J.R.R. Tolkien Archives

A New Class on the Worlds of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien

September 29, 2020

Starting on Oct 7th, I am excited to begin teaching a new Wednesday night series at my church entitled, “The Worlds of Lewis and Tolkien: Christian Imagery in Narnia and Middle Earth.”

For generations, the works of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien have inspired millions of people to use their imaginations in fresh and exciting ways. Each of these authors was committed to a Christian system of thought and sought to honor God with their writings. This class will explore the writings of these two authors—particularly The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings—and will examine the many ways that Christ and Christianity are represented and illumined.

For those in the Charlotte area, you can sign up for the in-person class here. For others, I will post a recording of each installment in the outline below.

Of course, it is fitting to study Lewis and Tolkien together, not simply because they are both Christian authors who wrote fictional works, but because they were close friends during their time at Oxford. Indeed, it was this friendship that not only led to Lewis’ conversion, but also was the context in which they developed many of their ideas that later appear in their fictional works. It was their friendship that made them who they were.

In short, their deep writings were the product of their deep friendship. They would gather together regularly with other members of the “Inklings” (sometimes at the Eagle and Child pub, sometimes at Lewis’s room in Magdalen college) to discuss literature, poetry, and their latest reflections on God and the world.

I appreciate how the Inklings modeled a vision for male friendships that’s so different than what we often see in the world today which is typically centered on career or recreation. It was less like hanging out with “the guys” watching football or shooting hoops, and more like being one of the twelve disciples as they shared their lives together. While there is nothing wrong with the former kind of friendship, it will rarely change your life. But the latter kind of friendship will.

Lewis, in his book The Four Loves, describes this kind of male friendship: [Read more…]

Phil Ryken Lecturing @RTSCharlotte on “Messiah Comes to Middle Earth”

February 3, 2020

For our annual Harold O.J. Brown Lectures at RTS Charlotte, we are pleased to Welcome Dr. Phil Ryken, president of Wheaton College.

On Feb 11, 11AM-2PM, Dr. Ryken will be giving two lectures (with a provided lunch in between) on the theme of “Messiah Comes to Middle Earth: Images of Christ’s Threefold Office in the Lord of the Rings.”

Certainly this lecture will be of great interest to all J.R.R. Tolkien fans, but it will also be diving deeply into the three offices of Christ—Prophet, Priest, and King—and its relevance for our theology and ministry.

Dr. Ryken earned a master of divinity degree from Westminster Theological Seminary and a doctorate in historical theology from the University of Oxford. He preached at Philadelphia’s historic Tenth Presbyterian Church from 1995 until his appointment at Wheaton in 2010. President Ryken has published more than 50 books, and serves as a board member for the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities, the Lausanne Movement, and the National Association of Evangelicals.

Dr. Harold O.J. Brown, after whom the lectures are named, served as John R. Richardson Professor of Theology and Philosophy at the Charlotte campus from 1998 to 2007. Dr. Brown was a leading evangelical voice in the pro-life movement immediately after Roe v. Wade, co-founding the Christian Action Council (now Care Net) with former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop in the 70s. Dr. Brown was a widely respected evangelical scholar during his professional life, writing books, essays and articles in the areas of culture, science, theology and politics.

Past lecturers include Carl Trueman, Rosaria Butterfield, Michael Horton, Russell Moore, Oliver Crisp, Mark Dever, Derek Thomas, Al Mohler, Mark Noll, and George Marsden. Next year, 2021, RTS Charlotte will host Simon Gathercole for our lectures.

If you are interested in joining us for this special event, please register here. Hope to see you there!

Tolkien, Lewis, and the Blessing of a Messy Desk

August 17, 2015

Last week I finished a key portion of one of my research projects. And then I did what I normally do during such times (indeed, it is coming a bit of a tradition)–I cleaned up the colossal mess that I had made.

Before it was all said and done, books were strewn all over my desk, across my computer table, on the floor (on both sides of my desk), and up against the wall.

My wife stopped by the office with the kids and was so aghast at the chaos that she snapped the picture below and sent it out on Twitter.

Messy Desk

After I had finally cleaned up my desk–and returned a couple of cart fulls of books to the library–I began to reflect on my life with a messy desk. What did it mean, if anything? Most likely, it means that I am just disorganized and absentminded–like many other professors.

But, as I looked at the picture, I found a sense of joy in the chaos of my office. It reminded me of what I love about being a professor of biblical studies–the joy of learning and discovering the endless treasures that God has for us in his Word, and in the world that he has made. The messy desk was (to me at least) a sign of how thrilling theological study can be. The stacks of books were a symbol of the creative intellectual potential God has given each of us.

Of course, many in the church today have lost the passion for serious intellectual pursuit of the Christian faith. Indeed, in many circles, such intellectual pursuits are viewed critically and suspiciously. Academically-minded people are all head and no heart, one might think. Sure, they love ideas but they don’t really love people.

But, the Scriptures themselves (not to mention the history of the church) are not willing to draw such a sharp dichotomy between mind and heart. Christ called us to love the Lord our God with both our heart and our mind.

Even more, Christians throughout the ages–particularly in the time of the Reformation–viewed serious intellectual engagement as a way to glorify God. Although Christianity was available (and understandable) for even the uneducated, it was deep enough and robust enough for the most sophisticated philosopher.

After a little snooping around the internet, I was encouraged to see two intellectual giants of the 20th century–J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis–both had messy desks. And their intellectual achievements went beyond the stodgy halls of academia, but affected the hearts of millions through their fictional works.

Even in the non-Christian world, a messy desk is often associated with a love of learning. Albert Einstein once said, “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?”

As I think especially about pastors today, my hope is that when parishioners enter their study they would see a desk piled high with books. And that those parishioners would know that their pastor is a thinker, has a passion for the Word, and is eager to pursue God with his mind, as well as his heart.

Of course, there are some pastors out there–rare though they may be–who love books and still find a way to have a clean desk. Well, if that’s you, then well done. You are neater than the rest of us.

But, if you had left the books on your desk, you would’ve had even more time for study.