Tolkien Dogmatics
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What do the words worlds of J. R. R. Tolkien teach us about theology? In Tolkien Dogmatics, Austin M. Freeman shares a fascinating look at how we can view theology through mythology with the maker of Middle-Earth.
A Window into Christian Worldview
At around 475 pages, this is a brilliant work that comprehensively captures the faith of J. R. R. Tolkien. Best known for writing The Lord of the Rings, his books act as a window into his Christian worldview.
This book is creatively arranged as a systematic theology. It brushes in broad strokes, studying Tolkien’s views on God, Humanity, Evil and Sin, Christ and Salvation. While Freeman admits that Tolkien never set out to write a systematic theology, he argues that Tolkien’s theology was expressed through stories.
Using Stories to Understand Theology
Seeing Tolkien’s regard for stories helps you better understand his theology. From speaking of providence to election, God as the Divine Author left an imprint on Tolkien as he wrote his own tales. Even in understanding the incarnation, Tolkien equates the incarnation in a limited way with “the presence of an author in his story.”
I was compelled to learn how Tolkien saw the Christian life. He did not see it as an easy one — “the whole world is a battleground between God and the devil, with Christians playing the part of soldiers pushing back the territory of the enemy.” When Freeman examines Tolkien’s characters, we see that Frodo “endures more pain than any other and is without honor in his own country.” This is a way Tolkien’s writings resonate as timeless truths even today.
God Made Known
Most interesting to me was a brief section on whether Tolkien was “inspired.” The answer is adamantly no, but one might speak of Tolkien’s work as “arising from revelation in this sense -- revelation as a special and direct gifting whose ultimate source is God, and meant in some sense to ‘testify for God and Truth’ and to ‘rekindle an old light.’”
Tolkien enthusiasts will find this book most enjoyable. But all public theologians will benefit from seeing how Tolkien engaged the world with his words. And anyone who loves a good story will see how God can be made known.
I received a media copy of Tolkien Dogmatics and this is my honest review. Find more of my book reviews and follow Dive In, Dig Deep on Instagram - my account dedicated to Bibles and books to see the beauty of the Bible and the role of reading in the Christian life. To read all of my book reviews and to receive all of the free eBooks I find on the web, subscribe to my free newsletter.