[Do not dub me shapka broham]

An instrument of God, I suppose.

Though, wasn't Tolkien pretty adamant about his Protestantism?

[cicero's_son]

Tolkien was a lifelong and devout Roman Catholic.

[dangus]

No, Tolkein was Catholic. Lewis was the Protestant, actually. although, whether deliberately or not, he created wonderful allegories for distinctly Catholic doctrines.