Tolkien’s Theology of Beauty

Majesty, Splendor, and Transcendence in Middle-earth

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Theology, Fiction & Literature, Literary Theory & Criticism
Cover of the book Tolkien’s Theology of Beauty by Lisa Coutras, Palgrave Macmillan US
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Lisa Coutras ISBN: 9781137553454
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan US Publication: August 3, 2016
Imprint: Palgrave Macmillan Language: English
Author: Lisa Coutras
ISBN: 9781137553454
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan US
Publication: August 3, 2016
Imprint: Palgrave Macmillan
Language: English

 In this book, Lisa Coutras explores the structure and complexity of J.R.R. Tolkien’s narrative theology, synthesizing his Christian worldview with his creative imagination. She illustrates how, within the framework of a theological aesthetics, transcendental beauty is the unifying principle that integrates all aspects of Tolkien’s writing, from pagan despair to Christian joy.

J.R.R. Tolkien’s Christianity is often held in an unsteady tension with the pagan despair of his mythic world. Some critics portray these as incompatible, while Christian analysis tends to oversimplify the presence of religious symbolism. This polarity of opinion testifies to the need for a unifying interpretive lens. The fact that Tolkien saw his own writing as “religious” and “Catholic,” yet was preoccupied with pagan mythology, nature, language, and evil, suggests that these areas were wholly integrated with his Christian  worldview. Tolkien’s Theology of Beauty  examines six structural elements, demonstrating that the author’s Christianity is deeply embedded in the narrative framework of his  creative imagination.   

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

 In this book, Lisa Coutras explores the structure and complexity of J.R.R. Tolkien’s narrative theology, synthesizing his Christian worldview with his creative imagination. She illustrates how, within the framework of a theological aesthetics, transcendental beauty is the unifying principle that integrates all aspects of Tolkien’s writing, from pagan despair to Christian joy.

J.R.R. Tolkien’s Christianity is often held in an unsteady tension with the pagan despair of his mythic world. Some critics portray these as incompatible, while Christian analysis tends to oversimplify the presence of religious symbolism. This polarity of opinion testifies to the need for a unifying interpretive lens. The fact that Tolkien saw his own writing as “religious” and “Catholic,” yet was preoccupied with pagan mythology, nature, language, and evil, suggests that these areas were wholly integrated with his Christian  worldview. Tolkien’s Theology of Beauty  examines six structural elements, demonstrating that the author’s Christianity is deeply embedded in the narrative framework of his  creative imagination.   

More books from Palgrave Macmillan US

Cover of the book Displaced by Lisa Coutras
Cover of the book Emergent Learning for Wisdom by Lisa Coutras
Cover of the book A Guide for Women in Religion, Revised Edition by Lisa Coutras
Cover of the book Space, Place, and Gendered Violence in South African Writing by Lisa Coutras
Cover of the book Capitalism and Class in the Gulf Arab States by Lisa Coutras
Cover of the book Women, Pleasure, Film by Lisa Coutras
Cover of the book Perceiving the Divine through the Human Body by Lisa Coutras
Cover of the book New Critical Essays on James Agee and Walker Evans by Lisa Coutras
Cover of the book Building Confidence in East Asia by Lisa Coutras
Cover of the book Postwar Anti-Racism by Lisa Coutras
Cover of the book Migration and the Search for Home by Lisa Coutras
Cover of the book Inner Monologue in Acting by Lisa Coutras
Cover of the book Declaring War in Early Modern Europe by Lisa Coutras
Cover of the book The Education of the Filmmaker in Europe, Australia, and Asia by Lisa Coutras
Cover of the book Theatre, Performance, and Memory Politics in Argentina by Lisa Coutras
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy