Course Description
Dr. Keith Mathison will take you through a guided tour of Middle Earth. Along the way, you will read major works of J.R.R. Tolkien such as The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. By studying one of the great authors of the twentieth century, you will gain a better understanding of the way fantasy literature can reflect truth, goodness, and beauty.
About the Instructor
Dr. Keith A. Mathison is professor of systematic theology at Reformation Bible College. He earned his M.A. from Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Fla., and his Ph.D. from Whitefield Theological Seminary. He is author of several books, including From Age to Age: The Unfolding of Biblical Eschatology and Given for You: Reclaiming Calvin’s Doctrine of the Lord’s Supper. He served as an associate editor of the Reformation Study Bible and previously served as associate editor of Tabletalk magazine.
Letter from Instructor
Dear Student,
J.R.R. Tolkien is often mentioned among the great authors of the twentieth century, and his book The Lord of the Rings is considered by some to be the greatest novel of that century. His popularity has never really waned, but Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings film trilogy (2001–2003) introduced an entire new generation to his works. Tolkien’s work is important because it is not merely fantasy. Tolkien uses fantasy to reveal truth to a modernist world that has discarded it. In this class we study Tolkien’s theory of literary creation (or “sub-creation” as Tolkien calls it), and we read all of his major works and several of his smaller ones. I hope you will join me as we explore the world of Middle-earth, viewing it through the eyes of hobbits, elves, and men, and seeking for the ways in which it reveals truth, goodness, and beauty in our world.
In Christ,
Dr. Mathison