Does The Lord of the Rings series have Christian themes?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The Lord of the Rings is an epic series of adventure, moral struggle, and heroism that weaves timeless themes of good versus evil, sacrifice, and hope throughout a richly imagined world. While all these are great themes that can be discussed from a biblical perspective, the absence of the Christ figure and a few other aspects of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, make it clear that the series is not proclaiming or mimicking Christian thought, though it may hint at Christian wisdom at times. The character of Samwise Gamgee is a beautiful example of Christian morality and self-sacrificial love. He isn’t a comparison to Christ, but Samwise does manifest the self-sacrificial love that Paul speaks of in 1 Corinthians 13. However, The Lord of the Rings differs from much of what the New Testament emphasizes. Salvation through Christ is the key theme in the New Testament (John 3:16), but there is no Christ-like figure in Tolkien's fictional world. Additionally, the New Testament emphasizes redemption, with examples like Zacchaeus, the thief on the cross, and Saul/Paul (Luke 19:1–10, 23:39–43; Acts 8:1–3, 9:1–22). But in Lord of the Rings, the bad characters stay bad. Tolkein’s novels are entertaining, but the world he created was not meant to be Christian and should not be interpreted as such.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• The struggle between good and evil is central in the Old Testament (e.g., Genesis 3; Exodus 14; Joshua 6). Stories that depict the battle between light and darkness, or righteousness and sin, reflect this biblical theme. In The Lord of the Rings, the fight against Sauron mirrors the cosmic struggle between good and evil.
• Many Old Testament figures demonstrate sacrificial acts for the sake of others (Abel in Genesis 4, Abraham’s willingness in Genesis 22, Moses’ intercession in Exodus 32). Tolkien’s characters, like Frodo and Gandalf, act sacrificially for the sake of others, echoing the biblical motif of selflessness.
• The Old Testament repeatedly shows God working behind the scenes in human history (Joseph in Genesis 50:20, Esther in Esther 4-7). Similarly, Tolkien’s story emphasizes a sense of providence, with unseen forces guiding events toward a good outcome.
• Heroes like David (1 Samuel 17) and Daniel (Daniel 6) model steadfast courage and reliance on God in overwhelming circumstances. Characters like Aragorn, Frodo, and Sam demonstrate courage, hope, and perseverance through seemingly impossible challenges.
• The Old Testament often highlights God choosing the unlikely or humble to accomplish His purposes (David as a shepherd, Gideon with 300 men). Tolkien’s theme of small, humble characters making a decisive impact mirrors this principle (hobbits as “unlikely heroes”).

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Samwise Gamgee is not a Christ-like figure, but he does display the self-sacrificial love that Christ exemplified (John 15:13; Philippians 2:5–8; Romans 5:6–8). He manifests the type of love Paul spoke of in 1 Corinthians 13.
• But the absence of the Christ figure, plus a few other aspects of The Lord of the Rings world, make it clear that the series is not proclaiming or mimicking Christian thought. The New Testament emphasizes salvation through Christ (John 3:16), but none of the characters in Lord of the Rings provides salvation to the others—they are all in the fight together.
• Redemption is a central theme of Christianity, as in the example of Saul/Paul who persecuted Christians but later became an apostle (Acts 8:1–3; Acts 9:1–22). But in Lord of the Rings, good characters remain good, and bad characters remain bad. Evil characters experience no redemption.
• Another dissimilarity between the theme of Tolkien’s novels and Christianity is in the fate of Frodo. After his altercation at Mount Doom with Gollum, he is still somehow tainted by his association with the evil One Ring, and no absolution or purification is offered to him. He goes home to the Shire, burdened with guilt and sadness, and feels separated from the pure, good people. Even when the Elves take him over the sea to live with them in the Grey Havens, there is no assurance that he will be forgiven or forgetful of his burden. But the Bible describes heaven as a place where every tear is wiped away (Revelation 7:17b).

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

How many castles and skyscrapers have you built? Probably quite a few—as a kid. Whether with Legos or sand, kids like to create. Adults do, too. Good authors use language rather than sand or Legos to create worlds (“world-building”) rather than structures. J.R.R. Tolkien did this in The Lord of the Rings. Unlike his contemporary, C.S. Lewis, Tolkien’s novel was not a Christian allegory. In fact, Tolkien criticized Lewis' Narnia series for being allegorical. Tolkien created a world and a mythology completely separate from Earth. Even so,Tolkien was raised a Catholic, and his worldview and spiritual understanding is apparent in The Lord of the Rings.

Christians can enjoy fiction like The Lord of the Rings without trying to force a Christian worldview template onto it. We can appreciate it for what it is: a fictional piece that contains some wisdom and moral themes. When we want truth that includes real accounts, though, we should turn to the Bible.

UNDERSTAND

• J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series is imaginative and enjoyable to read, but it isn’t meant to be Christian allegory.
• Though some parts of Lord of the Rings reflect moral truths of the Bible, other parts do not.
• Christians should enjoy reading fiction like Lord of the Rings but must look to the Bible for truth.

REFLECT

• How do you enjoy fictional stories, and what draws you to certain worlds or characters?
• When reading a story with moral lessons, how do you separate what is entertaining from what is spiritually true?
• How do you ensure your understanding of good and evil is grounded in the Bible?

ENGAGE

• What examples of fiction today do people claim have Christian themes, and how can we discern those claims?
• How can we have conversations about The Lord of the Rings while pointing people to a biblical view?
• In what ways can stories like The Lord of the Rings complement or challenge our understanding of biblical principles?