Yeah, I feel like so much of my work the last couple years ends up accidentally saying in too many words what Aquinas said in one sentence: Gratia non tollit naturam, sed perficit.
You've given us much to consider here, Ross. I have never quite known what to do with Tom Bombadil. His presence makes the life-and-death matter of destroying the ring seem somehow insignificant, which of course it isn't, and if the company took on this attitude, Sauron would win (for good men would do nothing, as Burke says) and yet maybe brushing against this attitude (this reality of something greater than the ring) is what allowed Frodo to resist for so long. I never considered Frodo singing Tom's song as somehow protective, or something that he carried with him when he left Tom's presence. I need to think about this more. Logically, I should just reread the entire series and then get back to you in a couple weeks. Ha! I have noticed certain camps of charismatics acting like they are saying incantations, and yet many other camps treat their words as irrelevant. Our words do have power, but only because God has made us in his image and granted that our words join his. Hopefully it doesn't come across like I'm infantilizing your arguments when in fact I'm trying to appropriate them into my everyday thinking. Sometimes when I sit and type out an essay's points, agreeing with them and sorting them out, it sounds like I'm either stating the obvious or arguing with the conclusion, when in fact I'm just trying to grab hold of the key points. Thank you for another thought provoking read!
Abigail, what a great comment. I do exactly the same thing. I like to talk/write out what I’m thinking about. I’m tracking with you all the way. So glad this helped to bring up those thoughts.
Thank you, Will! Concise is a very coveted compliment for me, and it means even more considering how much longer this piece was than I wanted it to be. Haha
Fantastic and thought-provoking. Love that Underhill connection, I never noticed that before either! Like Abigail said, I may have to go reread all books, rewatch all movies, go ahead and rewatch Rings of Power too and then share more reflections. Thanks so much for taking the time to share this with us!
I'm reminded of Lewis's statement in The Abolition of Man - I'm going from memory here, so excuse any inaccuracy - that the high-water mark of magic in Europe happened after (or with), not before, the scientific revolution. The ideal 'creation' of the demons was a combination of scientist and wizard. The parallels with today hardly require ferreting out.
You are pulling so many threads into this grand weave, it’s hard to remember they were all separate before.
Instrument/device.
Mastery/genie.
What I would call the Gandalf/Saruman distinction, or Wisdom/Sophist or Love/Control.
Call-and-response vs Cause-and-effect.
Tom as plausibility structure for Frodo.
Grace’s perfection of nature rather than its destruction or collapsing of nature (death, Moses, etc.).
Bro. 😮💨
Yeah, I feel like so much of my work the last couple years ends up accidentally saying in too many words what Aquinas said in one sentence: Gratia non tollit naturam, sed perficit.
Nate, thanks for reading and synthesizing this. It’s rewarding to see someone is really seeing all the threads I’m seeing.
An erudite and wise final product
You've given us much to consider here, Ross. I have never quite known what to do with Tom Bombadil. His presence makes the life-and-death matter of destroying the ring seem somehow insignificant, which of course it isn't, and if the company took on this attitude, Sauron would win (for good men would do nothing, as Burke says) and yet maybe brushing against this attitude (this reality of something greater than the ring) is what allowed Frodo to resist for so long. I never considered Frodo singing Tom's song as somehow protective, or something that he carried with him when he left Tom's presence. I need to think about this more. Logically, I should just reread the entire series and then get back to you in a couple weeks. Ha! I have noticed certain camps of charismatics acting like they are saying incantations, and yet many other camps treat their words as irrelevant. Our words do have power, but only because God has made us in his image and granted that our words join his. Hopefully it doesn't come across like I'm infantilizing your arguments when in fact I'm trying to appropriate them into my everyday thinking. Sometimes when I sit and type out an essay's points, agreeing with them and sorting them out, it sounds like I'm either stating the obvious or arguing with the conclusion, when in fact I'm just trying to grab hold of the key points. Thank you for another thought provoking read!
Abigail, what a great comment. I do exactly the same thing. I like to talk/write out what I’m thinking about. I’m tracking with you all the way. So glad this helped to bring up those thoughts.
This is insanely good. Gonna take a couple reads for me to see it all as a tapestry. But it has been incredibly concise and beautiful. Thank you
Thank you, Will! Concise is a very coveted compliment for me, and it means even more considering how much longer this piece was than I wanted it to be. Haha
Fantastic and thought-provoking. Love that Underhill connection, I never noticed that before either! Like Abigail said, I may have to go reread all books, rewatch all movies, go ahead and rewatch Rings of Power too and then share more reflections. Thanks so much for taking the time to share this with us!
Thank you, Hannah. Well you certainly can’t re-read those books too many times!
Chefs kiss, Ross! Absolutely stellar. This whole series is in the saved/reread batch. Thanks for putting all this together and sharing it with us.
I’m so glad! Thanks man.
amazing my friend.
Thanks Josh! Been really enjoying your series as well.
This is a good read.
However:
‘Today’s technologists have more in common with yesterday’s alchemists than they might care to acknowledge’.
Yesterday’s alchemists were more honest than today’s technologists, because they sought the truth rather than claiming to know it…
A sobering thought.
I'm reminded of Lewis's statement in The Abolition of Man - I'm going from memory here, so excuse any inaccuracy - that the high-water mark of magic in Europe happened after (or with), not before, the scientific revolution. The ideal 'creation' of the demons was a combination of scientist and wizard. The parallels with today hardly require ferreting out.
Thanks Ross, to be re-read many times, and shared; maybe even commented on.
Excellent work. I especially liked your thoughts on "Call and Response" as a more meaningful way to look at Christian life than cause and effect.
So good. ! thanks
Remarkable work, Ross: I will be thinking about this for a long time.