J.R.R. Tolkien needs no introduction. The Oxford Philology Professor who would go on to create the world of Middle Earth is rightly hailed as one of the greatest writers of all time. In this episode, we unpack the inspiration behind his work, meet the people who helped him along the way, and examine the faith that drove him to create the world of The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, and more.
Meet our guests
The Revd. Alison Milbank is a British Anglican Priest and literary scholar. She is a Canon Theologian at Southwell Minster and currently works as a professor at the University of Nottingham. In 2009 she published the book Chesterton and Tolkien as Theologians: The Fantasy of the Real
Links
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A transcript of this episode is available here. Please note, that due to software not not all exchanges between guests will be completely accurate.
Check out these helpful links below for more info on what was discussed in this episode.
Here’s artist Josef Madlener’s ‘Der Breggeist’, a painting that served as the inspiration for Gandalf the Grey
To Read
- Make sure to get yourself a copy of Alison’s book Chesterton and Tolkien as Theologians
- Here’s a piece she wrote for the Centre for Public Christianity on why Tolkien’s work has such a strong hold over many Christians
- This feature in Christianity Today on the “man behind the myth” is a perfect companion piece to today’s episode
- Here’s a wonderful New York Times feature on the impact of Oxford on both Tolkien and his great friend, C.S. Lewis
- Ever wanted to read The Silmarillion but haven’t been sure where to start? This article might help you!
To Watch
- Here’s the full scene from the film Tolkien, depicting the founding of his school reading group, the T.C.B.S
- Alison has spoken widely about the benefits of studying Tolkien. Here is a great lecture by her on this very idea
- Also, check out her short talk ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Theological Journey‘
- Nerd of the Rings is a fantastic YouTube rabbit hole for Tolkien fans. Here’s the history of Tolkien’s villain Sauron to get you started
- Here’s actor Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn in the Peter Jackson trilogy), talking about the impact of the Lord of the Rings on him as he shot the films
To Listen
- Here’s the late, great Tim Keller talking about the impact of stories – with a special mention for Tolkien
- Here’s a complete reading of Tolkien’s wonderful On Fairy-Stories
- If you’ve enjoyed this episode, check out our numerous episodes on C.S. Lewis
- The Legendarium Podcast began as somewhat of a Tolkien listening guide. Check out their episodes here
… and finally
- If you can’t get enough Tolkien in your life, head to theonering.net to find a whole community of Middle Earth fans!
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