Is there a relationship between Middle-earth and Orthodox Christianity? What happens when you read Tolkien with the Bible in mind, especially the weird stuff like angels, gods, demons and giants? Can reading Tolkien make someone Christian or a better Christian? Join Orthodox Christian archpriest and Tolkien and Mythology scholar Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick for 5 nights in October/November 2022 to find out.
Teacher: Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick, host of “Amon Sûl” and “The Lord of Spirits” podcasts; author of the books Arise O God; An Introduction to God; and Orthodox and Heterodoxy
Length of course: 5 weeks
Class length: ~60 minutes per class
Jurisdiction: Open to all jurisdictions.
Required reading prior to class:
– The Hobbit
– The Lord of the Rings
– Selected chapters of The Silmarillion will be assigned for certain sessions
Recommended reading:
– Beowulf (any translation is fine, but Tolkien’s is preferred)
– Tolkien’s essay “Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics”
– Tolkien’s essay “On Fairy-stories”
