What do you think?
Rate this book
Hansen Lectureship
The Messiah Comes to Middle-Earth: Images of Christ's Threefold Office in The Lord of the Rings
"Can The Lord of the Rings help us understand the Christian faith more deeply? From the inaugural Hansen Lectureship series, Wheaton College president Philip Ryken mines the riches of Tolkien's theological imagination. In the characters of Gandalf, Frodo, and Aragorn, Ryken hears echoes of the one who is the true prophet, priest, and king, considering what that threefold office means for the calling of all Christians"--
146 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 14, 2017
38 people are currently reading
571 people want to read
About the author
Philip Graham Ryken
109 books71 followersPhilip Graham Ryken is Senior Minister of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, where he has preached since 1995. He is Bible Teacher for the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, speaking nationally on the radio program Every Last Word. Dr. Ryken was educated at Wheaton College (IL), Westminster Theological Seminary (PA) and the University of Oxford (UK), from which he received his doctorate in historical theology. He lives with his wife (Lisa) and children (Joshua, Kirsten, Jack, Kathryn, and Karoline) in Center City, Philadelphia. When he is not preaching or spending time with his family, he likes to read books, play sports, and ponder the relationship between Christian faith and American culture. He has written or edited more than twenty books, including Bible commentaries on Exodus, Jeremiah, Lamentations, and Galatians.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
October 24, 2018
Um deleite. Ryken nos leva de volta à Terra-Média e nos mostra como a cosmovisão cristã em Tolkien se derrama em três personagens que apresentam características dos ofícios de Cristo. Muito bem escrito, com ótimas citações dos livros de Tolkien e ótimas explicações sobre o entendimento bíblico e histórico acerca do ofício tríplice do profeta, sacerdote e rei Jesus.
January 23, 2021
Retornar à Terra Média guiada por Ryken me permitiu relembrar e refletir sobre algumas de minhas passagens preferidas, além de descobrir a riqueza de outras que, em minha primeira leitura da trilogia, passaram despercebidas.
(Achei as introduções aos capítulos um pouco repetitivas, mas não a ponto de me desanimar da leitura.)
(Achei as introduções aos capítulos um pouco repetitivas, mas não a ponto de me desanimar da leitura.)
February 22, 2018
Enjoyable read. A few critiques: Due to the three-fold lecture format, there was a good bit of repetition. Also, limiting the application to college president's was an odd choice, in my opinion. It would not have taken much more work to draw general leadership principles that would have been more widely applicable to his audience. I particularly appreciated the responses of Richter and Struthers.
December 30, 2017
I found this book immensely enjoyable to read, but am giving it only 3 stars because I disagree with a major part of the premise and some of the conclusions that Ryken reaches. I enjoy Tolkien's Middle Earth books (I've read all of the major ones at least once, some several times), so I picked up this book by Ryken. The book itself consists of three lectures by Ryken, followed by brief responses. The format of the book was a little clunky; the responses added little to the overall topic. Ryken's lectures were fascinating and engaging, but I disagreed with some of his conclusions. Ryken compares the three main protagonists of the LOTR (Gandalf, Frodo, and Aragorn) to Christ's three offices of prophet, priest, and king. The comparison between Gandalf and the office of prophet works fairly well, as does the connection between Aragorn and biblical kingship. Where Ryken begins to stretch things, though, is in relating Frodo to the office of priest. There's not much to go on, so eventually Ryken tries to settle for the Hobbits portraying the priesthood of the believer. This comparison is still a bit much; in addition, it's entirely off topic for a lecture about Christ the great High Priest. Also, Ryken makes application at the end of each lecture to his own office as a college president, but application there seems either unnecessary or misdirected.
Despite these flaws, I enjoyed this book because of its engagement with Tolkien's literary themes. If you enjoy Tolkien, you will get something out of this book. I received a digital copy of this book for free from the publisher and was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are entirely my own.
Despite these flaws, I enjoyed this book because of its engagement with Tolkien's literary themes. If you enjoy Tolkien, you will get something out of this book. I received a digital copy of this book for free from the publisher and was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are entirely my own.
January 24, 2018
J.R.R. Tolkien was known for expressing his dislike for allegory and for insisting that he intended nothing allegorical in writing his great fantasy trilogy The Lord of the Rings. And yet in this book, Philip G. Ryken, president of Wheaton College, argues persuasively that images of Jesus Christ’s roles as Prophet, Priest, and King saturate The Lord of the Rings. How can this be?
Ryken’s book is based on a series of talks he gave as part of the Hansen Lecture Series at the Wade Center at Wheaton College in 2015–2016. The Wade Center houses a research collection of materials by and about seven great British authors—Tolkien, as well as Owen Barfield, G. K. Chesterton, C.S. Lewis, George MacDonald, Dorothy Sayers, and Charles Williams. The purpose of this lecture series, as stated in the book, is: “To explore the great literature of the seven Wade authors so that we can escape from the prison of our self-centeredness and narrow, parochial perspective in order to see with other eyes, feel with other hearts, and be equipped for practical deeds in real life. As a result, we will learn new ways to experience and extend the fulfillment of our Lord’s mission: ‘to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free’ (Lk 4:18 NIV).”
In his talks, which initiated the lecture series, Ryken looked at The Lord of the Rings, focusing on the characters of Gandalf, Frodo, and Aragorn, and exploring echoes in their character of the threefold office of Christ: Prophet, Priest, and King.
In the first chapter, he looks at Gandalf the Gray, showing that “Gandalf is Christlike in . . . that his work as a wizard is analogous to the ministry of the biblical prophets and thus illuminates . . . the office of Christ as prophet.” Ryken sees Gandalf as prophetlike in that he wields “miraculous” powers. Yet his “prophetic influence lay chiefly in the domain of wisdom.” Gandalf advises, counsels, reminds, and guides. Simply put, he deals out the truth. In one of his letters, quoted by Ryken, Tolkien said the wizards were sent primarily to “train, advise, instruct, arouse the hearts and minds of those threatened by Sauron to a resistance with their own strengths; and not just to do the job for them.”
Next, Ryken turns to Frodo, finding in his story the picture of a priest who bears a great burden and makes a great sacrifice, just as Christ did. More specifically, all the hobbits in the story collectively illustrate the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. They bear one another’s burdens. “Hobbits were never meant to bear their burden alone; they only fulfill their purpose when they journey together,” Ryken writes.
Finally, Ryken looks at Aragorn as a picture of Christ in his role as King. There are many very clear parallels to Christ here. Aragorn is a true heir. He has a long wait. He endures doubts and mockery. He has no pleasing appearance. He sets his face to take a hard road (the Paths of the Dead, a kind of death). He has the hands of a healer. He is willing to sacrifice himself. The imagery here is overwhelming.
In the end, Ryken makes the helpful point that “the salvation of the kingdom requires nothing less than the unified efforts of all three Christ figures—the messiahs of Middle-earth.” Again, this is a truthful parallel—our world needed a Messiah who was not just a Prophet, not just a Priest, not just a King, but all three in one man.
But is this analysis legitimate? Didn’t Tolkien himself rule it out when he declared that there is nothing allegorical about The Lord of the Rings?
Ryken addresses this problem forthrightly. He notes that Tolkien said, “As for any inner meaning or ‘message,’ [the trilogy] 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 so since I grew old and wary enough to detect its presence.” For this reason, he disliked C. S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia.
Furthermore, Tolkien told W. H. Auden, “I don’t feel under any obligation to make my story fit with formalized Christianity, though I actually intended it to be consonant with Christian thought and belief.”
And yet, The Lord of the Rings has all of these Christian themes. As Ryken quotes novelist Michael O’Brien as saying, “The Lord of the Rings trilogy is irradiated by the unspoken unseen presence of Christ.” How are we to understand this?
Ryken offers a number of explanations, but I think one of the most compelling is Tolkien’s view of himself as a “sub-creator” who imitated his own Creator in a small way by making new worlds of the imagination. Such worlds necessarily reflect the character of their sub-creator and of his Creator.
Tolkien wrote, “The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first but consciously in the revision. I . . . have cut out practically all references to anything like ‘religion,’ to cults and practices in the imaginary world. For the religious element is absorbed into the story and the symbolism.”
Ryken adds, “If Tolkien is right, and Christianity is absorbed into his story, then we should expect to find Christ present in many places—not allegorically but inherently.” And as he argues, that is just what we find.
In fact, Ryken quotes George Sayer, a former student of Lewis, as saying that Tolkien read reviews of The Lord of the Rings and letters about it, and sometimes would say, “I never thought of that. I thought I was writing it as pure story.” As Ryken notes, he “recognized in his own work the real but unintended presence of biblical truth.” It appears that as Tolkien wrote, “a biblical worldview so thoroughly penetrated his imagination that inevitably it pervaded his literary art.”
As a result, as Peter Kreeft puts it, “There is no one complete, concrete, visible Christ figure in The Lord of the Rings, like Aslan in Narnia. But Christ is really, though invisibly, present in the whole of The Lord of the Rings.”
Ryken concludes, “The character of Christ is not a single thread in the story, but is deeply woven into the entire narrative fabric. Indeed, is it possible for us to think of a book that more richly incarnates the themes of the gospel?”
Ryken’s book is based on a series of talks he gave as part of the Hansen Lecture Series at the Wade Center at Wheaton College in 2015–2016. The Wade Center houses a research collection of materials by and about seven great British authors—Tolkien, as well as Owen Barfield, G. K. Chesterton, C.S. Lewis, George MacDonald, Dorothy Sayers, and Charles Williams. The purpose of this lecture series, as stated in the book, is: “To explore the great literature of the seven Wade authors so that we can escape from the prison of our self-centeredness and narrow, parochial perspective in order to see with other eyes, feel with other hearts, and be equipped for practical deeds in real life. As a result, we will learn new ways to experience and extend the fulfillment of our Lord’s mission: ‘to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free’ (Lk 4:18 NIV).”
In his talks, which initiated the lecture series, Ryken looked at The Lord of the Rings, focusing on the characters of Gandalf, Frodo, and Aragorn, and exploring echoes in their character of the threefold office of Christ: Prophet, Priest, and King.
In the first chapter, he looks at Gandalf the Gray, showing that “Gandalf is Christlike in . . . that his work as a wizard is analogous to the ministry of the biblical prophets and thus illuminates . . . the office of Christ as prophet.” Ryken sees Gandalf as prophetlike in that he wields “miraculous” powers. Yet his “prophetic influence lay chiefly in the domain of wisdom.” Gandalf advises, counsels, reminds, and guides. Simply put, he deals out the truth. In one of his letters, quoted by Ryken, Tolkien said the wizards were sent primarily to “train, advise, instruct, arouse the hearts and minds of those threatened by Sauron to a resistance with their own strengths; and not just to do the job for them.”
Next, Ryken turns to Frodo, finding in his story the picture of a priest who bears a great burden and makes a great sacrifice, just as Christ did. More specifically, all the hobbits in the story collectively illustrate the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. They bear one another’s burdens. “Hobbits were never meant to bear their burden alone; they only fulfill their purpose when they journey together,” Ryken writes.
Finally, Ryken looks at Aragorn as a picture of Christ in his role as King. There are many very clear parallels to Christ here. Aragorn is a true heir. He has a long wait. He endures doubts and mockery. He has no pleasing appearance. He sets his face to take a hard road (the Paths of the Dead, a kind of death). He has the hands of a healer. He is willing to sacrifice himself. The imagery here is overwhelming.
In the end, Ryken makes the helpful point that “the salvation of the kingdom requires nothing less than the unified efforts of all three Christ figures—the messiahs of Middle-earth.” Again, this is a truthful parallel—our world needed a Messiah who was not just a Prophet, not just a Priest, not just a King, but all three in one man.
But is this analysis legitimate? Didn’t Tolkien himself rule it out when he declared that there is nothing allegorical about The Lord of the Rings?
Ryken addresses this problem forthrightly. He notes that Tolkien said, “As for any inner meaning or ‘message,’ [the trilogy] 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 so since I grew old and wary enough to detect its presence.” For this reason, he disliked C. S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia.
Furthermore, Tolkien told W. H. Auden, “I don’t feel under any obligation to make my story fit with formalized Christianity, though I actually intended it to be consonant with Christian thought and belief.”
And yet, The Lord of the Rings has all of these Christian themes. As Ryken quotes novelist Michael O’Brien as saying, “The Lord of the Rings trilogy is irradiated by the unspoken unseen presence of Christ.” How are we to understand this?
Ryken offers a number of explanations, but I think one of the most compelling is Tolkien’s view of himself as a “sub-creator” who imitated his own Creator in a small way by making new worlds of the imagination. Such worlds necessarily reflect the character of their sub-creator and of his Creator.
Tolkien wrote, “The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first but consciously in the revision. I . . . have cut out practically all references to anything like ‘religion,’ to cults and practices in the imaginary world. For the religious element is absorbed into the story and the symbolism.”
Ryken adds, “If Tolkien is right, and Christianity is absorbed into his story, then we should expect to find Christ present in many places—not allegorically but inherently.” And as he argues, that is just what we find.
In fact, Ryken quotes George Sayer, a former student of Lewis, as saying that Tolkien read reviews of The Lord of the Rings and letters about it, and sometimes would say, “I never thought of that. I thought I was writing it as pure story.” As Ryken notes, he “recognized in his own work the real but unintended presence of biblical truth.” It appears that as Tolkien wrote, “a biblical worldview so thoroughly penetrated his imagination that inevitably it pervaded his literary art.”
As a result, as Peter Kreeft puts it, “There is no one complete, concrete, visible Christ figure in The Lord of the Rings, like Aslan in Narnia. But Christ is really, though invisibly, present in the whole of The Lord of the Rings.”
Ryken concludes, “The character of Christ is not a single thread in the story, but is deeply woven into the entire narrative fabric. Indeed, is it possible for us to think of a book that more richly incarnates the themes of the gospel?”
August 21, 2023
The literary analysis portion is a bit shallow and the argument somewhat contrived. Perhaps the greatest weakness was the author's repeated reference to his position as a college president, even though his thesis concerned the application of the three-fold office of Christ to the lives of all believers.
The book is worthwhile but falls behind The Hobbit Party: The Vision of Freedom That Tolkien Got, and the West Forgot, Master of Middle-Earth: The Fiction of J.R.R. Tolkien, and Tolkien And The Great War: The Threshold of Middle-earth in academic and historical value.
The book is worthwhile but falls behind The Hobbit Party: The Vision of Freedom That Tolkien Got, and the West Forgot, Master of Middle-Earth: The Fiction of J.R.R. Tolkien, and Tolkien And The Great War: The Threshold of Middle-earth in academic and historical value.
March 1, 2025
I've long been aware that Christ's three-fold office as prophet, priest, and king corresponds to the three main Christ figures in LOTR: Gandalf (prophet), Frodo (priest), and king (Aragorn). I was looking forward to a book that developed this idea further, drawing out implications.
Mainly, I was disappointed. The book definitely establishes well that Christ's three-fold office is attested by church fathers, that various quotes from the books support this idea of the characters' parallels to the offices, and that though Tolkien is officially opposed to allegory, that does not mean he is opposed to Christian meaning and application being drawn from his work. All three major chapters repeated these processes, because the book is adapted from a lecture series in which each lecture needed to revisit the same proofs to some degree. If my understanding deepened, it was mainly through the collection of quotes all in one place that proved the "office" of each character, or a well-placed selection from one of Tolkien's letters. The main implications Ryken drew out were the applications for college presidents; these sections felt perfunctory and inapplicable to most people.
The three "response essays" after each chapter were especially bewildering: I can't for the life of me see what they add. My guess is that they were a response to a sense someone had that there was something lacking in simply transcribing these lectures and saying they were a book. I felt that lack, too, but these essays were not the solution; they seemed to highlight rather than disguise the lack.
Mainly, I was disappointed. The book definitely establishes well that Christ's three-fold office is attested by church fathers, that various quotes from the books support this idea of the characters' parallels to the offices, and that though Tolkien is officially opposed to allegory, that does not mean he is opposed to Christian meaning and application being drawn from his work. All three major chapters repeated these processes, because the book is adapted from a lecture series in which each lecture needed to revisit the same proofs to some degree. If my understanding deepened, it was mainly through the collection of quotes all in one place that proved the "office" of each character, or a well-placed selection from one of Tolkien's letters. The main implications Ryken drew out were the applications for college presidents; these sections felt perfunctory and inapplicable to most people.
The three "response essays" after each chapter were especially bewildering: I can't for the life of me see what they add. My guess is that they were a response to a sense someone had that there was something lacking in simply transcribing these lectures and saying they were a book. I felt that lack, too, but these essays were not the solution; they seemed to highlight rather than disguise the lack.
October 24, 2018
Fantástico!
February 29, 2024
Simple to follow, engages both theological and Christological arguments, as well as a thorough exploration of the relevant material from Tolkien, all in a concise format. My only mild criticism is the level of repetition within such a small book, however the nature of expositing the threefold office of Christ may require this for completeness.
May 16, 2020
I enjoyed this book, largely because of my interest in Tolkien as well as messianic theology.
I have often thought about the prophet, priest, and king motif in the three primary heroic characters in LOTR. Gandalf and Aragorn were always quite clear to me, and I can see Frodo in a theologically priestly sense. It was a bit surprising, though, to see that the discussion of the hobbits focused primarily on the priesthood of believers rather than the priestly office of the Messiah. I understand that the priestly work of the Messiah makes possible the priesthood of believers, but the emphasis in this treatment of the priestly role seemed to detract a bit from the argument of the book, which is to focus on the threefold office of the Messiah.
Also, the format of the book sort of forced it to be quite repetitive in a number of places.
At the end of each section, there is a practical application that is primarily directed at the role of a college president. This seemed about odd since so few of the people who read this book will be college presidents.
In the end, there’s a lot of good stuff in this book. While it is been well documented that Tolkien clearly states that he disliked allegory, he also acknowledges that it was impossible to avoid including key elements of the Christian faith in the new world he created.
I have often thought about the prophet, priest, and king motif in the three primary heroic characters in LOTR. Gandalf and Aragorn were always quite clear to me, and I can see Frodo in a theologically priestly sense. It was a bit surprising, though, to see that the discussion of the hobbits focused primarily on the priesthood of believers rather than the priestly office of the Messiah. I understand that the priestly work of the Messiah makes possible the priesthood of believers, but the emphasis in this treatment of the priestly role seemed to detract a bit from the argument of the book, which is to focus on the threefold office of the Messiah.
Also, the format of the book sort of forced it to be quite repetitive in a number of places.
At the end of each section, there is a practical application that is primarily directed at the role of a college president. This seemed about odd since so few of the people who read this book will be college presidents.
In the end, there’s a lot of good stuff in this book. While it is been well documented that Tolkien clearly states that he disliked allegory, he also acknowledges that it was impossible to avoid including key elements of the Christian faith in the new world he created.
April 16, 2018
I found Ryken's essays helpful, especially the essay about priesthood. However, the response essays did not add much to the book for me. Perhaps this is because I read primarily interested in the literary aspect rather than in personal application.
March 30, 2020
A terrific mix of literary study, biblical theology, and church history. A great read for both LOTR fans and students of theology. Only downside were the “response” essays, which didn’t really add anything to the discussion and felt more like filler.
March 22, 2020
Philip Ryken takes an in-depth look at the three main characters of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings as representing the Christ-like offices of prophet, priest, and king. It's a brief commentary broken into three sections of Gandalf (the prophet), Frodo (along with Sam as priests), and Aragorn (the king). Each section explores the biblical and historical definition of each office followed by examples of each Tolkienien character supported by passages in the books.
Ryken doesn't suggest a conscious or direct allegory on Tolkien's part of each character to the threefold of offices, instead he does states, "If Tolkien is right, and Christianity is absorbed into his story, then we should expect to find Christ in many places--not allegorically but inherently..." He makes the argument that Christ cannot and is not represented by any sole character in The Lord of the Rings, but can only be represented by many.
Probably my favorite character-focus was Gandalf. Gandalf is, prophetically, the beacon of truth throughout the story. Ryken discusses his foreknowledge and wisdom in Bilbo's pity of Gollum, which later changes Frodo and the fate of the Ring. Had Bilbo not spared him, and Gandalf not encouraged Frodo to take the same attitude toward him, the destruction of the Ring would not have occurred. "More than telling the future--to whatever end--Gandalf sees the present in true perspective, and this too is a prophetic gift." Gandalf is crucial character in his wisdom, especially in his discernment of good and evil.
Ryken also goes into detail of the priestly sacrifice of Frodo and Sam; they gave up their lives knowing they might would lose them, for the good of Middle-earth. He also argues that Frodo's pity toward Gollum can be seen as a priestly virtue. Likewise with Aragorn, Ryken portrays him as the ultimate fictional representation of what the return of the real King will seem like. A rugged Ranger from the North rising to the task of ruling Gondor and Anor echoes images of Jesus, born in a lowly manger and being raised to the office of King.
Philip Ryken breaks down easily overlooked representations of biblical truths in Tolkien's work and gives them Scriptural background. My only criticism is the presence of so many passages applying his arguments to being a college president--it comes off a little exclusive and unnecessary. Overall, though, he does an excellent job of bringing to attention the integration of the threefold offices of Christ through Gandalf's wisdom, Frodo's perseverance, and Aragorn's love as an example for us to imitate.
Ryken doesn't suggest a conscious or direct allegory on Tolkien's part of each character to the threefold of offices, instead he does states, "If Tolkien is right, and Christianity is absorbed into his story, then we should expect to find Christ in many places--not allegorically but inherently..." He makes the argument that Christ cannot and is not represented by any sole character in The Lord of the Rings, but can only be represented by many.
Probably my favorite character-focus was Gandalf. Gandalf is, prophetically, the beacon of truth throughout the story. Ryken discusses his foreknowledge and wisdom in Bilbo's pity of Gollum, which later changes Frodo and the fate of the Ring. Had Bilbo not spared him, and Gandalf not encouraged Frodo to take the same attitude toward him, the destruction of the Ring would not have occurred. "More than telling the future--to whatever end--Gandalf sees the present in true perspective, and this too is a prophetic gift." Gandalf is crucial character in his wisdom, especially in his discernment of good and evil.
Ryken also goes into detail of the priestly sacrifice of Frodo and Sam; they gave up their lives knowing they might would lose them, for the good of Middle-earth. He also argues that Frodo's pity toward Gollum can be seen as a priestly virtue. Likewise with Aragorn, Ryken portrays him as the ultimate fictional representation of what the return of the real King will seem like. A rugged Ranger from the North rising to the task of ruling Gondor and Anor echoes images of Jesus, born in a lowly manger and being raised to the office of King.
Philip Ryken breaks down easily overlooked representations of biblical truths in Tolkien's work and gives them Scriptural background. My only criticism is the presence of so many passages applying his arguments to being a college president--it comes off a little exclusive and unnecessary. Overall, though, he does an excellent job of bringing to attention the integration of the threefold offices of Christ through Gandalf's wisdom, Frodo's perseverance, and Aragorn's love as an example for us to imitate.
April 7, 2018
An extremely enjoyable, and surprisingly insightful, response/interpretation of Tolkien's magnum opus. As a huge fan of LOTR, I've read several books that are similar to Ryken's, and I found his clear, honest approach to be one of the most respectful. He emphasizes (rightly) that interpreting Tolkien's work is dangerous territory, as the author himself was famously and determinedly anti-allegory. But in so doing, Ryken lays respectful and nuanced groundwork for his own understanding of Tolkien's deeply Christian imagery, setting and characterization. I found his argument - that the prophetic, priestly and kingly biblical archetypes show up in Tolkien's characters - quite compelling. And more so, his explanations turned me back towards the original story with greater reverence and appreciation, not only for the rich symbolism Tolkien evoked, but even simply for the beautiful way he used language. Ryken's short chapters (once delivered as lectures) are replete with quotations from the original text, and they are soul-stirring. The chapter on the prophetic role of Gandalf is probably the best (in my opinion), though there are powerful insights to be found in every chapter.
This is an easy recommendation for fans of Lord of the Rings. Whether or not you consider yourself a Christian, Ryken's approach will certainly help you appreciate the deep ways in which Tolkien's imagination was shaped by the Christian story.
This is an easy recommendation for fans of Lord of the Rings. Whether or not you consider yourself a Christian, Ryken's approach will certainly help you appreciate the deep ways in which Tolkien's imagination was shaped by the Christian story.
July 4, 2018
In "The Messiah Comes to Middle Earth," Leland Ryken explores how “the three central protagonists in "The Lord of the Rings"—Gandalf, Frodo, and Aragorn—offer us images of the threefold office of Jesus Christ as prophet, priest, and king. While Tolkien is clear about his disdain of allegory, Ryken shows that the connections to biblical truths and practical Christianity he sees in the novel are not forced upon the text but flow naturally from the pen of a practicing Catholic (Tolkien: “I don’t feel under any obligation to make my story fit with formalized Christian theology, though I actually intended it to be consonant with Christian thought and belief.”)
These real but sometimes “unintended” Christian themes are helpfully explicated by Ryken in these lectures with responses provided by others to round out the scholarship. "The Messiah Comes to Middle Earth" is a great example of Christian literary criticism and historical theology. Some parts (relating the text to university leadership, for example) and the responses were not as engaging to me, and I felt that the text became a bit repetitive, especially towards the end. But it is a fun read in general and well worth the time and effort.
These real but sometimes “unintended” Christian themes are helpfully explicated by Ryken in these lectures with responses provided by others to round out the scholarship. "The Messiah Comes to Middle Earth" is a great example of Christian literary criticism and historical theology. Some parts (relating the text to university leadership, for example) and the responses were not as engaging to me, and I felt that the text became a bit repetitive, especially towards the end. But it is a fun read in general and well worth the time and effort.
September 4, 2017
Philip Ryken gave a series of lectures on J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. The lectureship series was the Hansen Lectureship at the Wade Center. The Wade Collection at Wheaton College focuses on the works of seven British authors: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Dorothy Sayers, George MacDonald, G.K. Chesterton, Charles Williams, and Owen Barfield.
In The Messiah Comes to Middle Earth, Ryken explores how there "are really three main Christ figures in The Lord of the Rings, and each one echoes a different aspect of the work of Christ—what theologians call his “threefold office” as prophet, priest, and king." Symbolizing Christ as a prophet, we have Gandalf. Symbolizing Christ as a priest, we have Frodo (and Sam). Symbolizing Christ as king, we have Aragorn. There is a chapter dedicated to each Christ-figure. Ryken pulls together several things: Tolkien's text, the church fathers' writings on Christ's role as prophet, priest, and kind, and Scripture itself. In addition, Ryken makes a case for relevance and application. How are Christians--leaders, pastors, believers--to live as prophets, priests, and kings? For example, he writes, "According to our various callings, we all have some responsibility to speak prophetic words, offer priestly service, and exercise kingly authority."
In The Messiah Comes to Middle Earth, Ryken explores how there "are really three main Christ figures in The Lord of the Rings, and each one echoes a different aspect of the work of Christ—what theologians call his “threefold office” as prophet, priest, and king." Symbolizing Christ as a prophet, we have Gandalf. Symbolizing Christ as a priest, we have Frodo (and Sam). Symbolizing Christ as king, we have Aragorn. There is a chapter dedicated to each Christ-figure. Ryken pulls together several things: Tolkien's text, the church fathers' writings on Christ's role as prophet, priest, and kind, and Scripture itself. In addition, Ryken makes a case for relevance and application. How are Christians--leaders, pastors, believers--to live as prophets, priests, and kings? For example, he writes, "According to our various callings, we all have some responsibility to speak prophetic words, offer priestly service, and exercise kingly authority."
January 4, 2026
Delightful. Dr. Ryken uses beloved Tolkien characters Gandalf, Frodo, Samwise, and Aragorn to illustrate the Munus triplex—Christ’s threefold office of prophet, priest, and king. “Through his wise words of guidance and miraculous acts of deliverance, Gandalf the Grey fulfills the role of a prophet. Together Frodo and Sam nobly carry out the sacred priestly duty of bearing a burden unto death,… [and] Aragorn returns to his royal city in triumph.”
Dr. Ryken concludes by exhorting Christian leaders to mirror the three offices of Christ and to integrate consistent practices into their daily ministries and lives. “They need vision and instruction that are consistent with the Word of God (prophetic office). They need a ministry of presence and prayerful dependence on God’s grace (priestly office). They need clear doctrinal boundaries, wise allocation of resources, and decisive leadership on strategic priorities (kingly office).” In my work with him at Wheaton College, Dr. Ryken faithfully embodied each office. He remains the best leader I have ever worked under.
Dr. Ryken accomplished an impressive amount in few pages. He deepened my appreciation and love for my favorite story, The Lord of the Rings. He helpfully clarified Tolkien's attitude toward allegory. I appreciated the excerpts included from Tolkien's correspondences. Most importantly, Dr. Ryken reinvigorated my commitment to seek out improvement across the three facets this year as I work to become a more faithful embodiment of Christlikeness to those around me at law school and as I approach marriage. For that, I am grateful. The book’s only flaw is that, as converted lectures, there are somewhat repetitive passages on the history of the munus triplex at the beginning of each of the three segments.
Quote:
“[P]ower transfigured by love is the power that saves Middle-earth—not just the power of Aragorn’s love but his love conjoined with Gandalf’s wisdom and Frodo’s perseverance through his friendship with Sam. The salvation of the kingdom requires nothing less than the unified efforts of all three Christ figures…. The convergence of prophethood, priesthood, and kingship proves sufficient to tear down the walls of Mordor, to defeat the dark forces of evil, and to establish a golden kingdom.”
Dr. Ryken concludes by exhorting Christian leaders to mirror the three offices of Christ and to integrate consistent practices into their daily ministries and lives. “They need vision and instruction that are consistent with the Word of God (prophetic office). They need a ministry of presence and prayerful dependence on God’s grace (priestly office). They need clear doctrinal boundaries, wise allocation of resources, and decisive leadership on strategic priorities (kingly office).” In my work with him at Wheaton College, Dr. Ryken faithfully embodied each office. He remains the best leader I have ever worked under.
Dr. Ryken accomplished an impressive amount in few pages. He deepened my appreciation and love for my favorite story, The Lord of the Rings. He helpfully clarified Tolkien's attitude toward allegory. I appreciated the excerpts included from Tolkien's correspondences. Most importantly, Dr. Ryken reinvigorated my commitment to seek out improvement across the three facets this year as I work to become a more faithful embodiment of Christlikeness to those around me at law school and as I approach marriage. For that, I am grateful. The book’s only flaw is that, as converted lectures, there are somewhat repetitive passages on the history of the munus triplex at the beginning of each of the three segments.
Quote:
“[P]ower transfigured by love is the power that saves Middle-earth—not just the power of Aragorn’s love but his love conjoined with Gandalf’s wisdom and Frodo’s perseverance through his friendship with Sam. The salvation of the kingdom requires nothing less than the unified efforts of all three Christ figures…. The convergence of prophethood, priesthood, and kingship proves sufficient to tear down the walls of Mordor, to defeat the dark forces of evil, and to establish a golden kingdom.”
January 6, 2018
As someone who loves Lord of the Rings and looking for Gospel echoes in the stories we tell, this book just ticks all the boxes. I really enjoyed how Philip Ryken goes through the Prophet, Priest and King characters and at each stage reveals how they echo and represent Christ. It felt like a book rich in theology and storytelling. A very enjoyable read.
November 12, 2019
Um livro realmente incrível!
Philip Ryken traz uma análise detalhada sobre o munus triplex de Cristo na obra de Tolkien, "O Senhor dos Anéis". Passando por vários personagens e mostrando qual ofício de Cristo o tal personagem representa e o que isso implica nas nossas vidas, Ryken, se posso falar assim, fez uma obra de arte mostrando como Cristo está em todo o livro de Tolkien.
Muitas pessoas podem achar que Ryken está exagerando em querer colocar Cristo no livro "O Senhor dos Anéis", mas permita-me mostrar o que o próprio Tolkien disse:
"O Senhor dos Anéis obviamente é uma obra fundamentalmente religiosa e católica; inconscientemente no início, mas conscientemente na revisão. E por isso que não introduzi, ou suprimi, praticamente todas as referências a qualquer coisa como 'religião', a cultos ou práticas, no mundo imaginário. Pois o elemento religioso é absorvido na história e no simbolismo." (Tolkien, Cartas, p. 167).
Ou seja," a imaginação de Tolkien foi claramente inspirada nas promessas do Reino que ele leu na Bíblia", como afirma Ryken.
O interessante que não só Ryken percebeu isso, mas Peter Kreeft também, ele diz:
"Não há uma figura de Cristo completa, concreta e visível em O Senhor dos Anéis, tal como Aslam em Nárnia. Mas Cristo encontra-se realmente, embora invisivelmente, presente na totalidade de O Senhor dos Anéis."
Podemos ver que O Senhor dos Anéis é uma obra de literatura de verdade, o conto de fadas foi utilizado para glorificar a Deus, como todas as obras deveriam ser.
Philip Ryken traz uma análise detalhada sobre o munus triplex de Cristo na obra de Tolkien, "O Senhor dos Anéis". Passando por vários personagens e mostrando qual ofício de Cristo o tal personagem representa e o que isso implica nas nossas vidas, Ryken, se posso falar assim, fez uma obra de arte mostrando como Cristo está em todo o livro de Tolkien.
Muitas pessoas podem achar que Ryken está exagerando em querer colocar Cristo no livro "O Senhor dos Anéis", mas permita-me mostrar o que o próprio Tolkien disse:
"O Senhor dos Anéis obviamente é uma obra fundamentalmente religiosa e católica; inconscientemente no início, mas conscientemente na revisão. E por isso que não introduzi, ou suprimi, praticamente todas as referências a qualquer coisa como 'religião', a cultos ou práticas, no mundo imaginário. Pois o elemento religioso é absorvido na história e no simbolismo." (Tolkien, Cartas, p. 167).
Ou seja," a imaginação de Tolkien foi claramente inspirada nas promessas do Reino que ele leu na Bíblia", como afirma Ryken.
O interessante que não só Ryken percebeu isso, mas Peter Kreeft também, ele diz:
"Não há uma figura de Cristo completa, concreta e visível em O Senhor dos Anéis, tal como Aslam em Nárnia. Mas Cristo encontra-se realmente, embora invisivelmente, presente na totalidade de O Senhor dos Anéis."
Podemos ver que O Senhor dos Anéis é uma obra de literatura de verdade, o conto de fadas foi utilizado para glorificar a Deus, como todas as obras deveriam ser.
March 20, 2024
Despite the fact that the lectures-turned-book was somewhat awkward to read and at times this leaned a little dry, I appreciated it as a follow-up to my recent reread of LOTR, especially in the way it emphasized certain aspects that stood out to me this time through the trilogy–namely the kingship of Aragorn and the messianic nature of the epic's central protagonists.
May 28, 2021
I just reread LOTR last year during the first few months of quarantine...but this book makes me want to pick them up immediately and begin anew. Gorgeous book on archetypes that we could mine for years.
January 12, 2023
Fascinating and enlightening. If you love LOTR and enjoy seeing the biblical parallels, this is for you.
July 6, 2019
Brilliant!
July 9, 2019
The Messiah Comes to Middle Earth is a good quick read that I would recommend for many Christian friends who like The Lord of the Rings. It turns out that reading this immediately after finishing The Lord of the Rings was a wise choice as well, though Dr. Ryken does a good job of presenting occurrences from the book where applicable so they require little context.
I had not heard of the three offices of Christ, so I am very grateful for Dr. Ryken’s thorough explanation of this theology before getting into the comparisons between Jesus and the four characters of The Lord of the Rings. The comparisons are apt and both provide a deeper understanding of the Christian concepts as well as give fresh insights as to what these offices look like fleshed out in a story we should be familiar with if we are interested in this book.
I do feel like there is some missing context to the book as a whole, unfortunately. It seems like it is taken for granted that we know Dr. Ryken intimately (I don’t), or at minimum that we attend Wheaton College where he presides (again I don’t). There are many times where he makes comparisons of the theology to his office as the president of a Christian college, but this connection has little bearing for me as I am completely unfamiliar with how that office runs.
While the comparisons and explanations are great, I do feel they were repetitive, and what I would consider the “meat” of the story - comparing our favorite characters in the story to the offices of Christ - amounts to less than half of the book. Dr. Ryken reiterates what the theology is with each chapter, embellishes each time, and makes connection to his position for each as well. I would like for more examining where the offices are present in Tolkien’s work.
In all, I feel this is a good book that I was happy to have read. I will display it with my Middle Earth collection on my bookshelf happily.
I had not heard of the three offices of Christ, so I am very grateful for Dr. Ryken’s thorough explanation of this theology before getting into the comparisons between Jesus and the four characters of The Lord of the Rings. The comparisons are apt and both provide a deeper understanding of the Christian concepts as well as give fresh insights as to what these offices look like fleshed out in a story we should be familiar with if we are interested in this book.
I do feel like there is some missing context to the book as a whole, unfortunately. It seems like it is taken for granted that we know Dr. Ryken intimately (I don’t), or at minimum that we attend Wheaton College where he presides (again I don’t). There are many times where he makes comparisons of the theology to his office as the president of a Christian college, but this connection has little bearing for me as I am completely unfamiliar with how that office runs.
While the comparisons and explanations are great, I do feel they were repetitive, and what I would consider the “meat” of the story - comparing our favorite characters in the story to the offices of Christ - amounts to less than half of the book. Dr. Ryken reiterates what the theology is with each chapter, embellishes each time, and makes connection to his position for each as well. I would like for more examining where the offices are present in Tolkien’s work.
In all, I feel this is a good book that I was happy to have read. I will display it with my Middle Earth collection on my bookshelf happily.
March 1, 2018
While I agree with the broad assertion that elements of Christ's roles as prophet, priest, and king are reflected in LoTR characters due to the impact of the gospel upon Tolkien's imagination, many of the specific points I found unconvincing. As an example, although I consider myself both an avid LoTR fan and Reformed, this passage from p82 rubbed me the wrong way:
"I would like to highlight the way Frodo's faltering particularly resonates with the primary motivation behind the Protestant Reformation's advancement of the threefold office of Christ and the priesthood of all believers more than any direct victory on Frodo's part would have. Indeed, it is in this strange paradox of Frodo's defeat and victory through which the Reformation message can powerfully shine."
To be fair, this passage was written by McNutt in one of the response essays, not Ryken. But considering Tolkien was Catholic, not Protestant, this is certainly not something that he would have consciously or unconsciously built into LoTR.
Then again, this entire book is about reading additional meaning into the Lord of the Rings. So perhaps my expectations were just off. Thankfully, although repetitive due to format as other reviewers mention, the book is still a quick read (much faster than regular or extended editions of any of the movies :D ) and can be finished easily in a cross-country plane ride!
"I would like to highlight the way Frodo's faltering particularly resonates with the primary motivation behind the Protestant Reformation's advancement of the threefold office of Christ and the priesthood of all believers more than any direct victory on Frodo's part would have. Indeed, it is in this strange paradox of Frodo's defeat and victory through which the Reformation message can powerfully shine."
To be fair, this passage was written by McNutt in one of the response essays, not Ryken. But considering Tolkien was Catholic, not Protestant, this is certainly not something that he would have consciously or unconsciously built into LoTR.
Then again, this entire book is about reading additional meaning into the Lord of the Rings. So perhaps my expectations were just off. Thankfully, although repetitive due to format as other reviewers mention, the book is still a quick read (much faster than regular or extended editions of any of the movies :D ) and can be finished easily in a cross-country plane ride!
February 22, 2020
Nessa obra, Ryken mostra como o triplo ofício de Cristo pode ser percebido em alguns personagens do Senhor dos Anéis. Sabe-se que Tolkien rejeitava alegorizações de sua obra, ainda que reconhecesse que alguns personagens tinham muitos elementos cristãos possíveis de figurar a ética cristã e a vida de Cristo. A partir disso, o autor aponta que o mago Gandalf pode ser tido como uma figura de Cristo como profeta, por ser ele um pregador, um pastor sacrificial e um acalentador de almas. De Frodo e Sam, Ryken sustenta que são figuras do sacerdócio de Cristo e exemplos de amor e perseverança para o serviço cristão. Do rei Aragorn, o autor ressalta que sua legitimidade, paciência sacrificial e dom de cura apontam figurativamente para o reinado de Cristo. É um livro excelente que deve ser lido depois da leitura de O Senhor dos Anéis, pois o autor faz várias citações, conta fatos e trechos da obra que devem ser conhecidas anteriormente.
January 4, 2018
This book is a collection of three lectures and three short (and superbly unnecessary) responses. If you accept Ryken's premise then it's certainly well-argued and thoughtfully supported. I also appreciate that Ryken addresses the question: would Tolkien even approve of this type of analysis of his work? He brings in a discussion Tolkien's distaste of allegory. Great. Here's my thought though: does fitting Gandalf, Frodo, and Aragorn in to this threefold-office-of-Christ schema actually ADD anything to either (a) my reading of "The Lord of the Rings," or (b) my faith & my understanding of the Gospel? In short: no. Well-argued points coming from a true Tolkien fan, and I'll give it 3 stars because, even though I don't think this has a real point, the authorship is not wholly in vain.
February 15, 2018
I was mildly disappointed by this book. I was expecting a book by a Tolkien scholar when this is a series of three lectures and responses by a university president. It is certainly the best book by a university president I've read this year! But the best parts must be the extended quotes of Tolkien in each chapter. Ryken has done an admirable job of collating these quotes and especially of using the appendices to bring out details of Tolkien's thought that are not obvious from the main narrative of Lord of the Rings. However, there's just not enough value added to the mix for me, although as an avid Tolkien fan I admit I'm hard to please.
Want to read
December 3, 2018
November 29, 2019
Foi ótimo voltar à Terra Média. Agora com um guia, que me ajudou a ver muitas das partes mais bonitas de lá. Muitas eu já tinha visto, outras foram novidade.
Que vontade de ler tudo de novo!
Que vontade de ler tudo de novo!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews