Hobbits, Kings, and Priests: Gospel Themes in The Lord of the Rings

Gandalf the wizard as an Old Testament prophet? Hobbits as intercessory priests? Aragorn as a messianic king? Dr. Philip Ryken, president of Wheaton College, joins Brian in the studio to uncover the rich Gospel themes in J.R.R. Tolkien’s iconic masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings. While Tolkien famously insisted his work was not an allegory, Dr. Ryken explains how the author’s faith and theological imagination imbued the text with profoundly Christian motifs—most significantly, “the threefold office of Christ” depicted through several of the story's central characters.Check out Dr. Ryken’s book, The Messiah Comes to Middle-Earth: Images of Christ's Threefold Office in The Lord of the Rings:https://www.ivpress.com/the-messiah-comes-to-middle-earth-ebook?srsltid=AfmBOoqIanzXkiPyRO2X4rIxKb0kBGrYOE-fWxYlRUj0R3WN1_0knL92Dr. Ryken has published more than 50 books and he serves as president of Wheaton College: https://www.wheaton.edu/about-wheaton/leadership/president-rykenDr. Brian Doak is an Old Testament scholar and professor: https://www.georgefox.edu/academics/undergrad/departments/religion/faculty/doak.htmlIf you enjoy listening to the George Fox Talks podcast and would like to watch, too, check out our channel on YouTube! We also have a web page that features all of our podcasts, a sign-up for our weekly email update, and publications from the George Fox University community.