My husband and I are so thankful to be able to share that we are expecting another little hobbit to join our family this October. Please join us in praying that the rest of this pregnancy will continue to be a healthy one. 🌱
Introducing The Silmarillion Reader’s Guide: a Free Resource from Tea with Tolkien
The Silmarillion is one of Tolkien’s most challenging works and yet also the most beautiful and important in my opinion. Many Tolkien fans new and old often feel intimidated by its depth and bewildered by its vocabulary, but it’s become my goal to encourage, equip, and inspire Tolkien fans to not only pick up The Silmarillion — but to finish it as well!
Guest Post: 3 Things “The Hobbit of the New Testament” Taught Me
When I taught New Testament at a Catholic high school, I unconsciously created a memory regarding the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10. I united my love of literature with love of scripture by referring to Zacchaeus as “the hobbit of the New Testament”. Students chuckled at this provisional quip. The former tax collector was described as a short man who needed to climb a tree to view Jesus’ arrival in his town. J.R.R. Tolkien once described his creations as,
The Word on Fire Bible to Become the First Bible Featuring Commentary from JRR Tolkien
This Bible feels very meditative, like a slow walk through the Scriptures. I once read an anecdote about Tolkien in which his friends mentioned that Tolkien couldn’t simply go on a quick walk because he would so frequently stop to point out a particular plant or insect, often stopping altogether when something interested him. This Bible feels a bit like this, in the most delightful way. You can’t just rush through the Scriptures, it’s best to work through them slowly. It feels almost like a long walk through the Sistine Chapel or a forest perhaps.
Tea with Tolkien Themes for 2022
Because I love planning and I love a good theme, I’ve put together a list of twelve monthly themes for Tea with Tolkien in 2022. These themes will help shape what sorts of content is shared on our blog and podcast, what discussions we have within our community, and so on!
If you feel inspired to create any social media posts, art, poetry, etc. inspired by one of these themes, I would love to see and share them! I’d love to do some sort of round-up post at the end of each month. :)
“Cling to Hope, The Memory of Your Shire”
Last January, I lost someone I love dearly to suicide. Without them, the light in the world is forever diminished. Their life was a gift to all of us and we are lost without them. I miss them so much, and have so many regrets. I wish so badly I could tell them these things. But because they are gone, I am going to tell them to you.
Tolkien on the Incarnation: "The Eucatastrophe of Man's History"
Unlike other fairy-tales which are set in the sub-created secondary worlds of their authors, the Eucatastrophe of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection is true in our primary world, a story written by the Divine Author himself. Tolkien writes, “Art has been verified. God is the Lord, of angels, and of men—and of elves. Legend and History have met and fused.”
Guest Post: Lewis, Tolkien, and the Creative Power of Music
Music is powerful. Something inherently in music provides peace and joy amidst stress and turmoil. At least that is the experience I have when listening to music. There exists a certain universal quality to music that draws all mankind together. Below I will provide examples from literature and the tradition of Catholic Church to show evidence of music’s capacity to unite people through its creative power.
Shire-cuterie: Our Hobbiton Themed Charcuterie Board
When my wonderful friend Katie invited my husband and I to a charcuterie party at her home this weekend, naturally I knew I had to make something The Lord of the Rings-themed. And because today marks the twentieth anniversary of The Fellowship of the Ring’s US release date, I wanted to share the final results with you here! Presenting: Shire-Cuterie!
Tolkien and the Eucharist: “The One Great Thing to Love on Earth"
“Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament. . . . There you will find romance, glory, honour, fidelity, and the true way of all your loves on earth, and more than that: Death: by the divine paradox, that which ends life, and demands the surrender of all, and yet by the taste—or foretaste—of which alone can what you seek in your earthly relationships (love, faithfulness, joy) be maintained, or take on that complexion of reality, of eternal endurance, which every man’s heart desires…”
The 2021 Tea with Tolkien Gift Guide
I’m so excited to finally share our 2021 Tea with Tolkien Gift Guide: a collection of gifts and goods for the Tolkien fan or Hobbit at Heart. Many of these items are inspired by Tolkien’s works specifically, while others are Tolkien-adjacent meaning I thought Tolkien fans would enjoy them as well!
Tolkien and Catholicism: Recommended Resources
Because our community is one inspired by the works and faith of J.R.R. Tolkien, I often receive messages from folks interested in learning more about how Catholicism influenced his worldview and writings. I’ve created this page in hopes that it will be a helpful resource in this regard. I will be occasionally adding to this list as I come across new resources, so please add a comment below if you are aware of any that I’ve missed.