Show Notes
What did JRR Tolkien believe? And how did his Catholic faith inform his great work, 'The Lord of the Rings'?
These questions are explored at length in this live podcast and book launch for Fr Michael Halsall's new book, ‘A Light from the Shadows: The Spiritual Heart of JRR Tolkien'. The book is available now from CTS.
You can get Fr Michael's book here: https://www.ctsbooks.org/product/a-light-from-the-shadows/
About Fr MichaelFr Michael Halsall is a priest of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, and presently serves as Episcopal Vicar for Vocations & Formation, covering England, Scotland, and Wales. His recent book - 'Creation and Beauty in Tolkien's Catholic Vision' - explores the philosophical themes in Tolkien's crafted creation narratives, alongside those of the Christian tradition. His newest book is, ‘A Light from the Shadows: The Spiritual Heart of JRR Tolkien'.About the bookThis is not a biography of JRR Tolkien. But, ‘no author writes in a vacuum’ (as the author of this book, Fr Michael Halsall reminds us), so there are abundant biographical details in this considered commentary on the demonstrably Catholic framework of Tolkien’s writings: his experiences as a scholar, an army officer, and a husband and father. All these facets of a life are keys to unlocking Tolkien’s perspective on his own work.
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