SSF280 – The Mystical Wisdom of the Lord of the Rings

What can myth and fairy story teach us about our journey to union with God? In this course we will explore answers to this question, and more, as we discuss one of the most profound works of imaginative literature ever written, The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. Tolkien was a devout Catholic and he referred to The Lord of the Rings as a “fundamentally religious and Catholic work.” We will consider just how profoundly the Catholic faith is woven into this epic story and how it can lift our minds and hearts to God. We will set out with Frodo and his companions on the perilous journey from their comfortable homes in the Shire to the hellish fires of Mount Doom and back again, where we will find them forever changed. Perhaps we too will be changed.