Spirituality/Christianity as Portrayed In the Hobbit Films

Yeah, I know I talk about The Hobbit too much. In my defense, I don't care.

I have now seen the first movie about 135 times, the second movie about 638 times, and the third movie exactly two (2) times. And no, I'm not counting, I'm just using very large numbers to indicate that I've seen the movies several times.

I have also now heard Peter Kreeft's podcast episode called "Christianity in The Lord of the Rings" once or twice. I don't know how many times. But the more I think about it after seeing the third Hobbit, the more I love the movies, and here's why:

The movies have certain aspects to them that illuminate the spirituality of the story. And I know that parts of the story in the movies were added by Peter Jackson, but these also had a certain spirituality about them. That's not to say that you're wrong and heartless if you didn't like the additions; you can like them or hate them as much as you want as far as I'm concerned, I would just like to organize my thoughts on the matter for my own amusement, and if you disagree with them, that's all ticketty boo with me.

I forgot what I was saying.

Anyway like I said, the movies help to shed light on the spiritual aspects of Tolkien's original story. Unless I'm wrong, when Tolkien wrote The Hobbit, he meant it to be like a children's bedtime story, and he didn't delve into the background of the world like he does in The Lord of the Rings. If you listen to Peter Kreeft's "Christianity in The Lord of the Rings," and/or his "10 Insights on Evil in The Lord of the Rings," he explains that Tolkien inadvertently included several Christian themes in his work, some of which are brought to life by the Hobbit movies [he explains this even if you don't listen to it, but that's just how I decided to word that sentence and I don't feel like trying to improve it at the moment]. The themes (or motifs, I don't really know which one is right)  that I noticed in the movies are the active presence (if that's a thing) of the Holy Spirit in the physical world, the reality of death and mortality, finding and losing one's identity, and the fact that evil is overcome by sacrifice.

I. The Holy Spirit

In Fellowship, when Gandalf has an epic showdown with the Balrog, he says "I am the servant of the Secret Fire," and light comes out of his staff and it's awesome. Unless I'm wrong, the Secret Fire is the Middle Earth version of the Holy Spirit. At least that's what I gathered from reading The Silmarillion. And in LOTR the power of the Secret Fire is manifested in light. This happens to powerful beings like Gandalf (who is a Maia aka sort of angel-type person) and to less powerful people like elves and hobbits when they pray for help.

People (including me) have said, "Why doesn't Gandalf just use his flashy light thing all the time and blind the heck out of all the evil dudes?"

That's what I used to think. But I think now that he can't do that because it's not him making the light. It's the Secret Fire, aka the Holy Spirit. One does not simply pull the Holy Spirit out of his hat whenever he wants to. Gandalf can't conjure the Secret Fire, the Secret Fire comes to him when the time is right. And the same goes for Arwen when she prays for Frodo at the Ford (yes I know it happened differently in the book). And for Frodo and Sam in Shelob's Lair.

Similar things happen in the Hobbit movies.

.

This

is not an "ermagherd, she's so pretty I want to kiss her cute face" look. It's a "HOLY #@!& God is real!" look.

I still think that Kili and Tauriel are based on Beren and Luthien. But that's a whole nother discussion.

What was I talking about?

Oh yeah. So like I said, LOTR (both books and movies) have the Secret Fire very present and active in Middle Earth, and I think Peter Jackson wanted to continue to portray this God-Active-In-The-World theme in the Hobbit movies.

II. The reality of death and mortality. 

This is so much fun.

Anyway, death and mortality.

The Silmarillion  delves into the amazing-ness of death by showing the elves' surprise/curiosity/attempt to understand why mortal men die.

Quote:

"Immortal were the Elves, and their wisdom waxed from age to age, and no sickness nor pestilence brought death to them...But Men were more frail, more easily slain by weapon or mischance, and less easily healed, subject to sickness and many ills, and they grew old and died."

and

"But the sons of Men die indeed, and leave the world, wherefore they are called the Guests, or Strangers. Death is their fate, the gift of Iluvatar, which as Time wears even the Powers shall envy."

and

"And when [Beor] lay dead, of no wound or grief, but stricken by age, the Eldar saw for the first time the swift waning of the life of Men, and the death of weariness which they knew not in themselves; and they grieved greatly for the loss of their friends."

To younger elves, I think, death is a strange and foreign concept and are more confused than anything when their friends die. Hence Legolas's face when Boromir died.

and Tauriel saying "They want to bury him," when Kili died.

Whereas some older elves, like Thranduil are more

"Yes, [the dwarves] will die. Today, tomorrow, one year hence, one-hundred years from now, what does it matter? They are mortal."

And yes I know Thranduil wasn't like that in the book. Still, I think it's consistent with Tolkien's Elves In General.

III. Finding and losing identity

Peter Kreeft also has a podcast episode about identity called "Identity" in which his main point is that when a person places too much importance on an object, or loves it too much, he makes it more important than himself and eventually loses his own identity, as Smeagol did when he found and kept the Ring. Smeagol possessed the Ring until the Ring possessed him.

The second/third Hobbit movies show something similar happening to Thorin when he places too much importance on the Arkenstone. I think the purpose of the story with Kili and the runestone his mother gave him was to serve as a contrasting parallel to Thorin and the Arkenstone. Thorin needs the Arkenstone in order to be king; Kili does not need the runestone in order to be his mother's son, and he demonstrates this by giving it to Tauriel.

IV. Evil overcome by sacrifice


There is a buttload of subtle allusions to Christ/Christianity in the third movie. That or I'm just seeing things, which is entirely possible. Anyway, here's what I saw:

First of all, I thought Fili's death was nothing if not Christ-like. He was killed knowing he was going to die, doing it for his family, not thinking of himself, and the orcs that killed him did it in the most cowardly way possible. When I saw the movie the second time, I thought of Aslan when Fili was killed.

Second, Thorin getting stabbed in the foot reminded me of "He will strike at your head while you strike at His heel," which is basically what happens, except for Thorin goes for a chink in Azog's armor and not for his head. [Side note: Azog and Smaug both die because of a gap in their armor. I don't know what that means but it's awesome]. This reference is even more pronounced [if that's the right word] by Thorin saying they would put an end to the battle by "cutting the head off the snake." I think he said that. It might've been a dream I had. I'm pretty sure he said that though.

This is not a good way to end a post, but that's all I have to say and I'm tired.

Good night!