By GIOVANNI CARMINE COSTABILE

Rarely it happens for a common mortal to flee from some terror to stumble into pure beauty, verily as the first meeting between Beren and Luthien. Yet, the sensation is closely similar as one gets a copy of the recent scholarly work titled “Amid Weeping There Is Joy: Orthodox Perspectives on Tolkien’s Fantastic Realm”, a volume the cover of which consistently presents itself with Gabriel Wilson’s artwork representing the same first meeting of the couple.

As one delves deeper into the several chapters here collected from conference papers or written for the occasion, multiple focuses are offered, behind all of which one discerns the scholarly minds of many authors pertaining to the US Orthodox Church.

Thus, editor Cyril Gary Jenkins’ contextual frame envisioning the whole history and philosophy of modern age, culminating in the Great War, introduces the reader to Tolkien’s youth and education.

Michael Haldas recaptures the theme of Divine Providence in Tolkien’s works, also hinting at the everyday importance of maintaining such faith as any Christian should.

William J. Tighe offers a shorter account of Tolkien’s opposition to Gnosticism than Jonathan McIntosh in his volume “The Flame Imperishable: Tolkien, St. Thomas, and the Metaphysics of Faerie”, and yet it conveys consideration of both ancient and modern Gnosticism, lacking in McIntosh.

Paul Siewers brilliantly highlights how Tolkien’s narrative works as an antidote for both individuals and groups to social isolation produced by technology, economics, and politics. Tolkien is unique and felt as such because untouched by contemporary totalitarianism, the progeny of both 20th century antecedents, Communism and Nazism.

Richard Seraphim Rohlins splendidly adds to the best of Tolkien scholarship by explaining in close detail the reference to Medieval Church architecture made by Tolkien in a comment to an exchange of his with Clive Staples Lewis, underlining their different Christian confessions (Tolkien was a Catholic, Lewis an Anglican) and their different approach to Middle Ages and their literature, especially the Middle English poem “Pearl”.

Nicholas Kotar defends both Tolkien and Christianity from the attacks of contemporary Christian misomyths, who seem to forget how Christ himself spoke in a fictional form called parable.

Frederic Putnam extensively comments the concept of “Fantasy” in both Tolkien e CS Lewis.

A further interesting writing by Paul Siewers reads Tolkien as a nuptial author, then to utilize such traits as a neat explanation for the large following the English writer has in Orthodoxy, since their faith is strongly founded on the institution of the earthly marriage as a figure of the mystical Wedding of the Lamb.

Cyril Cary Jenkins then culminates the entire collection by his analysis of different aspects of the Vision of God in comparing Tolkien’s Niggle with St. Gregory of Nyssa, Dante, and Plato.

The essays are all very readable, and, although some theses here found are closer to Tolkien’s mind than others, at least as long as we know at the moment, all contributions invite reflection, and call for further research, in a way I feel comfortable to declare Tolkien would appreciate.

Two critical notes: it feels awkward to read Tighe asking the reader which race are Trolls a counterfeit of, since Treebeard himself clearly states Trolls are counterfeit versions of Ents, made in their mimicry. Secondly, it is also perplexing when Siewers almost declares how Tolkien would have liked the “filioque” to be erased from the Creed, however unintentionally on the scholar’s part the impression of the reader might stem.

Instead, I highly appreciated all the efforts to contextualize Tolkien in the cultural history of the West, both to clarify his role in the 20th century AD, and to suggest all of us, even and especially today, still have a lot to learn from him. Notwithstanding the minor flaws just mentioned, in fact, both Siewers and Tighe, as well as other papers in the volume, offer the reader precious indications relevant to the case.

To conclude, I could never overstate my appreciation for Rohlin’s chapter on the poem “Pearl”, a chapter worthy as a critical pearl in its own right, and not only for its brilliance, nor because it is in the volume the chief reference to Medieval Literature and source criticism, but mostly because of its hinting at the book-title, taken from the first paragraph of the chapter in “The Silmarillion” dedicated to Beren and Luthien.

Thus may come together the consolation of the “Pearl”-Poet, being reassured his daughter is safe in Jesus’ arms, and the vision of Beren of Luthien’s dance as the consolation from his nightmare of being chased by Morgoth’s servants throughout his escape southward after his father’s death, for “Tinuviel was dancing there, to music of a pipe unseen, and light of stars was in her hair, and in her raiment glimmering”.