Introduction
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892–1973) was a Catholic* and, as such, his Christian world view touched everything he created including his epic, The Lord of the Rings (LOTR).
Tolkien was not keen on obvious allegory, however. In their insightful book, Finding God in the Lord of the Rings, Kurt Bruner and Jim Ware write:
“The Lord of the Rings is not, as some have suggested, a covert allegory of the gospel. Tolkien clearly denied that idea.”
However, Bruner goes on to explain, “…Tolkien described his fantasy as a fundamentally religious work growing out of his own faith journey.” (referencing Carpenter, Letters, 172)*
Have you ever wondered, then, if there is a creator or God-like being in the Lord of the Rings?
There is. Let’s look at 5 facts about “Eru Ilúvatar”.
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| J.R.R. Tolkien |
Who is Eru Ilúvatar?
The name Eru in Quenya (an Elvish language created by Tolkien) means “He that is alone”. Ilúvatar means "Father of All" in the same tongue.
The website, Tolkien Gateway tells us that, “Eru Ilúvatar, also known as the One, is the single omniscient, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent creator. He has been existing eternally in the Timeless Halls and possesses the Flame Imperishable in his spirit which kindles existence from nothingness.”
Creation
Eru is not exactly like the God of the Bible. He does not seem to be Trinitarian and he does much of his creating though angelic beings called the Ainur (each of whom he made). However, Scholar Kevin R. Hensler, writes:
“First, and most significant, is the very direct parallel between God in the Bible and Eru/ Ilúvatar in the works of Tolkien. I believe Ilúvatar is obviously not just an invention of Tolkien’s Legendarium, but is actually a presentation, relying heavily on metaphor, of the God in whom Tolkien actually believes.”
And creation of life is only accomplished by Eru. He created Elves and Men. When an Ainur formed the Dwarves, only Eru could breathe life into them. And, “Eru said "eä" ("let it be") and thus Eä, the universe, was created.” (Tolkien Gateway)
Presence in LOTR
While not directly referenced very often in The Hobbit or LOTR, Eru was nevertheless always present according to Tolkien. He wrote:
“The Other Power then took over: the Writer of the Story (by which I do not mean myself), 'that one ever-present Person who is never absent and never named”. (Tolkien in Letter 192)
In the Fellowship of the Ring, Gandalf tells Frodo:
"Behind that there was something else at work, beyond any design of [Sauron]. [...] Bilbo was meant to find the Ring, and not by [Sauron]. In which case you also were meant to have it. And that may be an encouraging thought"
Gandalf
Another noteworthy act of Eru Ilúvatar, is his resurrection of Gandalf the Grey after the wizard (actually a being created directly by Eru) was killed by the demonic Balrog while the rest of the Fellowship escaped. Gandalf eventually emerges as “Gandalf the White” in a gripping scene in the movie trilogy.
As we discussed earlier, Tolkien was no fan of obvious allegory but I believe he subtly wove in some teachings, actions and characteristics of Jesus into his LOTR characters.
Gollum and the One Ring
Spoiler alert! At the climax of this epic story, we find Frodo being too weak to actually destroy the ring in the fires of Mount Doom. But while he hesitates, Gollum sweeps in, bites off the ring-bearing finger of Frodo, then accidently slips into the fire himself thus destroying the ring.
What I didn’t realize is that Tolkien later wrote in a letter that Gollum’s fall was a direct result of Eru Ilúvatar’s intervention. At the culmination of LOTR we see the sovereignty and mercy of the God of the Lord of the Rings in stepping in where the Fellowship could not triumph on their own.
Conclusion
While Eru Ilúvatar is a fictional character inspired by Tolkien’s faith, Yahweh (the Christian God) is the direct object of Tolkien’s faith. John believed that a story could often speak to us in deeper ways than cold facts.
“As a Christian, Tolkien understood that our lives are part of a grand drama that both transcends and explains our experiences… the Lord of the Rings is a tale of redemption…”
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Sources and Further Reading:
Finding God in the Lord of the Rings: by Kurt Bruner and Jim Ware © 2001 Living Books
https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Il%C3%BAvatar
https://signumuniversity.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Mythmoot2_Hensler_GodIluvatar.pdf
https://lotr.fandom.com/wiki/Eru_Il%C3%BAvatar
* As a Protestant myself, I do have disagreements with some Catholic teachings, however we both believe in the essentials of Jesus Christ.
* Even so, some have been reluctant to pick up and read LOTR.
“In, fact, many hard-line believers have been hesitant to embrace a creative work that includes mythic figures, magic rings, and supernatural themes. This is unfortunate because the transcendent truths of Christianity bubble up throughout this story, baptizing our imaginations with realities better experienced than studied.”
