GEORGE FOX TALKS

Gandalf the wizard as an Old Testament prophet? Hobbits as intercessory priests? Aragorn as a messianic king? Dr. Philip Ryken, president of Wheaton College, joins Brian in the studio to uncover the rich Gospel themes in J.R.R. Tolkien’s iconic masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings. While Tolkien famously insisted his work was not an allegory, Dr. Ryken explains how the author’s faith and theological imagination imbued the text with profoundly Christian motifs—most significantly, “the threefold office of Christ” depicted through several of the story's central characters.

Check out Dr. Ryken’s book, The Messiah Comes to Middle-Earth: Images of Christ's Threefold Office in The Lord of the Rings:
https://www.ivpress.com/the-messiah-comes-to-middle-earth-ebook?srsltid=AfmBOoqIanzXkiPyRO2X4rIxKb0kBGrYOE-fWxYlRUj0R3WN1_0knL92

Dr. Ryken has published more than 50 books and he serves as president of Wheaton College: https://www.wheaton.edu/about-wheaton/leadership/president-ryken

Dr. Brian Doak is an Old Testament scholar and professor: https://www.georgefox.edu/academics/undergrad/departments/religion/faculty/doak.html

If you enjoy listening to the George Fox Talks podcast and would like to watch, too, check out our channel on YouTube! We also have a web page that features all of our podcasts, a sign-up for our weekly email update, and publications from the George Fox University community.

Creators and Guests

Host
Brian Doak
Vice President of George Fox Digital, Professor of Biblical Studies

What is GEORGE FOX TALKS?

Accessible and academically driven discussion on the topics of theology, wellness, culture, and travel. This podcast is presented by faculty and friends of George Fox University in Newberg, OR.