Ainur the HOLY ones - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Estelyn Telcontar · 01-09-2005, 08:31 AM

The fact that different people worship different things doesn't necessarily make for a polytheistic doctrine - objects or people can be worshipped though they are not worthy of it. All evidence I have seen in Tolkien's writings is monotheistic - the Ainur are 'holy' in the sense that the Bible calls Christians 'holy' - dedicated to God. Eru alone is Creator, all others are sub-creators; though the ignorance of Men may call the Ainur "gods", they are definitely conceived of as angelic beings.

01-09-2005, 08:31 AM	#6
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	The fact that different people worship different things doesn't necessarily make for a polytheistic doctrine - objects or people can be worshipped though they are not worthy of it. All evidence I have seen in Tolkien's writings is monotheistic - the Ainur are 'holy' in the sense that the Bible calls Christians 'holy' - dedicated to God. Eru alone is Creator, all others are sub-creators; though the ignorance of Men may call the Ainur "gods", they are definitely conceived of as angelic beings. __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'