A Great Guide for Those Who See "The Hobbit" December 18, 2012

Rev. Fleming Rutledge is a friend of the World Reformed Fellowship and the author of a book that you will definitely want to read if you have seen or are planning to see "The Hobbit."  Here is a description of the book:

The Battle for Middle-earth: Tolkien's Divine Design in "The Lord of the Rings" by Fleming Rutledge

The "official" statement:

J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings has long been acknowledged as the gold standard for fantasy fiction, and the recent Oscar-winning movie trilogy has brought forth a whole new generation of fans. Many Tolkien enthusiasts, however, are not aware of the profoundly religious dimension of the great Ring saga. In The Battle for Middle-earth, Fleming Rutledge employs a distinctive technique to uncover the theological currents that lie just under the surface of Tolkien's epic tale. Rutledge believes that the best way to understand this powerful "deep narrative" is to examine the story as it unfolds, preserving some of its original dramatic tension. This deep narrative has not previously been sufficiently analyzed or celebrated. Writing as an enthusiastic but careful reader, Rutledge draws on Tolkien's extensive correspondence to show how biblical and liturgical motifs shape the action. At the heart of the plot lies a rare glimpse of what human freedom really means within the Divine Plan of God. The Battle for Middle-earth surely will, as Rutledge hopes, "give pleasure to those who may already have detected the presence of the sub-narrative, and insight to those who may have missed it on first reading."

Rev. Rutledge's personal statement:

When I was halfway through J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings for the first time at age 68, I thought I could detect a subterranean narrative with strong theological implications. I began taking notes, and then read the book all the way through a second time. By then I was convinced that the subtext was indeed there, hidden under the surface of the epic tale. When I began to conceive of a book about this underplot, I read Tolkien's selected letters, and my hunch was proven, in spades. Tolkien acknowledges how it began to grow on him as he wrote. Few, however, of the many books about LOTR acknowledge this theological subplot. My book, which retells the story while bringing out the theological implications, is designed to show how Tolkien's faith in God and deep commitment to the church as a community of resistance take shape in his narrative.

The Battle for Middle-earth may be ordered from Amazon.com or from other retailers.

This item was submitted by Sam Logan who may be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.