The Emblems of Religion don't belong ... or do they?

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by alatar

Thought that Tolkien was devout Roman Catholic (Christian), and did not think that universalism was part of that doctrine.

You're thinking of theological universalism, which is the assertion that "everybody makes it heaven in the end". The opposite of this is "limited grace".

I meant philosophical universalism, which is the assertion that that there is a "correspondence of our intellectual concepts to things existing outside our intellect."

Actually, I mis-stated in my last post. It is my opinion that Tolkien was a Realist in terms of the "problem of universals"; Occam was a Nominalist. There. That's better. For more on this, check
this out.

What are the emblems?

Good question, bilbo_baggins. There are actually two emblems in LotR: (1) when Faramir and his men stand and face the west at Henneth Annún. It's a religious act/observation. (2) when Frodo, Sam, or someone else calls upon Elbereth Gilthoniel for aid (equivalent to praying to the Virgin Mary).

Actually, Tolkien only downplays the existence of Iluvatar in LotR. In some Letter I just read in the last day or so, Tolkien says that the "historical situation" per se of the Third Age was such that there were no religious practices; there was religious practice on Númenor in the 2nd age.

Tolkien is pretty clear that the Valar (including Maiar) are created angels. He is far less clear regarding Tom Bombadil, on purpose, according to the Letters.