: However, and even asside from the fact that Tolkien said it was, it isn't hard to put that spin on the story, without any real leaps of faith (as it were). Good vs evil in a conflict that will either leave Middle Earth enslaved or set it free. Doesn't take a learned loremaster to start putting the elements of the story into a christian themed thesis.

: -RobRoy

I disagree. Lewis's fantasy fiction was actually a great deal more explicitly Christian than that of Tolkien.

One must remember that Tolkien made the statement that started this thread in response to criticism from fellow Catholics that Middle Earth was a pagan rather than Christian world. It was thus a rather defensive comment, which (IMHO) can't really be justified from the text.

I think it would be truer to say that there are a number of themes running through the book which are compatible with Christian philosophy, though not exclusive to it. These include the importance of uncoerced free will; the importance of pity and mercy; the idea that evil is incapable of creation; the view that an evil being is defeated by his inability to understand goodness; the importance of doing what is right even when harmful to oneself.

Tolkien strongly disliked allegory, and was quite explicit in rejecting any parallel between the suffering of Frodo, and the death of Gandalf, and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There is no organised religion or priesthood in Middle Earth, and indeed, in his letters Tolkien said that such things would have had evil associations for the Free Peoples, who would have associated them with the worship of Sauron.

Again, there is no suggestion on the part of Tolkien that any of his characters finish up in Heaven or Hell, nor is there any plan of salvation.

Hence I reject the original statement.

Sean