Leaving Lothlórien

Why I’m starting this Substack and what you can expect to find here.

I finally got around to reading The Lord of the Rings recently, after having started it nearly 20 years ago.

One of my favorite places in Tolkien's richly-textured Middle-earth is the Elven kingdom of Lothlórien. It is a realm of peace and exquisite beauty and provides a haven from the violent chaos building in the lands adjoining it. 

And yet, as a reader, there is something frustrating about the elves in Lothlórien, Rivendell, and elsewhere. As the story progresses we have an increasing awareness of the threat represented by Sauron and the urgent need for everyone to resist him, lest Middle Earth be completely overrun and ruined by his evil army. We also discover that the elves are a uniquely powerful, intelligent race of beings. 

With few exceptions, however, the elves just don’t want to get involved. Yes, they realize Sauron’s kingdom will eventually overtake their lands as well. By then, however, they plan to set sail for the distant lands of the West, across the seas, leaving Middle Earth to its fate. 

As I read, a question began to form itself in my mind. Am I not like one of the elves, enjoying my corner of a presently quiet kingdom, all the while knowing a struggle is raging not far from here in which the stakes are great and all hands are needed? And will not the gathering forces of darkness, if they prevail, eventually overrun my land — or, at least, the land in which my children dwell?

Many, no doubt, would resonate with this description of our times while interpreting the nature of the struggle and the parties to it in very different ways. Is the struggle a political one? A cultural one? Do we need to restore our country? Or push forward to an as-yet-unseen era of freedom? Do the armies of Sauron wear blue? Or red?

Here’s how I see it. The struggle is simply to see and embrace what is true. I mean that in a broad sense, including the truly good and the truly beautiful. The truth is that which corresponds to the way things really are, that reflects and flows from the nature of God and the order of his creation. Adjusting our thinking, believing, and acting to align with this reality is the path of life. 

What about the armies? We are always tempted to see ourselves on Gandalf’s team, with those wicked and foolish others arrayed against us. The great Russian novelist and dissident Alexander Solzhenitsyn, who suffered at the hands of the Soviets, had as much reason as anyone to divide the world up neatly in this way.

And yet he wrote:

“The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either — but right through every human heart — and through all human hearts.”

The truth is that each one of us at times and in ways, often invisible to us, comes under the sway of the dark tower. 

And who is Sauron in our context? That one’s easy: Satan. I know, it’s not a very modern or sophisticated view of things. The reality of God’s enemy and his desire to subvert all that is good through the means of deception is, however, the one conspiracy theory I actually believe in. 

I know what you’re thinking. No, I am not much like the elves in most ways. I’m not immortal. I do not possess super intelligence, nor can I fire arrows with lethal rapidity. But I am conscious of having something to contribute, and I mean to do so.

As Gandalf puts it:

“It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succour of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till.”

So, time to take leave of the peaceful confines of Lothlórien and see if I can fell an orc or two.

What to Expect

What can you expect to find as a reader of this substack — Joyful Resistance?

We’ll be examining topics that matter in culture, politics, and faith with the aim of better seeing and living in the truth.

I don’t presume I always, or even usually, know what the truth is. I am convinced, however, that seeking it through careful, thoughtful discourse is one of the best paths by which to approach it. 

As I write, I will be prioritizing two things:

• Clarity: The issues that concern us are usually not simple. It can be difficult to sort through all the arguments to arrive at a coherent position. The task is made easier when we can clearly set out what the key arguments and questions are upon which a conclusion turns. If nothing else, you’ll walk away from reading about a topic here with an enhanced understanding of what the issue is all about. 

• Grace: Much of our public discourse is characterized by contempt for opponents, mischaracterization of their positions, and ad hominem attacks instead of respectful engagement with their ideas. Returning to the analogy, those are Sauron’s weapons. I make it my aim here never to resort to them. 

Initially, I’ll publish an article each Friday. Should the audience of Joyful Resistance grow, I hope eventually to offer book reviews, additional articles, and other resources.

For now, I invite you to consider subscribing if you have not already done so. You can join as a free subscriber and you’ll receive the weekly article in your inbox. 

If you believe we need more of the kind of thoughtful content you’ll find here, consider becoming a paid subscriber. You’ll gain the ability to join the discussion by leaving comments and reading replies — mine as well as others’. I believe thinking well is a group exercise and I look forward to learning from the give and take. You will also have access to the full archive and any extra articles and resources I add.

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Cover image generated by Dall-E