The Lord of the Rings and Christ’s Kingship, by Matthew McKenna

Peter Jackson’s adaptation of The Lord of the Rings is quite good.  But sometimes he skips key details which reveal the Christian vision behind Tolkien’s work.  One of these is the climatic episode of Aragorn’s coronation.  In Jackson’s film, it rightly shows Gandalf placing the crown on Aragorn’s head, but it removes Frodo’s participation in the coronation.

In the book, Aragorn approaches the city Minis Tirth, and its steward, Faramir, comes out to meet him.  Faramir explains to the assembled people that in olden days the king would crown his own successor before he died.  But since things must be different now, Aragorn may place the crown on his own head. 

Unlike Napolean, Aragorn refuses to crown himself.  ….

Continue reading >>>>>>