Wednesday, December 17, 2003

By Ann Rodgers, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

When the Rev. Gavin McGrath began a recent sermon describing movie fans anticipating "The Return of the King," he was not merely using the wait for the third installment of "The Lord of the Rings" as an analogy to Advent, the liturgical season leading to Christmas.

"I wanted very much to reach out to young people, and I wanted to whet people's appetites for the film itself," said McGrath, an associate professor of theology at Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry.

Because Tolkien's Gandalf, portrayed in the movie by Sir Ian McKellen, dies in his battle with a demonic monster and later reappears alive and transformed, some Christian readers have identified him with Christ. But Tolkien viewed him as an angelic figure -- much as other wizards in the book are akin to the fallen angel Lucifer and his demons. (AP Photo/New Line Productions,Pierre Vinet) Click photo for larger image.

"Thirdly, and of greater importance, I wanted to show that the film is a good illustration of our longing for our returning king."

"The Return of the King" opens in theaters today.

The author of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, J.R.R. Tolkien, was a devout Catholic whose faith pervaded his work. Some pastors are encouraging interest in the films, hoping fans will read the books and gain a sense of the Christian understanding of sin, sacrifice and salvation.

But while the trilogy reflects a Christian worldview, no one character represents Christ. The power of the ring -- which must be destroyed in order to save the world -- is analogous to sin. The elves' bread, lembas, has characteristics in common with the Eucharist. And the power of the evil lord Sauron is broken on March 25, the feast marking Christ's incarnation in Mary's womb. But the saga is not the gospel in disguise.

McGrath is grateful that someone explained that to him before he read the books in 1974. "That saved me from trying to find the secret decoder ring and figure out who Jesus is," he said.

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, who died in 1973 at age 81, was a professor of medieval literature at Oxford. His stories flowed from his love of language. The trilogy, which has sold 50 million copies since 1954, draws on his life, including his service in World War I, his love of nature, the Nazi domination of Europe and his long-delayed courtship of his beloved wife Edith.

But of the many themes, "Tolkien's Christian faith is the greatest," said Colin Duriez, author of "Tolkien and the Lord of the Rings: A Guide to Middle Earth," and a commentator on the expanded DVD of the second in the trilogy, "The Two Towers."

In a 1953 letter, Tolkien wrote that his epic "is of course fundamentally a religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision."

Christian themes include "sacrifice, providence, heroism and courage, the nature of evil and particularly the theme of the weak and powerless -- hobbits, Sam and Frodo -- confounding the mechanistic might of Sauron and destroying the ruling ring," Duriez said.

Although no single character in "The Lord of the Rings" represents Christ, there are strong Christ-like elements to Gandalf's death and resurrection, Frodo's humble bearing of the ring and Aragorn's kingship.

Tolkien believed that preaching should be left to the clergy.

"He had confidence that God would use the stories to help readers see the truth about the universe and about God. He saw the stories as pre-figurements of the Christian gospel -- as he thought many pre-Christian, pagan stories actually are," Duriez said.

Because Gandalf dies in his battle with the Balrog and later reappears alive and transformed, some Christian readers have identified him with Christ. But Tolkien viewed him as an angelic figure -- much as other wizards in the book are akin to the fallen angel Lucifer and his demons.

"Death and resurrection is part of the Christian story. It's promised to everyone. So what Gandalf experiences in the story is offered to everyone," said David Mills of Leetsdale, editor of Touchstone, a magazine that examines Christianity and culture. Mills said he read the Tolkien books when he belonged to his junior high Marxist Club in the 1970s, and he now is working on a book about Christian themes in "The Lord of the Rings."

The hand of God appears in allusions to a Providence that intervenes at key junctures and often turns evil intentions to good purpose. The greatest example involves the destiny of the ring. The events surrounding it fulfill a prophecy repeated in all three books: That the mercy Bilbo showed when he spared the treacherous Gollum will determine the fate of the world.

These themes are not as clear in the movies as in the books.

" Frodo" ( Elijah Wood), "Gollum" ( Andy Serkis), and Sam ( Sean Astin) take cover as they plot to enter Mt. Doom in New Line Cinema's epic portrayal of Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King." The movie version illuminates many of the themes in Tolkien's trilogy, although one scholar suggests the film isn't as strong as the written work on one crucial thread -- that the mercy shown to the repellant Gollum by Frodo's uncle Bilbo Baggins ultimately determines the fate of Middle Earth. (AP Photo /New Line Productions) Click photo for larger image.

Gandalf's prophecy that Bilbo's pity for Gollum "may rule the fate of many" has been moved from the beginning of the first book to a line at the end of the first movie, and is missing from the second movie, said Ralph Wood, who teaches a popular course on Tolkien and the "Oxford Christians" at Baylor University.

"What you don't get from the movies is that the overwhelming Christian theme of the book is forgiveness," Wood said.

Yet some elements are preserved, he said. Aragorn acts as a priest at the death of Boromir. Gollum's moral conflict is masterfully portrayed. And, in the expanded DVD version of Gandalf's battle with the Balrog, Gandalf's body is displayed in the form of a crucifix.

Wood is an evangelical who works in a conservative evangelical environment where there is often deep suspicion of the Harry Potter books for their depiction of wizards and magic. Although Tolkien generally gets a free ride from evangelicals, Wood has encountered sporadic resistance.

"I had a student whose mother made him drop my class because the title of the books was "The Lord of the Rings," and the lord was Sauron, an evil sorcerer," he said.

Ann Rodgers can be reached at arodgers@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1416.

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