Tolkien poured Christian values into a pagan world

The Wall Street Journal ^ | December 6, 2002 | John J. Miller

[FastNBulbous]

Myth at the Multiplex Tolkien poured Christian values into a pagan world.

BY JOHN J. MILLER Friday, December 6, 2002 12:01 a.m. EST

The movie version of "The Two Towers" opens on Dec. 18, the second installment in what is already a blockbuster J.R.R. Tolkien film trilogy. The new movie begins (at least it did at a recent screening) by replaying part of a scene from last year's "The Fellowship of the Ring." As his companions flee, the good wizard Gandalf turns to face the demonic Balrog and yells: "You cannot pass! I am a servant of the Secret Fire!"

The line about the Secret Fire is a curious one. Gandalf certainly speaks it in Tolkien's novel, but its real meaning is never made clear on the book's pages, and certainly not on screen. That would seem to make it a prime candidate for the cutting-room floor, since director Peter Jackson must delete all kinds of material to cram Tolkien's epic into a few hours of film.

Yet the line is there--as it should be. As Bradley J. Birzer explains in "J.R.R. Tolkien's Sanctifying Myth" (ISI Books), it is "the most important religious statement in the book." The Secret Fire, Tolkien once told a friend, is really the Holy Spirit.

[FastNBulbous]

Sorry for the duplicate post. Searched for title word "Tolkien" before posting, not "Christian."

[Ingtar]

Narya, the Ring of Fire, is in Gandalf's keeping. The other two Elven rings are in the hands of Galadrial (Nenya - water) and Elrond (Vilya - air). The ring was given to Gandalf by the Elven Shipwright, Cirdan. It is one of the reasons that Gandalf's fireworks are so great.

[DCBryan1]

Hroom boom, lets not be too hasty now!

[Cicero]

The Silmarillion is most deeply concerned by analogy with the problem of evil, the mystery of Original Sin, and the Fall of Elves and Men. It is a very rich work, but in a sense the whole book builds up to that amazing final sentence.