Tolkien's Theology of Beauty: Majesty, Splendor, and Transcendence in Middle-earth

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. Som...