This week, Brandon and AJ dive a little more deeply into the question of what we "ought" to do. Do our choices matter? Are they free or fated? How are we supposed to choose?
Episode 311 – What You Can And Kant Do
Episode 309 – Created or Creating?
This week, Brandon and AJ discuss the role of God(Iluvatar) in Tolkien's Middle Earth, specifically in creation and the daily lives of the characters. What can we learn, reflect on, or incorporate into our own lives, world, and relationship with the Almighty? Is creation a completed work already that we are watching play out? Or is it an ongoing process?
Episode 278 – Kings and Rings
Wrapping up their look at examples of priests, prophets, and kings in the Lord of the Rings, AJ and Brandon compare the rule of Aragorn and Denethor, steward of Gondor. They also crystalize some of the patterns between all three offices and think about what that means for their own lives.
Episode 277 – The Little Priests of Middle Earth
This week, AJ and Brandon continue looking at Middle Earth and Christ's three offices being depicted. This time, it's with a look at the priesthood as seen in Gollum and Frodo (and Sam).
Episode 276 – Prophetic Wizards in Lord of the Rings
In this week's episode, AJ and Brandon discuss Tolkien's depictions of good wizards and bad as a parallel to the messianic office of the prophet. What do Gandalf and Saruman show us about the right and wrong ways to live the prophetic call?
Episode 275 – Fallen Middle Earth
This week, Brandon and AJ resume their conversation about Tolkien's Middle Earth. What starts as a conversation about how change in perfection must be a loss becomes a conversation about how we experience our fall and God's salvation of us as ongoing stories rather than single historical events.
Episode 274 – Tolkien on Progress
This week, Brandon and AJ spend their time comparing the modern trust in progress and development with Tolkien's own skepticism and doubt about development in time.