Light Beyond All Shadow: Religious Experience in Tolkien's Work - Sandra Miesel, Paul E. Kerry

What forms can religious experience take in a world without cult or creed? Organized religion is notably absent from J.R.R. Tolkien's Secondary Universe of elves, dwarves, men, and hobbits despite the author's own deep Catholic faith. Tolkien stated that his goal was "sub-creating" a universe whose natural form of religion would not directly contradict Catholic theology. Essays in Light Beyond All Shadow examine the full sweep of Tolkien's legendarium, not only The Lord of the Rings but also The Hobbit, The Silmarillion, and The History of Middle-Earth series plus Peter Jackson's film trilogy.