The Catholic Vision of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings | Prof. Paul Gondreau
May 7, 2019
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Prof. Paul Gondreau discusses how J.R.R. Tolkien's Catholic beliefs are reflected in 'The Lord of the Rings', highlighting themes of God, Christ, Eucharist, and divine providence. The podcast explores the influence of Catholic faith on characters, biblical imagery, virtues, and Eucharistic themes in the fantasy world. Topics include Eucharistic resonance, elevated womanhood, marriage, anti-Pelagianism, grace, divine folly, and forgiveness in Tolkien's work.
The Lord of the Rings reflects Catholic themes like the Trinity, Eucharist, and Mary, despite non-explicit mentions.
Tolkien portrays Eucharistic symbolism through humble acts and relationships of characters like Frodo and Sam.
The podcast explores Tolkien's anti-Pelagian stance, emphasizing human weakness and the need for divine grace.
Deep dives
Catholic Themes in The Lord of the Rings
The podcast delved into how J.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings is deeply intertwined with Catholic themes, reflecting significant elements of Catholic doctrine such as God, the Trinity, Christ, the Eucharist, the Virgin Mary, and more. Despite not overtly mentioning God or Catholicism in the story, Tolkien expressed his work as fundamentally religious and Catholic, layering the text with profound symbolism that echoes core Catholic beliefs.
The Eucharistic Symbolism and Table Fellowship
The podcast highlighted the Eucharistic resonance in The Lord of the Rings, drawing parallels between sacred themes and aspects of the story. Characters like Frodo and Sam, through their humble acts and relationships, reflected elements of the Eucharist in selfless giving, nourishment, and shared fellowship. These instances showcase a sacramental lens through which everyday activities and meals become imbued with spiritual significance.
Elevated Womanhood and Heroic Figures
The podcast touched on Tolkien's portrayal of noble and powerful female characters in The Lord of the Rings, such as Lady Galadriel, Lady Arwen, and Lady Eowyn, who embody wisdom and strength while embracing their femininity. These characters exemplify Tolkien's elevated view of womanhood, drawing inspiration from both personal experiences with influential women in his life and his deep-rooted Catholic faith that honors spiritual heroines like the Virgin Mary.
Anti-Pelagianism and Themes of Grace
The podcast explored Tolkien's anti-Pelagian perspective embedded in The Lord of the Rings, emphasizing the inherent human weakness in resisting evil and sin without divine grace. Through character arcs like Boromir's misguided pride and Frodo's reliance on external aid and forgiveness, the story mirrors the need for grace to conquer evil, illustrating Tolkien's theological insights into the nature of fallen humanity and the power of redemption.
Gospel-like Themes of Pity, Mercy, and Forgiveness
In discussing the pivotal role of pity, mercy, and forgiveness in the narrative, the podcast revealed how characters like Bilbo, Gandalf, Sam, and Frodo exemplify Christ-like virtues of compassion and forgiveness towards individuals like Gollum. These themes of redemption and self-sacrifice resonate with the core Christian values of empathy and grace, mirroring the biblical teaching of extending mercy and love even to those deemed unworthy.
Pauline Notion of Folly and Salvation
Lastly, the podcast explored the Pauline concept of divine folly in The Lord of the Rings, drawing parallels between the story's narrative arcs, character decisions, and the biblical idea of salvation through seemingly foolish or unexpected means. By weaving a tale of sacrificial quests, selfless acts, and the triumph of mercy over judgment, Tolkien artfully imbued his work with profound echoes of the gospel message and the transformative power of faith.
This talk was offered for our chapter at the United States Naval Academy on March 26th, 2019.
For more information on upcoming TI events, visit: thomisticinstitute.org/events-1
Speaker Bio:
Paul Gondreau earned his doctorate in sacred theology from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, writing under the renowned Thomist scholar Rev. JeanPierre Torrell, O.P. He is professor of theology at Providence College in Rhode Island, where he teaches/has taught courses on marriage, Christology, the theology of Thomas Aquinas, the Church, the Eucharist, the Sacraments, and the Catholic thought of J.R.R. Tolkien.
He has a published manuscript on Christ's human passions in the theology of St. Thomas Aquinas and has published numerous essays in the area of Thomistic Christology, Thomistic anthropology, a Thomistic account of human sexuality, and a Thomistic theology of disability. He is associate editor of the theological journal Nova et Vetera, and has served as a consultant to the USCCB's committee on marriage and family.
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