Tag Archives: J.R.R. Tolkien

Affirming Creation in the Lord of the Rings #earthday

Posted on April 22, 2021 by Brenton Dickieson

Perhaps it isn’t that surprising that J.R.R. Tolkien’s books are so environmentally sensitive. Like Sam Gamgee, Tolkien loved things that grow and good tilled earth. He loved walks–long walks beyond his garden through English towns and villages and vast, untouched … Continue reading →

Posted in Fictional Worlds, Reflections | Tagged creation, creation care, Earth Day, environment, fantasy, J.R.R. Tolkien, Legolas, literature, Lord of the Rings, Matthew Dickerson, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, Treebeard, WWI | 5 Comments

Why is Tolkien Scholarship Stronger than Lewis Scholarship? Part 3: Other Factors

Posted on April 20, 2021 by Brenton Dickieson

As I have been chest-deep in academic works about C.S. Lewis and at least knee-deep in the same kinds of J.R.R. Tolkien books and articles, I conceived of a thought experiment. Without even glancing at my bookshelf, I can name … Continue reading →

Posted in Original Research, Reflections | Tagged C.S. Lewis, Christopher Tolkien, J.R.R. Tolkien, Literary Theory, Lord of the Rings, owen barfield, scholarship, The Hobbit, Walter Hooper | 15 Comments

Why is Tolkien Scholarship Stronger than Lewis Scholarship? Part 2: Literary Breadth and Depth

Posted on April 13, 2021 by Brenton Dickieson

For the last couple of weeks I have been looking at questions of C.S. Lewis scholarship, beginning with my own journey. As I am deep in a scholarly study, I decided to design a thought experiment. By creating a sort … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, lion the witch and the wardrobe, Ransom Cycle, The Hobbit, The Last Battle, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, Till We Have Faces | 14 Comments

Why is Tolkien Scholarship Stronger than Lewis Scholarship? Part 1: Creative Breaks that Inspired Tolkien Readers

Posted on April 6, 2021 by Brenton Dickieson

It is a question that has been nagging me for some time: Why is Tolkien Scholarship Stronger than Lewis Scholarship? By this, I do not mean any particular insult to Lewis scholars. I am one, in fact. As I note … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, John Garth, Narnia, Splintered Light, Stephanie Derrick, The Fame of C.S. Lewis, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, Tolkien and the Great War, Verlyn Flieger | 51 Comments

“Small” and “Little”, a Literary Experiment on J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit with Sparrow Alden

Posted on April 1, 2021 by Brenton Dickieson

Originally posted on words that you were saying:
Finally! Thanks to the Rev. Dr. Dickieson over at A Pilgrim in Narnia, I have gotten un-stuck from the word which has held me in thrall since October. I hope this is…

Posted in Reflections | Tagged Digital Humanities, J.R.R. Tolkien, Northwind Seminary, Sparrow Alden, The Hobbit, theology, theology and literature, Theology of Culture | 4 Comments

The Other Reasons I Became a C.S. Lewis Scholar

Posted on March 30, 2021 by Brenton Dickieson

An intriguing, fun, and occasionally perverse part of being a scholar in areas where there is a lively fandom is that I am often asked to tell my “encounter” story. This can be a bit strange in that in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged academic writing, C.S. Lewis, Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis, culture, J.K. Rowling, J.R.R. Tolkien, L.M. Montgomery, literature, Mere Christianity, Miroslav Volf, N.T. Wright, PhD Research, Rosemary Radford Ruether, Sallie McFague, theology, Ursula K. Le Guin | 5 Comments

Reading J.R.R. Tolkien by Audiobook and Adaptation: Thoughts on a Portland Discovery

Posted on March 25, 2021 by Brenton Dickieson

It was pouring rain in Portland as Nicolas and I wove our way through the artisan-filled streets of this renewed East Coast City. I love Portland, though we were not visiting on the best of circumstances. Just a couple of … Continue reading →

Posted in Thoughtful Essays | Tagged Andy Serkis, Beren and Lúthien, J.R.R. Tolkien, Mr. Bliss, Nicol Williamson, Peter Jackson, Philip K. Dick, Portland Maine, Stephen King, The Children of Húrin, The Fall of Gondolin, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, Tolkien Reading Day, Unfinished Tales | 12 Comments

Biography of Dr. Brenton Dickieson

Posted on March 7, 2021 by Brenton Dickieson

Brenton D.G. Dickieson (BA, MCS, PhD) For fifteen years, Brenton Dickieson (PhD, Chester, 2020) has taught at the University of Prince Edward Island. Returning to the home of his undergraduate studies in 2006, he is now the Lecturer in Theology … Continue reading →

Posted in News & Links, Original Research | Tagged academic, academic writing, C.S. Lewis, Inklings, J.R.R. Tolkien, L.M. Montgomery, research, scholarship, spiritual theology | 4 Comments

The Romantic Theology Doctorate (DTM) at Northwind Seminary

Posted on March 5, 2021 by Brenton Dickieson

Hi friends. As some of you know, I do a lot of teaching online. Beyond my local teaching, I have been a distance education instructor in a variety of forms for 16 years now. Continuing a series from last year, … Continue reading →

Posted in News & Links | Tagged C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, Charlie Starr, Crystal Hurd, Inklings, J.R.R. Tolkien, Michael Christensen, Northwind Seminary, owen barfield, romantic theology, spiritual theology, Terry Glaspey, Theology of Culture, Theology of the Small, William O'Flaherty | 5 Comments

Share with Me a Woman’s Voice on Shakespeare, with Thoughts on The Merchant of Venice

Posted on February 9, 2021 by Brenton Dickieson

Yes, I know, it is kind of a strange request: Share with Me a Woman’s Voice on Shakespeare. Moreover, it is one that I cannot necessarily follow up on fully. But let me explain. The other day, I finished up … Continue reading →