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J.R.R. Tolkien is the greatest fantasy writer of all time, and his works continue to impact thousands of people. But Tolkien was also a devout Christian, attending Mass daily and writing prayers in Elvish. He formulated a subtle and fascinating theory of the use of theology in literature, and in his letters he applies his theological understanding to everything from two world wars to giving charity to the homeless.

In this course, we will focus on Tolkien’s theological thought and arrange it systematically. Though Middle-earth will be ever present, this course is not about the spiritual themes in Tolkien’s fiction, but about Tolkien’s thought as such, and we will draw from his academic essays and lectures, poetry, personal correspondences, and more in order to understand the mind of one of the great Christian thinkers of the 20th Century.

This course begins with a lecture on how to read Tolkien’s fiction theologically and then covers the following topics in systematic theology: God, Creation, Humanity, Angels, Sin and Evil, Christ and Salvation, The Church, and Last Things. Along the way we will deal with major themes such as sub-creation, eucatastrophe, angelic governors, Anglo-Saxon Christology, and more. Join us on and go there and back again on journey into Tolkien’s theological world!

The Center for Leadership Development is an approved provider of Continuing Education Units for the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). This course is approved for 0.95 CEU credit. For more information visit our partnership page.

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