The course provides a spiritual and religious study of the classic and culturally important book, The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien, which has been called “the novel of the 20th century” in many important readers’ polls of recent years. Instruction focuses on assisting students in learning to recognize and appreciate the deep religious and theological themes contained in this story of the classic battle between good and evil and to learn to read critically and carefully using a theological perspective with a book widely considered to be a masterpiece. The course stimulates dialogue and discussion on many important religious themes and equips students to creatively engage the contemporary culture through the medium of this very popular story. Students are expected to complete discussion papers, reading quizzes, unit exams, and class presentations.
*This course is only offered every-other year, opposite 051 Religious Themes In Literature: C. S. Lewis (see below). This course will be offered in a school year that begins in an odd year.