"Before and since Tolkien’s death there have been numerous articles and books on the meaning of his fiction. Kilby [one of his biographers] records Tolkien’s favorable reaction to an essay sent to him from Australia, concerned with the themes of kingship, priesthood, and prophecy in The Lord of the Rings. He [Tolkien] endorsed the spirit of the essay in finding Christian meaning in his work, even though, as he remarked, it displayed the tendency of such scholarly analysis to suggest that it was a conscious schema for him as he wrote. He [Tolkien] didn’t deliberately try to insert Christian meaning into his work—a point over which he disagreed with C.S. Lewis, in whose fantasy he felt the Christianity was too explicit."
—Colin Duriez, The J.R.R. Tolkien Handbook
Our worldview—the underlying philosophy of life—shapes everything we do. It is formed out of our beliefs about God, humankind, and the world. Our worldview is created, not only by what we have learned through Scripture and Church, but also by other things such as what we learned at school, the family we grew up in, and the movies that we watch.
One of the things that have informed my worldview is J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterpiece The Lord of the Rings. In this story I have discovered metaphors and illustrations for what it means to follow Jesus.
As the above quote shows, Tolkien didn’t set out to write a theological work, but Christian themes naturally emerged nonetheless. His worldview, whether consciously or unconsciously, influenced his storytelling. This reality reminds us that our worldview always affects the work we do.
Since our worldview affects the things we do, then other people’s worldview will affect the things that they create. This is why it’s dangerous to consume stories, TV shows, music, and movies without a discerning eye. Even if creators don’t intentionally embed messages in their work, there’s always a message—something their worldview conveys.
We need to be mindful of the subtle ways these messages shape how we see the world. As Christians, we should be particularly aware of how the stories we consume influence our thinking.
The effect of these stories can be so subtle that we might not even notice it happening. We may begin to adopt the worldview of the storyteller. For instance, if an author portrays the world as dark and hopeless, we might develop a similarly negative outlook. Or, if an author paints a picture of unrelenting optimism, we might develop an unrealistic expectation of life. Stories profoundly impact how we interpret the world around us.
So, how do we, as Christians, maintain a Christ-centered worldview?
We maintain a Christian worldview by not allowing the world's narratives to have the primary influence over us. Instead, we need to immerse ourselves in the study of God’s Word and meditating on its truth. We must spend time in prayer, seeking His wisdom.
It is also important to remember what Thomas à Kempis wisely wrote, “Why wish to see what you cannot have?”
The stories we consume, along with the music and social media we engage with, often stir desires within us for lives we cannot or should not pursue. While all forms of media can awaken emotions that lead us closer to Christ the opposite can also be true. If taken without discernment, these things can lead us away from Jesus. That is why, as Christians, we must be careful about what we allow into our minds. The power of stories and songs lies in how easily they infiltrate our thinking without us realizing it.
I want to urge all of us to carefully examine the things we read, watch, and listen to, because they hold the power to shape our lives. More importantly, we need to make sure we are regularly filling our hearts and minds with God’s Word. Scripture should be our primary guide and influence.
As Philippians 4:8 (NLT) reminds us:
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing: Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”
