First of all, like SpM and Encaitare, I never thought twice about any possible links to Christianity within the text, not for a long time. It was only after I had spoken to Christians who had read LotR that I began to notice how certain aspects might be found within. I wonder how many other people also fail to pick up on the Christian links? Now, thinking about the early fandom, in the late 60's, I also wonder how many of
those people picked up on the Christianity? I know that Tolkien is loved by many people who for want of a better word fit into 'alternative' culture which is often non-Christian; I've lost count of how many ex-hippies, goths and greenies that I've met who love LotR.
After hearing what Ronald Hutton said about Tolkien's work, I'm even more convinced that Tolkien did not set out to write a Christian story, but that those elements were found in there afterwards. Hutton said that using the Letters as a basis for Tolkien's meaning can be risky. Why? Tolkien was a committed Christian (albeit one who seemed to lose faith during the 1920's) after LotR was published, and he was keen to appear so. In answering letters filled with difficult questions, he emphasised this fact, which is quite understandable. It doesn't alter the fact that there are non-Christian elements within the books.
Maybe many of those elements which remind us of our beliefs are universal and shared between faiths and often equally as well understood by those who do not have a faith. I don't think LotR could be claimed as a Christian book, instead it was a book written by a Christian which is different. In that respect it has a wider appeal, and looking at it in that way helps me to understand why I (and many many others) love it despite not being a committed Christian. Maybe there ought to be a thread questioning and examining if it
is the kind of text it is sometimes deemed to be?
