Selected Articles on J.R.R. Tolkien

Introduction to J.R.R. Tolkien

• Tolkien's Faith | An Interview with Paul E. Kerry, editor of The Ring and the Cross: Christianity and The Lord of the Rings | by Sean McGuire | Ignatius Insight | May 23, 2011.
  
• Meeting Professor Tolkien, by Clyde S. Kilby. An American professor spent a summer with Tolkien. He remembers the man, his faith, and his writings. Christian History April 1, 2003.
  
• Tolkien: Man Behind the Myth At odds with his age, he created another. Christian History April 1, 2003.

Selected Articles on J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings

• The Generosity of Tolkien, by John Zmirak. InsideCatholic.com. January 27, 20010.
  
• Why Fantasy? - From the Introduction to Lord of the Elves and Eldils: Fantasy and Philosophy in C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, by Richard Purtill (Ignatius Press, 2007).
  
• The Presence of Christ in The Lord of the Rings, by Peter Kreeft. Excerpted from his new book The Philosophy of Tolkien: The Worldview behind The Lord of the Rings (Ignatius Press, 2005).
  
• "Truth and Myth: Unlocking the Lord of the Rings" Gheens Lectures. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Oct. 19, 2005.
  
• "Creator, Creation and Creativity: Understanding Tolkien's and Lewis' Philosophy of Myth" [.MP3 audio format]. Gheens Lectures. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Oct. 20, 2005
  
• Forum with Joseph Pearce, Russell D. Moore, James Parker, and Jim Orrick--Part 1. Oct. 21, 2005. [MP3]
  
• Forum with Joseph Pearce, Russell D. Moore, James Parker, and Jim Orrick--Part 2 Oct. 21, 2005. [MP3]
  
• Joseph Pearce RESURRECTING MYTH: A Response to Dr Murphy's "Response", by Joseph Pearce. Saint Austin Review, Jan/Feb 2003. Written in response to an article published in the Nicaraguan Academic Journal attacking Joseph Pearce's Christian reading of The Lord of the Rings. . . . Mr Pearce's riposte is published here as an exposition of the Christian response to the agnostic "dumbing down" of Tolkien's Catholic mysticism.
  
• The Passion According to Tolkien, by Sean McGrath. Originally appeared in the magazine Desert Call: Contemplative Christianity and Vital Culture, published by the Spiritual Life Institute.
  
• Sacramental Imagination: Catholicism anchored Tolkien's life and suffused his writings, by Thomas Howard. Christian History Sept. 29, 2003.
  
• J.R.R. Tolkien's Sanctifying Myth. Bradley Birzer on the Religious Symbolism Behind "Lord of the Rings". Zenit.org. August 29, 2003.
  
• The Universe According to Tolkien, by Sandra Miesel. CRISIS Magazine Feb. 1, 2003.
  
• A Catholic Poem in Time of War: The Lord of the Rings, by Ken Craven.
  
• The Fellowship Of The Ring: J.R.R. Tolkien, Catholicism, and the Use of Allegory, by David Lord Alton. Text of a lecture given by David (Lord) Alton at the Catholic Society of Bath University and Bath Spa University College on Thursday 20th of February 2003.
  
• Scandal in the Church: Tolkien’s Response, by Nicole Stallworth. J.R.R. Tolkien addressed the problems of scandal, faith and despair in both his letters and his fiction. Catholic Exchange January 24, 2003.
  
• Why Tolkien Says The Lord of the Rings Is Catholic, by Joseph Pearce. National Catholic Register (January 12-19, 2003).
  
• The 'Ring' and the remnants of the West, by Spengler. Asia Times January 11, 2003.
  
• The Truth Beyond Memory: What lies behind the Fellowship, John J. Miller. National Review Online, Dec. 18, 2002.
  
• The Heroes of Middle-Earth: J. R. R. Tolkien & the Marks of Christian Heroism, by Leon J. Podles. Touchstone January/February 2002.
  
• The Distant Mirror of Middle-Earth: The Sacramental Vision of J. R. R. Tolkien, by C. N. Sue Abromaitis. Touchstone January/February 2002.
  
• The Writer of Our Story: Divine Providence in The Lord of the Rings, by David Mills. Touchstone January/February 2002.
  
• Rings of Love: J. R. R. Tolkien & the Four Loves, by Dale Nelson. Touchstone January/February 2002.
  
• The Lord & Lady of the Rings: The Hidden Presence of Tolkien’s Catholicism in The Lord of the Rings, by Stratford Caldecott.
  
• The Lord & Lady of the Rings: The Hidden Presence of Tolkien's Catholicism in The Lord of the Rings, by Stratford Caldecott. Touchstone magazine, January-February 2002.
  
• In Middle Earth, interview with the American professor & scholar Thomas Howard. Edited by Michael Waldstein & Fabrizio Begossi. Traces, February, 2002.
  
• The Truth Beyond Memory, by John J. Miller. National Review Dec. 31, 2001.
  
• "J.R.R. Tolkien¥s Take on the Truth" Interview with Joseph Pierce. Zenit News Service. Nov. 15, 2001.
  
• Tolkien's Catholic Imagination, by Jason Boffetti. CRISIS Magazine, Nov. 2001.
  
• The Christian Gifts of J.R.R. Tolkien, by Bradley J. Birzer. New Oxford Review, Nov. 2001.
  
• Tolkien: Truth & Myth, by Joseph Pearce. Lay Witness (September 2001).
  
• Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings: A Trilogy of Total Consecration, by Helen Valois. Immaculata Magazine, Mar/Apr 2000.
  
• Remembering J.R.R. Tolkien, by Theresa Carson. Catholic Heritage September/October 1998.
  
• J.R.R. Tolkien: Lord of the Imagination and The Fairy-Tale Maker, taken from the December 9, 1994 and December 16, 1994 issue of The Irish Family.
  
• J.R.R. Tolkein: Lover of the Logos, by Mark Sebanc. Communio: International Catholic Review Spring 1993.
  
• Tolkien the Catholic, The Lord of the Rings, and Peter Jackson's film trilogy, by Steven D. Greydanus. Tolkien: Archetype & Word, by Patrick Grant. CrossCurrents Winter 1973.
  
• Gazing upon Everlasting Day: Tolkien's Lord of the Rings: A Christian Classic Revisited, by Ralph C. Wood.

An Evangelical Christian discussion of Tolkien by Brad Birzer (author of Tolkien's Ordinary Virtues) and Mark Eddy Smith (author of J. R. R. Tolkien's Sanctifying Myth) Why The Lord of the Rings Is Dangerous. The Christian life in Faerie. Christianity Today posted 12/18/2002. Does The Lord of the Rings Teach Salvation By Works?. On whether Tolkien was too ignorant of evil and other subjects. Hobbits Aren't Fence-Sitters. Why Tolkien hated modernity and thinking about evil -- and whether he was right to do so. Christianity Today posted 12/20/2002.