be, becoming a husband and father in the Shire.
Birzer’s book explains a great deal in a short space, just 138 pages of commentary plus notes/index. I will want to refer to it again, and recommend it as “what to read next” when Lord of the Rings has been enjoyed.
July 7, 2013
This is a deep, and deeply satisfying book of philosophy. Reading it was an intellectual journey through unfamiliar territory for me. J.R.R. Tolkien was a man for whom myth was a reality. He lived in the modern era but his mind was fixed in the Middle Ages.
Birzer demonstrates something I could not have gleaned from Lord Of The Rings on my own; namely the Catholic origin of Tolkien's tales of Middle Earth. Tolkien swims in the deep divine sea of Medieval Catholic mysticism that is all but incomprehensible to the modern mind.
Tolkien's fount was language - deeply understood. He was born a philologist extraordinaire. As a teenager JRR Tolkien learned Welsh, Gaelic, Old English, Gothic, Old Norse, Spanish, German, and other languages in their modern form. Then he learned their history and origins. Finally, bored, he began to make up languages, fully formed, fully logical. He created Sidarin and Quenya which would become his Elfish language. These languages were possible. They had consistent roots, sound laws of grammar, and inflexion. From these languages sprang his mythology - or was it vice versa? As Tolkien said himself "your language construction will breed a mythology." For Tolkien myth, born of the folk-soul, was the basis for language.
Tolkien created a world where monotheistic Truth contended with polytheistic relativity. For Tolkien there was good and evil in the world and Good always had to win.
This book is a theological and philosophical page-turner.
December 30, 2013
Not for the casual Tolkien fancier.
This is a serious exploration of Tolkien's Roman Catholic beliefs and the religious symbolism underlying the mythos and history of Middle Earth.
Excellently written.
This is a serious exploration of Tolkien's Roman Catholic beliefs and the religious symbolism underlying the mythos and history of Middle Earth.
Excellently written.
July 29, 2022
Bradley J. Birzer conseguiu fazer o livro parecer uma conversa num pub. O autor inicia com uma breve introdução a vida de Tolkien que todo fã já conhece, mas a escrita é tão prazerosa que consegue te prender como se aquele fosse o primeiro contato com aquelas informações. Depois ele traz um capítulo interessante sobre Mito e Subcriação, tema tratado por Tolkien no Livro Árvore e Folha. Ali Tolkien explica um pouco a sua visão sobre contos de fadas e o papel dos contos de fadas no imaginário das pessoas. O autor consegue mostrar como Tolkien entendia os mitos como sendo responsáveis por expressar verdades muito maiores que os fatos ou os acontecimentos históricos. E se você é realmente fã e deseja se aprofundar nas leituras sobre Tolkien, as notas de rodapé são muito importantes pois trazem obras indispensáveis que não encontramos em língua portuguesa. Depois o autor passa para um capítulo onde apresenta o teor religioso de Tolkien e o quanto isso foi empregado em sua obra. O capítulo sobre heroísmos também é excelente, ali o autor mostra como alguns personagens são fundamentais, como Sam, Aragorn, Faramir, e o autor defende que o verdadeiro herói da história é Sam. No capítulo 5, o autor se debruça sobre como o mal é retratado nas obras, os comentários são interessantes, sobretudo no fato das críticas que Tolkien recebeu por não ter se aprofundado demais na personalidade e nos detalhes dos personagens malignos. O capítulo sobre a Terra Média e Modernidade é interessante pois o autor mostra o quanto Tolkien tinha aversão a coisas modernas, o quanto ele valorizava a natureza, e até mesmo os grupos ambientalistas que se baseavam em Tolkien para defender seus ideais.
Excelente! Recomendo demais a a leitura!
Excelente! Recomendo demais a a leitura!
May 15, 2022
Birzer, Bradley J. J. R. R. Tolkien’s Sanctifying Myth: Understanding Middle Earth. Foreword by Joseph Pearce. Intercollegiate Studies Institute, 2003.
Bradley Birzer argues that the mythology in Tolkien’s fiction is an elaborate, consistent expression of a conservative Catholic theology. He makes his case, but his analysis seems reductively polemic. He says little about the influences of Celtic, Anglo Saxon, Nordic, and Teutonic mythology in Tolkien’s work. Of more interest than the religious allegory is Birzer’s discussion of Tolkien’s competitive friendship with C. S. Lewis, applauding Lewis’s conversion to Christianity but deploring his Protestant theology. Tolkien was traumatized by his experiences in World War I, and he developed an antipathy to mechanization on any scale, avoiding everything from automobiles to tape recorders. Birzer details the difficulty that Tolkien had finishing Silmarillion, a work finally cobbled together and published after his death by his son. Birzer suggests that Silmarillion is the most complete expression of Tolkien’s mythology. Maybe so. I haven’t had the strength to read it, nor have I dug into the twelve-volume History of Middle Earth his son constructed from his father’s notes. Tolkien seems to have been an erudite, kindly professor who was popular with his students, even though he mumbled. He was not a good fit for his times, and though it may not be what Birzer wants me to conclude, Tolkien reminds me of William Blake, a man who retreated from the “Satanic mills” of his age into a mythology all his own. 3.5 stars.
Bradley Birzer argues that the mythology in Tolkien’s fiction is an elaborate, consistent expression of a conservative Catholic theology. He makes his case, but his analysis seems reductively polemic. He says little about the influences of Celtic, Anglo Saxon, Nordic, and Teutonic mythology in Tolkien’s work. Of more interest than the religious allegory is Birzer’s discussion of Tolkien’s competitive friendship with C. S. Lewis, applauding Lewis’s conversion to Christianity but deploring his Protestant theology. Tolkien was traumatized by his experiences in World War I, and he developed an antipathy to mechanization on any scale, avoiding everything from automobiles to tape recorders. Birzer details the difficulty that Tolkien had finishing Silmarillion, a work finally cobbled together and published after his death by his son. Birzer suggests that Silmarillion is the most complete expression of Tolkien’s mythology. Maybe so. I haven’t had the strength to read it, nor have I dug into the twelve-volume History of Middle Earth his son constructed from his father’s notes. Tolkien seems to have been an erudite, kindly professor who was popular with his students, even though he mumbled. He was not a good fit for his times, and though it may not be what Birzer wants me to conclude, Tolkien reminds me of William Blake, a man who retreated from the “Satanic mills” of his age into a mythology all his own. 3.5 stars.
September 20, 2025
Summarizes much of Tolkien's themes and legacy while cutting through assumptions and erroneous thinking that Tolkien himself attempted to dissuade. Also offered some insight onto Tolkien's life, relationships, and how he managed his fame after the Hobbit and LOTR were published.
tolkien believed that myth can teach men and women to be fully and truly men and women, not mere cogs in the vast machine of modern technological society.
for tolkien, even pagan myths attempted to express God's greater truths. True myth has the power to revive us, to serve as a way of bringing to conscious experience ancietn experiences with transcendence...myth could be perilous if it remained pagan...one must sanctify it...make it Christian and put it in God's service .this anamnesis is a way for peole to recall encounters with transcendence that had helped to order their souls and their society...it could offer a "sudden glimpse of truth", a brief view of heaven. At the very least, sanctified myth revealed the life humans were meant to have prior to the fall.
tolkien gave us a glimpse of the truth, beauty, and excellence that lies beyond and behind our tangible world. That glimpse, which leads to real joy, tolkien labeled the euchatrastrophe. In fantasy, one gains a "fleeting glimpse of Joy, Joy beyond the walls of the world...the ultimate fairy story, or true myth then is the incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ...the heart of Christianity is a myth which is also a fact
tolkien wrote a piece in morgoth's ring to exlpain the reason for evil and the fall...men are both flesh and spirit but they often remember one at the exclusion of another...Illuvatar gave this restlessness to men so they would desire a return to their true home, heaven. Melkor precipitated the restlessness, lying that death was punishment, not a gift. men believed melkor, and they grew to resent illuvatar...evil labous with vast power and perpetual success--in vain: preparing always only the soil for unexpected good to sprout in.
tolkien explains that god allowed the fall so that he could manifest his own sovereignty over Satan all the more, of Christ's incarnation, the spread of his light from one person to another, and the final consummation at Christ's return
frodo thinks that to be a true here he must sacrifice himself-but when he is still alive after the ring is destroyed he is stunned. he failed to realize his task was over. The divine economy is limited to what is sufficient for the accomplishment of the task appointed to one instrument in a pattern of circumstances and other instruments. to claim more, would be to claim the sole right of Jesus Christ, as the savior of mankind. Mercy belongs to God
tolkien hoped his myth would serve as an anamnesis, a return to right reason. he viewed this world and its history as irredemable through sheer human will or reason...in the end, though, evil will fail to corrupt the good, which to tolkien meant those saved and sanctified through Christ...this does not mean one should despair and abandon the world to the enemy or isolate oneself. on the contrary, one of the most important themes in tolkien is heroism as a result of grace. through his mystery, majesty, and grace, god allows evil to happen to that the good may do good.
frodos journey as the suffering servant-only at the last moments does the weight of the ring-symbolizing the weight of sin and temptation-become too great. even at the cracks of doom he has merely played out God's role for him. Carrying the cross changes him permanently
on religion in tolkien: the religious element is absorbed into the story and the symbolism...one may find God in the plot itself. elements of true Christian herorism are represented by the 4 major characters: gandalf, the prophet; Aragorn, the kind; frodo, the priest; Same, the common man and servant...Middle earth is saved through the priestly self-sacrifice of the hobbit Frodo, thru wisdom and guidance of Gandalf and masery of Aragorn, heir of kinds. Also forces beyond these. As eash agent responds to his calling he grows in power and grace. each becomes increasingly christian...tolkien's myth echoes christian teaching in that once one accepts one's specific calling or vocation and employes one's gifts for the good of the body of Christ, the journey of sanctification begins.
the desctruction of the ring represents the victory of "christ's army" allowing persons like Sam to lead the peaceful lives they were meant to lead, and to thus freely enjoy the gifts that God gave them and intended them to use
Eternity beckons sam. he too will one day depart from the Grey Havens to the Blessed Realm and experiences, like Frodo, a purgatorial rest. But until then, Sam will enjoy his family and his garden
like a true prophet, Gandalf, the servant of the Flame Imperishable, inspires men to use their gifts for the greater good of society, to live up to the best of the past, and to transmit this tradition to future generations
in essence, the king and the prophet do what is demanded of them by providence. they willingly place themselves and their forces in a position that may prove their undoing and their death. as true servants of Illuvatar, they are willing to sacrifice themselves for the opportunity to serve the greater good.
"it is in making the good interesting that the inklings may have made their greatest contribution"
if we are profoundly moved by tolkien what are we to do? we as human persons are to sanctify our own gifts by putting them to the service of the betterment of ourselves, our community, our society, the Church, and the world...All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.
tolkien wanted to teach his readers that God's grace, like faerie is everywhere. but we must be open to it, willing to accept it as freely given gift and realize, as Frodo did not when he desired martydrom at the cracks of mount doom, that we are given just enough to achieve our given task, an no more. tolkien's myth calls us to embrace that sanctity of each human person and our obligation to act as faithful stewards of creation. we are also called, like beowulf or aragon, to fight for the protection of the good and the oppressed, even to the point of self-sacrifice.
" i do so clearly believe that no half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly."
tolkien believed that myth can teach men and women to be fully and truly men and women, not mere cogs in the vast machine of modern technological society.
for tolkien, even pagan myths attempted to express God's greater truths. True myth has the power to revive us, to serve as a way of bringing to conscious experience ancietn experiences with transcendence...myth could be perilous if it remained pagan...one must sanctify it...make it Christian and put it in God's service .this anamnesis is a way for peole to recall encounters with transcendence that had helped to order their souls and their society...it could offer a "sudden glimpse of truth", a brief view of heaven. At the very least, sanctified myth revealed the life humans were meant to have prior to the fall.
tolkien gave us a glimpse of the truth, beauty, and excellence that lies beyond and behind our tangible world. That glimpse, which leads to real joy, tolkien labeled the euchatrastrophe. In fantasy, one gains a "fleeting glimpse of Joy, Joy beyond the walls of the world...the ultimate fairy story, or true myth then is the incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ...the heart of Christianity is a myth which is also a fact
tolkien wrote a piece in morgoth's ring to exlpain the reason for evil and the fall...men are both flesh and spirit but they often remember one at the exclusion of another...Illuvatar gave this restlessness to men so they would desire a return to their true home, heaven. Melkor precipitated the restlessness, lying that death was punishment, not a gift. men believed melkor, and they grew to resent illuvatar...evil labous with vast power and perpetual success--in vain: preparing always only the soil for unexpected good to sprout in.
tolkien explains that god allowed the fall so that he could manifest his own sovereignty over Satan all the more, of Christ's incarnation, the spread of his light from one person to another, and the final consummation at Christ's return
frodo thinks that to be a true here he must sacrifice himself-but when he is still alive after the ring is destroyed he is stunned. he failed to realize his task was over. The divine economy is limited to what is sufficient for the accomplishment of the task appointed to one instrument in a pattern of circumstances and other instruments. to claim more, would be to claim the sole right of Jesus Christ, as the savior of mankind. Mercy belongs to God
tolkien hoped his myth would serve as an anamnesis, a return to right reason. he viewed this world and its history as irredemable through sheer human will or reason...in the end, though, evil will fail to corrupt the good, which to tolkien meant those saved and sanctified through Christ...this does not mean one should despair and abandon the world to the enemy or isolate oneself. on the contrary, one of the most important themes in tolkien is heroism as a result of grace. through his mystery, majesty, and grace, god allows evil to happen to that the good may do good.
frodos journey as the suffering servant-only at the last moments does the weight of the ring-symbolizing the weight of sin and temptation-become too great. even at the cracks of doom he has merely played out God's role for him. Carrying the cross changes him permanently
on religion in tolkien: the religious element is absorbed into the story and the symbolism...one may find God in the plot itself. elements of true Christian herorism are represented by the 4 major characters: gandalf, the prophet; Aragorn, the kind; frodo, the priest; Same, the common man and servant...Middle earth is saved through the priestly self-sacrifice of the hobbit Frodo, thru wisdom and guidance of Gandalf and masery of Aragorn, heir of kinds. Also forces beyond these. As eash agent responds to his calling he grows in power and grace. each becomes increasingly christian...tolkien's myth echoes christian teaching in that once one accepts one's specific calling or vocation and employes one's gifts for the good of the body of Christ, the journey of sanctification begins.
the desctruction of the ring represents the victory of "christ's army" allowing persons like Sam to lead the peaceful lives they were meant to lead, and to thus freely enjoy the gifts that God gave them and intended them to use
Eternity beckons sam. he too will one day depart from the Grey Havens to the Blessed Realm and experiences, like Frodo, a purgatorial rest. But until then, Sam will enjoy his family and his garden
like a true prophet, Gandalf, the servant of the Flame Imperishable, inspires men to use their gifts for the greater good of society, to live up to the best of the past, and to transmit this tradition to future generations
in essence, the king and the prophet do what is demanded of them by providence. they willingly place themselves and their forces in a position that may prove their undoing and their death. as true servants of Illuvatar, they are willing to sacrifice themselves for the opportunity to serve the greater good.
"it is in making the good interesting that the inklings may have made their greatest contribution"
if we are profoundly moved by tolkien what are we to do? we as human persons are to sanctify our own gifts by putting them to the service of the betterment of ourselves, our community, our society, the Church, and the world...All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.
tolkien wanted to teach his readers that God's grace, like faerie is everywhere. but we must be open to it, willing to accept it as freely given gift and realize, as Frodo did not when he desired martydrom at the cracks of mount doom, that we are given just enough to achieve our given task, an no more. tolkien's myth calls us to embrace that sanctity of each human person and our obligation to act as faithful stewards of creation. we are also called, like beowulf or aragon, to fight for the protection of the good and the oppressed, even to the point of self-sacrifice.
" i do so clearly believe that no half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly."
May 12, 2023
It was good for me to read this book and humanize Tolkien. He was a man that made mistakes—that is just a man. The Inklings were not the kumbaya group of friends I though they were. They were friends of high caliber but they had the visceral disagreements, spats, falling outs and reconciliations as is normal of honest friendships. Interesting to see how much Lewis took from Tolkien and how this affected their friendship. Their friendship was one of the interesting threads throughout the book.
Not sure if I’m totally on board with Tolkien’s views on politics (i also don’t really know anything about politics ha). It’s always interesting seeing what people think of America—Tolkien, Chesterton and the likes have interesting takes on the US, some I really enjoy. It was made clear that American Catholicism has a lot to learn from non-American Catholicism. My favorite chapters were chapter 5 (The Nature of Evil), Chapter 6 (Middle-earth and Modernity), and the conclusion. Man’s need for myth is made clear after chapters 1-3, and man’s ultimate need for the true myth Christianity (read the book if that language bothers you and you’ll see that myth does just mean “fake”). The whole book was interesting though. While I still generally disagree with Tolkien critics, I can better see where they’re coming from.
Not sure if I’m totally on board with Tolkien’s views on politics (i also don’t really know anything about politics ha). It’s always interesting seeing what people think of America—Tolkien, Chesterton and the likes have interesting takes on the US, some I really enjoy. It was made clear that American Catholicism has a lot to learn from non-American Catholicism. My favorite chapters were chapter 5 (The Nature of Evil), Chapter 6 (Middle-earth and Modernity), and the conclusion. Man’s need for myth is made clear after chapters 1-3, and man’s ultimate need for the true myth Christianity (read the book if that language bothers you and you’ll see that myth does just mean “fake”). The whole book was interesting though. While I still generally disagree with Tolkien critics, I can better see where they’re coming from.
February 1, 2022
“Our time, sick nigh unto death of utilitarianism and literalness, cries out for myth and parable. Great myths are not merely susceptible of rational interpretation: they are truth, transcendent truth.” - Russell Kirk
“He who has no sympathy with myths has no sympathy with men.” - G.K. Chesterton
Bradley Birzer’s book was published in 2003, a couple years after Peter Jackson’s LOTR movies hit the big screen and the world was hungry (once again) for insight about Tolkien’s world. A Catholic Christian and a professor at Hillsdale College, Birzer's voice is valuable for bringing forth the contours of mind that made the beloved Professor unique among 20th century novelists. J.R.R. Tolkien’s Sanctifying Myth paints an inspiring and detailed portrait of Tolkien as Christian humanist and subcreator. Placing JRRT the company of figures such as Russell Kirk, Christopher Dawson, Romano Guardini, G.K. Chesterton, and of course C.S. Lewis, Birzer skillfully shows how those two categories can help us understand Tolkien’s mind, the better to enjoy his works. And ultimately, to become more human.
This is a fantastic introduction, and yet, the waters are deep. To any interested, I’d recommend starting here, and if you want more pick up Tom Shippey’s The Road to Middle Earth, which, so far in my reading list, can’t be beat for making out the meaning of Tolkien’s legendarium. That book is less Catholic however, and so Birzer’s complements it well.
“He who has no sympathy with myths has no sympathy with men.” - G.K. Chesterton
Bradley Birzer’s book was published in 2003, a couple years after Peter Jackson’s LOTR movies hit the big screen and the world was hungry (once again) for insight about Tolkien’s world. A Catholic Christian and a professor at Hillsdale College, Birzer's voice is valuable for bringing forth the contours of mind that made the beloved Professor unique among 20th century novelists. J.R.R. Tolkien’s Sanctifying Myth paints an inspiring and detailed portrait of Tolkien as Christian humanist and subcreator. Placing JRRT the company of figures such as Russell Kirk, Christopher Dawson, Romano Guardini, G.K. Chesterton, and of course C.S. Lewis, Birzer skillfully shows how those two categories can help us understand Tolkien’s mind, the better to enjoy his works. And ultimately, to become more human.
This is a fantastic introduction, and yet, the waters are deep. To any interested, I’d recommend starting here, and if you want more pick up Tom Shippey’s The Road to Middle Earth, which, so far in my reading list, can’t be beat for making out the meaning of Tolkien’s legendarium. That book is less Catholic however, and so Birzer’s complements it well.
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August 31, 2024Not sure I'd like JRRT as a person but loved his theological thoughts here. Birzer was too harsh on Frodo though, not the real hero etc. etc., which I know is popular, but being the hero does not mean that you can do everything yourself, it means you do your absolute best which I think Frodo pretty obviously does!!
Happy memories of Aragorn as the ideal king really touched me-healing, then "his strength and love flow throughout his kingdom. His closest friends feel it most intensely. Gimli notes that only the "will of Aragorn" gave him strength to endure trials..." 82 (LOVE thinking of how a tempered strength makes goodness bloom in surrounding hearts!! Makes me want to love Jesus more!)
"Faramir embodies grace at a number of levels. First, Tolkien had not planned on his appearance. God had created him and inspired Tolkien to include him in the story-or so the Oxford don believed. Second, it was the healing of Faramir... that revealed the true nature and kingship of Aragorn. Third... Faramir offers one of the very few obvious allusions to religion..."Faramir and all his men turned and faced west in a moment of silence." Though Faramir is unsure of the meaning of the act, he follows the pious forms that have come to him through tradition." 86 (love him)
Happy memories of Aragorn as the ideal king really touched me-healing, then "his strength and love flow throughout his kingdom. His closest friends feel it most intensely. Gimli notes that only the "will of Aragorn" gave him strength to endure trials..." 82 (LOVE thinking of how a tempered strength makes goodness bloom in surrounding hearts!! Makes me want to love Jesus more!)
"Faramir embodies grace at a number of levels. First, Tolkien had not planned on his appearance. God had created him and inspired Tolkien to include him in the story-or so the Oxford don believed. Second, it was the healing of Faramir... that revealed the true nature and kingship of Aragorn. Third... Faramir offers one of the very few obvious allusions to religion..."Faramir and all his men turned and faced west in a moment of silence." Though Faramir is unsure of the meaning of the act, he follows the pious forms that have come to him through tradition." 86 (love him)
August 8, 2021
4.5 stars - the 'thesis statement' ideas presented by this book are EXCELLENT and bear exploration on behalf of the reader to begin to venture beyond Middle Earth into the real world, that is, the world of truth, and beauty, and goodness; a world that has been created for us, and for the all the life that is around us - to embrace that life, with all the gifts of grace that we have been given, and to thus live fruitfully and till the earth as best we can for future generations, while preserving the best of what has been bequeathed us by our forefathers and mothers. Perhaps the central idea is the positioning of Tolkien as one of the key twentieth century Christian humanists (along with Lewis and a few others), who brought the gift of new life in the hearts of the disillusioned. My favourite passage in the book reads as follows: "To enter faerie - that is, a sacramental and liturgical understanding of creation - is to open oneself to the gradual discovery of beauty, truth, and excellence". This is the gift of Tolkien's mythology; a mythology elevated by a vision of grace and truth that grew from his Catholic faith.
February 11, 2020
This excellent book by Hillsdale professor Dr. Brad Birzer explores the theological, philosophical, and philological thought of JRR Tolkien and his Oxford colleagues in the Inklings. Birzer explores the mentorship of C.S. Lewis that turned sour and the differences between Tolkien and Lewis that led them to different worlds of Narnia & The Space Trilogy vs. Middle Earth. While Tolkien was adamant his Middle Earth was not allegory, Birzer unpacks how the Lord of the Rings is full of the Catholic understanding that organized Tolkien's own life. This book functions part as literature review and part Christian apologetics, with Birzer using Tolkien's Melkor and Illuvatar to illustrate the great theological issues surrounding the nature of evil and God's sovereignty.
July 28, 2022
We underestimate the power of myth and stories. Myths provide meaning through the beauty it communicates. Cultures are shaped by the legends, epics, and myths we tell.
One of the reasons I love Tolkien's legendarium is because it is full of truth, goodness, and beauty. Bradley Birzer's book shows you the wonder of Tolkien's work and how it shapes us.
He gives you an excellent mini biography of Tolkien, explains the importance of myth and subcreation, shows the nature of evil, what heroism looks like, and how we can escape modernity.
His footnotes and citations are like a 1/4 of the book showing that this is well researched. You get to see Tolkien's humanity yet also his love for God.
There is much to meditate and think on in this book.
Such a delightful read!
One of the reasons I love Tolkien's legendarium is because it is full of truth, goodness, and beauty. Bradley Birzer's book shows you the wonder of Tolkien's work and how it shapes us.
He gives you an excellent mini biography of Tolkien, explains the importance of myth and subcreation, shows the nature of evil, what heroism looks like, and how we can escape modernity.
His footnotes and citations are like a 1/4 of the book showing that this is well researched. You get to see Tolkien's humanity yet also his love for God.
There is much to meditate and think on in this book.
Such a delightful read!
August 25, 2023
A very cool look at Tolkien's personal story, worldview, and writing. This book took me back to my Literature classes in college. A very cool read.
My favorite take away: Tolkien believed that Christians should "sanctify the pagan" which means to utilize that which is within the culture to serve Christ's kingdom. Although Tolkien hated modernity, he still believed we should engage it and take the broken things of this world and renew them. I feel exactly that way about technology. We can't change that it's a part of our world, but we can decide how will we utilize it. Tolkien says, "Sanctify it".
My favorite take away: Tolkien believed that Christians should "sanctify the pagan" which means to utilize that which is within the culture to serve Christ's kingdom. Although Tolkien hated modernity, he still believed we should engage it and take the broken things of this world and renew them. I feel exactly that way about technology. We can't change that it's a part of our world, but we can decide how will we utilize it. Tolkien says, "Sanctify it".
January 20, 2023
As a longtime Tolkien reader, this was nothing but a pure joy to read. The philosophy and faith infused throughout Tolkien's legendarium is vividly told through quotations from Tolkien's interviews, letters, and conversations with friends, as well as examples from his stories. I thought I had a good grasp of the influences woven throughout, but I learned a lot! Highly recommend. I'll definitely be reading again!
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