TOLKIEN IS HOBBIT-FORMING

TOLKIEN IS HOBBIT-FORMING

“The Lord of the Rings is not, as some have suggested, a covert allegory of the gospel. Tolkien clearly denied that idea… Tolkien was telling a story, not proclaiming a message. Nevertheless, a message does come through—As with any artistic effort, what Tolkien believed was part of him, and that beliefbecame part of what he created.”

~ Kurt Bruner

“The Lord of the Rings is not, as some have suggested, a covert allegory of the gospel. Tolkien clearly denied that idea… Tolkien was telling a story, not proclaiming a message. Nevertheless, a message does come through—As with any artistic effort, what Tolkien believed was part of him, and that beliefbecame part of what he created.”

~ Kurt Bruner

“He wanted the mythological and legendary stories to express his own moral view of the universe, and as a Christian he could not place this view in a cosmos without the God that he worshipped.”

~ Humphrey Carpenter

“He wanted the mythological and legendary stories to express his own moral view of the universe, and as a Christian he could not place this view in a cosmos without the God that he worshipped.”

~ Humphrey Carpenter

“Tolkien could not create from nothing. Only God can do that. But he was able to sub-create an entire world using his imagination, his beliefs, and his experiences in the world around him.”

~ Joseph Pearce

“Tolkien could not create from nothing. Only God can do that. But he was able to sub-create an entire world using his imagination, his beliefs, and his experiences in the world around him.”

~ Joseph Pearce

“The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Christian work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision.”

~ J.R.R. Tolkien

“The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Christian work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision.”

~ J.R.R. Tolkien

“God is the Lord, of angels, and of men—and of elves.”

~ J.R.R. Tolkien

“God is the Lord, of angels, and of men—and of elves.”

~ J.R.R. Tolkien

The Trap of TemptationThe Trap of Temptation

a.Victory over temptation becomes difficult when sin becomes precious

a.Victory over temptation becomes difficult when sin becomes precious

b.Temptation promises what you most crave, but it takes what you can’t afford

b.Temptation promises what you most crave, but it takes what you can’t afford

“Tolkien’s Ring is an image of the unwholesome, perverting power of evil and self-serving sin—a progressive, growing, encroaching power that starts small and ends big.”

~ Jim Ware

“Tolkien’s Ring is an image of the unwholesome, perverting power of evil and self-serving sin—a progressive, growing, encroaching power that starts small and ends big.”

~ Jim Ware

Temptation comes from the lure of our own evil desires.

These evil desires lead to evil actions, and evil actions lead

to death.

Temptation comes from the lure of our own evil desires.

These evil desires lead to evil actions, and evil actions lead

to death.

James 1:14-15 (NLT)

c. Temptation warns you that evil is nearby

c. Temptation warns you that evil is nearby

d.The closer you get to evil, the stronger temptation becomes.

d.The closer you get to evil, the stronger temptation becomes.

“Temptation will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than

you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to

pay.”

“Temptation will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than

you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to

pay.”

The Value of CommunityThe Value of Community

“In the unlikely heroism of the small and the weak, Tolkien’s pre-Christian world becomes most Christian. Their greatness is not self-made. As a fledgling community the Nine Walkers experience a far-off foretaste of the fellowship that Christians call the church

“In the unlikely heroism of the small and the weak, Tolkien’s pre-Christian world becomes most Christian. Their greatness is not self-made. As a fledgling community the Nine Walkers experience a far-off foretaste of the fellowship that Christians call the church

universal… They are united not only by their common hatred of evil, but by their ever-increasing, ever more self-surrendering regard for each other.”

~ Dr. Ralph Wood

universal… They are united not only by their common hatred of evil, but by their ever-increasing, ever more self-surrendering regard for each other.”

~ Dr. Ralph Wood

We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future. There is only one Lord,

one faith, one baptism, and there is only one God and

Father, who is over us all and in us all and living through us all.

We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future. There is only one Lord,

one faith, one baptism, and there is only one God and

Father, who is over us all and in us all and living through us all.

Ephesians 4:4-6 (NLT)

a.You can share the loada.You can share the load

Dear brothers and sisters, if another Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently

and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation

yourself. Share each other’s troubles and problems, and in this

way obey the law of Christ.

Dear brothers and sisters, if another Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently

and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation

yourself. Share each other’s troubles and problems, and in this

way obey the law of Christ.Galatians 6:1-2 (NLT)

b.You can hold each other accountable

b.You can hold each other accountable

A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-

back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily

broken.

A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-

back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily

broken.Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NLT)

c. You give each other hopec. You give each other hope

Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. Then he went on alone into the desert, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors…”

Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. Then he went on alone into the desert, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors…”1 Kings 19:3-4, 9b-10 (NLT)

But the LORD said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I alone am left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”

But the LORD said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I alone am left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”

1 Kings 19:3-4, 9b-10 (NLT)

The Impact of the OrdinaryThe Impact of the Ordinary

“They are not tragic and death-defying warriors like Ajax or Achilles or Beowulf; they are frail and comic foot-soldiers like us. The Nine Walkers – four hobbits, two men, an elf, a dwarf, and a wizard – constitute not a company of the noble but of the ordinary.”

~ Dr. Ralph Wood

“They are not tragic and death-defying warriors like Ajax or Achilles or Beowulf; they are frail and comic foot-soldiers like us. The Nine Walkers – four hobbits, two men, an elf, a dwarf, and a wizard – constitute not a company of the noble but of the ordinary.”

~ Dr. Ralph Wood

With God, the ordinary can do the

extraordinary.

With God, the ordinary can do the

extraordinary.

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome

them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one

who is in the world.

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome

them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one

who is in the world.

1 John 4:4 (NIV)

For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives

me the strength I need.

For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives

me the strength I need.

Philippians 4:13 (NLT)

This idea—that God uses small hands to accomplish great deeds—could almost be called the heart and soul of Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.

~ Jim Ware

This idea—that God uses small hands to accomplish great deeds—could almost be called the heart and soul of Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.

~ Jim Ware

“My thoughts are completely different from yours,” says

the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you

could imagine.”

“My thoughts are completely different from yours,” says

the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you

could imagine.”

Isaiah 55:8 (NLT)

The Ultimate Triumph of Good

The Ultimate Triumph of Good

If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless, and you are still under condemnation for your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ have perished! And if we have hope in Christ only for this life,

If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless, and you are still under condemnation for your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ have perished! And if we have hope in Christ only for this life,

1 Corinthians 15:16-22 (NLT)

we are the most miserable people in the world.But the fact is that Christ has been raised from the dead. He has become the first of a great harvest of those who will be raised to life again.So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, Adam,

we are the most miserable people in the world.But the fact is that Christ has been raised from the dead. He has become the first of a great harvest of those who will be raised to life again.So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, Adam,

1 Corinthians 15:16-22 (NLT)

now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man, Christ. Everyone dies because all of us are related to Adam, the first man. But all who are related to Christ, the other man, will be given new life.

now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man, Christ. Everyone dies because all of us are related to Adam, the first man. But all who are related to Christ, the other man, will be given new life.

1 Corinthians 15:16-22 (NLT)

“When all seems hopeless, hope

remains.”

“When all seems hopeless, hope

remains.”