For many people, Lord of the Rings is the ultimate, epic high fantasy adventure story. Even among critics, J.R.R. Tolkien’s books and Peter Jackson’s film trilogy are both critically acclaimed and award-winning. It’s easy to see why Lord of the Rings is a near-perfect series. This complex story contains men, hobbits, elves, dwarfs, and villainous creatures such as orcs, Uruk-hai, balrogs, and Nazguls.

Besides the magical creatures that inhabit the world of Middle Earth, The Lord of the Rings' story is one of bravery, courage, determination, and friendship. It’s a story that will never become outdated and one that lives on in the hearts of its fans. The Lord of the Rings brings out the best in all its characters and teachers us that even the smallest of creatures, a hobbit, can make all the difference and save the world. This message speaks hope to its viewers and dares us to embark on unexpected adventures to achieve the near impossible.

The Lord of the Rings trilogy exists because of the brilliant ideas of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892–1973), commonly known as J.R.R. Tolkien. J.R.R. Tolkien was a linguist and specialized in the study of languages, which was why he was able to create his own language of Elvish, for the series. In addition to being a gifted writer, poet, philologist, and linguist, Tolkien was also a devout Catholic throughout his life. While his books are not overly religious and can be enjoyed by readers from all walks of life, both believers and non-believers, Tolkien’s books are enriched with religious themes and symbolism. A phrase Tolkien wrote, voiced by Bilbo Baggins, has been used by believers for decades now, and is appropriate for this discussion of The Lord of the Rings:

“Not all those who wander are lost.”

Representation of Jesus Christ in Lord of the Rings

Gandalf resurrected in Lord of the Rings
New Line Cinema

One thing that is often present among Christian fiction books and movies with Christian allegories is some kind of representation of Jesus Christ. A well-known example of this is Aslan in C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia. Lewis was a Christian and a good friend of Tolkien’s, so it makes sense that he would include a Jesus Christ figure in his books.

In The Chronicles of Narnia series, Aslan the lion is the perfect representation of Jesus Christ as he does not sin and even sacrifices himself to save others much like Jesus sacrificed himself by dying on the cross. However, in J.R.R. Tolkien’s books, he does not have one representation of Jesus but rather three: Gandalf, Aragorn, and Samwise Gamgee (perhaps representative of the Holy Trinity, the concept of 'God in three persons'). Each of these characters symbolizes a different aspect of Jesus Christ.

Gandalf the Gray

Gandalf in Lord of the Rings
New Line Cinema

Gandalf the Gray travels throughout Middle Earth seeking to help all those he encounters. Like Jesus, Gandalf has several names that mean different things. To the men of Gondor, he is Mithrandir, “the gray pilgrim.” Other names include Olorin, Incanus, Tharkun, and Lathspell. Perhaps the most notable thing Gandalf does is fight a balrog and sacrifices his life to allow the Fellowship time to escape the Mines of Moria. After his fight with the demon, Gandalf dies but is reborn (or resurrected) again as Gandalf the White, a much more powerful wizard than before. The Christian correlary is pretty obvious here.

Aragorn Son of Arathorn

Aragorn
New Line Cinema

Aragorn son of Arathorn is a Ranger of the North. While his true heritage is ruling the throne of Gondor, he prefers to wander Middle Earth, protecting the lands he patrols, living inconspicuously, and never seeking glory for himself. The Rangers of the North possess healing abilities and in The Return of the King book, Aragorn heals Faramir, Eowyn, Merry, and many others after the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. This is like how Jesus performed miracles and healed dead or dying people.

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Also, in The Return of the King, Aragorn dies a figurative death by entering the Path of the Dead. There, he summons the cursed traitors of the mountain, calling upon them to fulfill their ancient oath and fight for Gondor. Backed with his new undead army, Aragorn liberates Gondor from the forces of evil and takes his place as king, to rule and protect his people. This mirrors the New Testament's telling of Christ’s promise to return to the world to rescue His faithful followers, which He promises to do during the final Revelation.

Samwise Gamgee

Frodo and Sam
New Line Cinema

Samwise Gamgee symbolizes the true meaning of selfless love and sacrifice. Throughout Frodo’s journey to Mount Doom, Sam is by his side the entire time, even after Frodo banishes Sam because he falsely believes that Sam is plotting against him to steal the Ring of Power. With tears running down his face, Sam obeys Frodo and leaves but later returns to save him from Shelob’s lair. Sam promptly forgives Frodo, which mirrors Christ's forgiveness on the cross ("Forgive them, for they know not what they do") and the concept of God’s undying and selfless love for humanity.

In addition, during the last leg of the journey to Mount Doom, Sam carries Frodo when Frodo is too weary to walk. This seems like a reference to substitutionary atonement, the Christian theory of Christ's carrying the sins of humanity. It also feels reminiscent of the traditional “Footprints in the Sand” poem from Mary Stevenson, where the person in the poem realizes that God never abandoned them during difficult moments in life, but instead, carried them to safety. This especially rings true if we are to believe that Frodo represents humanity.

But What About Frodo Baggins?

Sam, Frodo, and Gollum on the ground in The Lord of the Rings The Two Towers
New Line Cinema

Since Frodo Baggins is one of the main protagonists of the series, it’s possible to also consider him to be Christlike. After all, his quest to destroy the ring can parallel Jesus’ sacrifice of dying to save mankind. In the end, Frodo cannot return to his former life at the Shire and must journey to the Undying Lands with the elves. However, it’s important to remember that Frodo does not actually destroy the ring. Instead, Frodo gives in to the ring’s power and that’s when Gollum tries to steal it back, which ultimately results in Gollum falling to his death and destroying the ring in the fires of Mount Doom.

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Instead of thinking of Frodo as a Christlike figure, we can instead compare him to our struggles on earth. Each of us faces hardships in our daily lives as we struggle to destroy our selfish nature or destructive temptations, which is represented by the One Ring of Power. Frodo gives in to the temptation by putting on the ring instead of throwing it into the fires of Mount Doom. This is unlike Jesus, who probably felt lonely and abandoned at times during his difficult life but would never have given into temptation the way that Frodo did with the Ring of Power.

Lady Galadriel As the Virgin Mary

Galadriel in Lord of the Rings
New Line Cinema

There is a strong resemblance between Lady Galadriel and The Virgin Mary. Lady Galadriel is depicted as being pure and innocent. She is always seen with rays of white light surrounding her. Additionally, Lady Galadriel displays maternal qualities in the way that she cares for the Fellowship when they stay under her protection in her home of the Lothlórien Woods. Plus, Lady Galadriel’s home is described as almost womb-like, as Lothlórien Woods is a safe haven for the Fellowship and is closed off from the outside world.

Sauron Is Satan, the Devil Himself

Sauron in The Lord of the Rings
New Line Cinema

Any good story would be boring without conflict and villains, and since The Lord of the Rings has a Christlike representation, it’s only logical to assume that it also has a character symbolic of Satan. One of those characters is Sauron, who is pure evil and the exact opposites of Gandalf, Aragorn, and Sam because he is self-motivated and diabolical. However, those familiar with The Silmarillion will also recognize another name, Morgoth, who is Sauron’s master. In Tolkien’s elaborate world, Morgoth may be the true Satan but since he does not appear in The Lord of the Rings, Sauron is the figure most closely resembling this figure.