“I coined the word ‘eucatastrophe’: the sudden happy turn in a story which pierces you with a joy that brings tears...” —J.R.R. #Tolkien #Easter

Tom Bombadil is the most mysterious character in The Lord of the Rings. He's the oldest being in Middle-earth and completely immune to the Ring's power — but why? Bombadil is the key to the underlying ethics of the entire story, and to resisting evil yourself... Tom Bombadil is an enigmatic, merry hermit of the countryside, known as "oldest and fatherless" by the Elves. He is truly ancient, and claims he was "here before the river and the trees." He's so confounding that Peter Jackson left him out of the films entirely. This is understandable, since he's unimportant to the development of the plot. Tolkien, however, saw fit to include him anyway, because Tom reveals a lot about the underlying ethics of Middle-earth, and how to shield yourself from evil. The hobbits meet Bombadil early on in their quest, before they reach Bree and the Prancing Pony Inn. He rescues Merry and Pippin from Old Man Willow, and invites the hobbits to stay at his house in the Old Forest. There, the hobbits realize something strange about him: the Ring has no power over Bombadil whatsoever. When he wears it, he remains visible. He treats it as a plaything, making it disappear with a magic trick. Indeed, at the Council of Elrond, Gandalf rejects the idea of giving the Ring to Tom, for he would likely misplace it or forget about it entirely. So just who is he, exactly? When Frodo asks this very question to Tom's wife Goldberry, she simply responds "He is." It's a cryptic answer that echoes God's famous answer to Moses in the Book of Exodus: "I am who I am." Thus, many theorize that Bombadil is God, some kind of angelic being, or even the spirit of the Music of the Ainur (due to the fact that he is constantly singing). But Tolkien's letters reveal something considerably more interesting… In April 1954, Tolkien wrote: "The story is cast in terms of a good side, and a bad side, beauty against ruthless ugliness, tyranny against kingship… but both sides in some degree, conservative or destructive, want a measure of control.But if you have, as it were, taken a 'vow of poverty', renounced control, and take your delight in things for themselves without reference to yourself… then the questions of the rights and wrongs of power and control might become utterly meaningless to you, and the means of power quite valueless…" So, Bombadil is a representation of what it means to take pure delight in the world around you — to experience people and things simply as they are, without any thought for what they could be or how you could use them. And this is why the Ring has no power over him. To Bombadil, the One Ring is simply a ring, and the possibilities of what can be achieved through its power are of no importance. He is able to resist its evil precisely because he is entirely content with the world around him. At the end of the story, having accomplished what he set out to do in Middle-earth, Gandalf pays Tom a visit before returning to the Undying Lands: "I am going to have a long talk with Bombadil: such a talk as I have not had in all my time." If Bombadil is the epitome of simply enjoying life and being, Gandalf is the epitome of doing. He guides the hobbits, fights the Balrog, and runs up and down Middle-earth to help destroy the One Ring. But now that he's finally liberated from doing, he immediately heads to Bombadil's. He does so with a sense of relief, as if he's at last able to access a purer and higher mode of being — a sort of innocence that cannot be fully experienced by those consumed by doing. Of course, by this Tolkien doesn't disparage the value of action. The entirety of LOTR displays the importance of rising up against evil, even in the face of all odds. But with the inclusion of Bombadil, he does remind readers that fighting isn't all there is. Bombadil reminds us that while it's important to strive and *do*, it is just as important to occasionally step back and *be*. Indeed, your ability to do so plays a crucial role in helping you resist the allure of evil… Read the full piece here: theculturist.io/welcome The unsung hero of The Lord of the Rings...

Twelve Authors for the Rest of my Life : 1. The Bible 2. J.R.R. Tolkien 3. Christopher Tolkien 4. Christopher Nolan 5. C.S. Lewis 6. J. Dark 7. Langston Hughes 8. Jane Austen 9. Steinbeck 10. W.H. Auden 11. W.B. Yeats 12. George MacDonald

Speaking with Pope Leo XIV on the papal plane about JRR Tolkien and the Lord of the Rings after he quoted Gandalf in his first encyclical

Today we remember Sir Christopher Lee, who passed away on this day, 7 June 2015, at the age of 93 at Westminster Hospital in London. Thank you, Chris.

Stunningly beautiful reflection on Frodo's failure to destroy the Ring: "Frodo undertook his quest out of love – to save the world he knew from disaster at his own expense, if he could; and also in complete humility, acknowledging that he was wholly inadequate to the task. His real contract was only to do what he could, to try to find a way, and to go as far on the road as his strength of mind and body allowed. He did that. I do not myself see that the breaking of his mind and will under demonic pressure after torment was any more a moral failure than the breaking of his body would have been – say, by being strangled by Gollum, or crushed by a falling rock." — Tolkien's Letter #246

“We were talking of dragons, Tolkien and I…” - C.S. Lewis

“If in days to come you remember the words of Melian, it will be for your good: fear both the heat and the cold of your heart, and strive for patience, if you can.” - Melian to Túrin (Tolkien, The Children of Húrin)

I love how Aragorn almost seemed hurt they felt the need to bow

The Hobbits send a little message to LOTR fans. TT: dom_monaghan

“…the effects of the Ring on Frodo are the most profound and powerful representation of addiction that has ever been written.” - Michael Drout, The Tower and the Ruin

It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succour of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till. — J.R.R. Tolkien

May the wind under your wings bear you where the sun sails and the moon walks. — J.R.R. Tolkien

Sir Christopher Lee was born on this day 104 years ago. Here are just some of his achievements throughout his life: * WWII veteran who served in the Royal Air Force and Special Operations during World War II * Knighted in 2009 by Queen Elizabeth II for services to drama and charity * One of the most prolific actors in history, with nearly 300 screen credits * Became a horror icon through Hammer Films, especially as Dracula * Played Count Dooku in Star Wars * Played Saruman * Worked with legendary directors including Peter Jackson, George Lucas, Tim Burton, and Martin Scorsese * Fluent in several languages, including English, Italian, French, German, and Spanish * Guinness World Record holder at one point for most screen credits by a living actor * Released symphonic metal albums * Was related to Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond (reportedly the inspiration behind the character) * Personally met J.R.R. Tolkien and was the only cast member from The Lord of the Rings to have done so * Known for performing many of his own sword-fighting scenes and stunts even at an older age * Became one of the defining cinematic villains of all time across fantasy, horror, and sci-fi genres Rest easy legend.

The opening of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers drops straight into myth and never lets go.

“All good qualities, as also their recognition in the world, are granted by God.” - J.R.R. Tolkien

There are a few more spots open. I'll be joining the conversation on June 24th. #LovedIndeed

Our latest Classic Series statue, Gimli, Hunter of the Plains, stands firm with singular purpose: to reclaim those who were taken. Now available for pre-order. Secure yours today: wetanz.com/gimli-classic-ser…

Do You Trust God's Writing Of Your Story?

J.R.R. Tolkien about writing: “I write only because I find it easier so to say such things as I really want to say” (letter 113 to C.S. Lewis).