Preserving our Christian Heritage since 2001.
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Preserving our Christian Heritage since 2001.
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| Title: J. R. R. Tolkien's Sanctifying Myth, Understanding Middle-earth |
| Author: Birzer, Bradley J. |
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Format: Hardcover: 250 pages |
| Publisher: ISI Books (November 2002) |
| ISBN: 1882926846 |
| Review Date: July 19th, 2007 |
| Buy this Book from Amazon.com. |
Rating: |
| Book Description: A look at Tolkien's motives behind his massive Middle-earth collection. Birzer shows how Christianity was the central factor in all of Tolkien's creativity. |
Review:
Most people know Tolkien as the author of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, but Tolkien wrote numerous books and short stories, he even wrote several essays that are standards in their fields today. An essay of interest is On Fairy-Stories. On Fairy-Stories is an explanation of Tolkien's view about the place of fairy tales in modern society.
A concept that is reoccurring in many of Tolkien's stories is something he called "eucatastrophe." Eucatastrophe is the joyful catastrophe, something the reader did not expect, but a twist in the tale that turns the tide when all hope seems lost. Tolkien was fond of this method as it was a way of showing Providence in his works. While many people have noted that God is not mentioned that often in Middle-earth, Tolkien asserted that God was very active in Middle-earth. Tolkien liked subtly, and was surprised when he learned that many of his readers lacked the comprehension to understand his works. For example, the books are popular among Neo-Pagan and Wican circles, something that Tolkien was puzzled by, as he regarded The Lord of the Rings as a Christian story.
Another important aspect of Tolkien's thought was the idea of sub-creation. When we use are imagination, we are partaking in the Fatherhood of God by actively creating a world. This is all part of our bearing the image of God.
