Is ‘The Hobbit’ a ‘Christian’ film? Yes and no.

Travel along, if you dare, with Bilbo Baggins in “The Hobbit” — either in J.R.R.Tolkien’s beloved 1937 novel, or through the first installment of Peter Jackson’s film trilogy based on the book, which opens in theaters on Friday (Dec. 14).

If you do, you will, essentially, be traveling in a world constructed on Christian principles, says Devin Brown, a professor of English at Asbury University, a Christian liberal arts college near Lexington, Ky.

I think its a tad unfair to say the LOTR movies "gutted" the Christianity out. Sure there are changes - books and movies are different media - but I thought most of the changes actually made the story better. Having Aragorn reluctant to take up his kingly role, for the reason that he fears the ring will corrupt him as it did his ancestor, works much better than having him always part of a secret master plan. After all, Christian living isnt about being perfect, its about meeting flaws and imperfections honestly and overcoming them. I didnt like Faramir's portrayal as much in the film, but he doesn't "torture" Gollum. He's a bit harsh on him perhaps (justifiably) but then so is Sam.

I hope you do enjoy the Hobbit, but there probably are going to be some changes. The book is only 300 pages, and its being turned into three long movies. They can do that because in "The Hobbit" (and indeed LOTR) a lot of action happens "off-camera" as it were. So they are going to be filling all that in for you, and that means assumptions. Radagast the Wizard for example. He is certainly around but I think he has two lines in LOTR.

Read the Silmarillion and you will really understand Tolkein’s Christian thinking as it is weaved into the tales. Nothing he does is overtly religious, but there is a subtle undertone to all of it, mostly in the form of themes that mirror those in the Bible.

Nothing Christian in it?

Lembas bread - according to Tolkien - is the Eucharist.
“Return of the King”? What king are Christians waiting for? A king who heals with his touch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xunYbyDr0_w

The books were and are still great but this movie did not reach that level or anywhere near it.

I agree with you. Fortunately, the math is simple: Jackson put more of Jackson in the movies than of Tolkien.

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