However, in J.R.R. Tolkien's books, he does not have one representation of Jesus but rather three: Gandalf, Aragorn, and Samwise Gamgee (perhaps representative of the Holy Trinity, the concept of 'God in three persons'). Each of these characters symbolizes a different aspect of Jesus Christ.
Several commentators have seen Gandalf's passage through the Mines of Moria, dying to save his companions and returning as "Gandalf the White", as a symbol of the resurrection of Christ. Like Jesus who carried his cross for the sins of mankind, Frodo carried a burden of evil on behalf of the whole world.
The figure of Gandalf is based on the Norse deity Odin in his incarnation as "The Wanderer", an old man with one eye, a long white beard, a wide brimmed hat, and a staff. Tolkien wrote in a 1946 letter that he thought of Gandalf as an "Odinic wanderer".
Absolutely not. As a Christian himself, Tolkien was intentionally writing about a time before Jesus came, and he loathed explicit allegory. Gandalf simply fought a big fight and happened to die at the end of it. It would have been A-OK with him if he had not died at the end of it.
While a number of Christian elements can be found in The Hobbit, three of the most important are its Christian sense of purpose, its Christian sense of Providence, and its Christian sense of morality.
Frodo, as the Ring-Bearer, emerges as a Christ figure, the one who bears the Cross, and with it the sins and the hopes of humanity. He emerges also as an Everyman figure, in the tradition of the mediaeval Mystery Plays, who takes up his own cross in emulation of Christ.
Jesus as the prophet can be seen in the character of Gandalf. Gandalf paints an applicable picture of both the biblical prophet and of Jesus the ultimate prophet. The wizard's death, resurrection and transfiguration all point to Christ.
J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of The Lord of the Rings, called his book “a fundamentally religious and Catholic work.” He was a devout Catholic himself, and he regarded the Gospel as the ultimate story.
Frodo as a Christ Figure
The burden of the ring that he carries throughout the movie similarly represents the burden of the atonement that Christ knows that he must fulfill. Christ is often referred to as the light of the world and is very symbolically linked to light in any aspect.
In a 2001 interview, the right-wing polemicist Richard Abanes claimed that Tolkien's Lord of the Rings exemplifies so-called biblical values “like integrity, honesty, bravery, courage, forgiveness.” Which, hey, fair enough. Moreover, it takes place in a secondary world, distinct from our own.
Gandalf is, in an incredibly simplified version, a lesser God. He takes the form of a man in Middle Earth because that's the role he is to assume there to be able to walk among mortals. Gandalf the Grey is one of five “wizards” sent to Middle Earth to combat evil, such as Sauron.
The famed author of The Lord of the Rings trilogy and other subsequent novels about the same fantasy world, J. R. R. Tolkien, was very much inspired by Iceland. Aspects of the landscape, the language, folk tales, and Norse mythology were influential in shaping the legendary fantasy world of Middle Earth.
His original Maiar name is Olorin, in Quenya (an Elvish language spoken by the Valar) it means "dream." Upon arriving in Middle-Earth as part of the Istari order, he took human form, received his Ring of Power and adopted the name Gandalf.
However, in J.R.R. Tolkien's books, he does not have one representation of Jesus but rather three: Gandalf, Aragorn, and Samwise Gamgee (perhaps representative of the Holy Trinity, the concept of 'God in three persons'). Each of these characters symbolizes a different aspect of Jesus Christ.
In The Lord of the Rings, the Ring represents ultimate evil or sin, and Frodo, though himself innocent, bears it to its ultimate destruction. The parallels to Christ are clear, for He, though innocent, bore the sins of the world upon Himself and died for the salvation of mankind.
Answer by Stephen Tempest: God is the most powerful entity in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings universe. The Elvish name for him is actually Eru Ilúvatar, meaning “the one, father of all.” So the question becomes: Who is the second-most powerful being?
Rowling identifies as a Christian. Although she grew up next door to her church, accounts of the family's church attendance differ. She began attending a Church of Scotland congregation, where Jessica was christened, around the time she was writing Harry Potter.
“The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work,” J.R.R. Tolkien himself admitted.
The 7 rings include: the engagement RING (the beginning), the wedding RING (the commitment), discoveRING (the real you), perseveRING (the work), restoRING (the fixing), prospeRING (the goal), and mentoRING (the payback).
The subject of Christianity in the novels has become the focal point of many books. Rev. Abraham Tucker pointed out that "While there are in the Narnia tales many clear parallels with Biblical events, they are far from precise, one-on-one parallels.
The whole of Lord of the Rings is a Catholic Pilgrim's Progress, a 20th century Divine Comedy, a great meditation on the spiritual life, on the spiritual combat, on the pilgrimage that is living on earth while hoping for Heaven. That's why so many Catholics love it so much.
Frodo came of age as Bilbo left the Shire. Frodo inherited Bag End and Bilbo's ring. Gandalf, uncertain about the origin of the ring, warned Frodo to avoid using it and to keep it secret. Frodo kept it hidden for the next seventeen years, and it gave him the same longevity it had given Bilbo.
War of the Ring
When the council was choosing the "Nine Walkers" to pit against the "Nine Riders," Legolas volunteered to represent the Elves, and to become one of the members of the Fellowship that would set out to destroy the One Ring.
Tolkien opens the sacrificial role to all characters, particularly the most humble ones, the hobbits. Aragorn represents the eschatology of Christ—the belief that Christ will return to establish a kingdom on earth for his faithful.