The De-conversion of Saruman: Five Lessons to Learn
There’s been a lot of chatter the last couple years over “de-conversion” stories. Most recently, of course, is the story of well-known pastor and author Joshua Harris, as well as the Youtube comedians Rhett and Link.
I’ve written on this phenomenon myself in a number of places, including my recent book, The 10 Commandments of Progressive Christianity, as well as my my article, “The Power of De-conversion Stories: How Jen Hatmaker is Trying to Change Minds about the Bible.”
So, what exactly is de-conversion? In short, it’s when a person who is deeply committed to the Christian faith ends up leaving the Christian faith and abandoning their … Continue reading...
Where Have All the Heroes Gone? The Refreshing Moral Vision of Lord of the Rings
Ralph Wood, author of The Gospel According to Tolkien, tells us that often his students “have confessed that they feel ‘clean’ after reading Lord of the Rings.”[1] Indeed, one of the most compelling features of Tolkien’s work is the sweeping, grand, and refreshing vision of the moral character of its heroes. It is not just the lack of bad language and sexuality, but the positive presence of attributes like conviction, loyalty, integrity, and courage. There is an “other-worldliness” about the heroes of the Lord of the Rings. They seem to come from a distant time and place where people still behaved like we know they ought—and the … Continue reading...
The Battle of Worldviews: Dualism and Theism in Tolkien and Lewis
Everyone has a worldview. And every worldview has to deal with a key issue: the origins of good and evil. This is the perennial question of our existence and no one can escape it. Even fictional worldviews have to account for good and evil (if they are going to make any sense).
One possibility is to suggest that there is no such thing as good and evil. On a materialist-evolutionary worldview, where there is nothing but matter in motion, concepts like “good” and “evil” are merely human constructs. But such a worldview leads directly to Nihilism. We are forced to argue that the actions of people like Jerry Sandusky are … Continue reading...
Lewis, Tolkien and the Phenomenon of Male Friendship
I’ve begun a new teaching series at my church entitled, “The Worlds of Lewis and Tolkien: Christian Imagery in Narnia and Middle Earth.” As a big fan of both these authors (particularly Tolkien), it has been a pleasure exploring anew how Christ is represented in their fictional works.
One thing that has struck me in my background reading is the unique friendship shared by Lewis and Tolkien, particularly as it was manifested in the regular meetings of the “Inklings.” Indeed, it was this friendship that not only led to Lewis’ conversion, but also was the context in which they developed many of their ideas that later appear in their fictional … Continue reading...