Is Lord of the Rings inspired by Christianity?

Answer 1

No, JRR Tolkien actually stated in interviews that Lord of the Rings was entirely a work of fiction, and that he hated allegory in all forms. This is ironic since his best friend was CS Lewis, the author of the very allegoric Chronicles of Narnia series.

Answer 2

Not really. The writer was a devout Christian and yes, there are some parallels to Christianity such as a single creator, his attendant angels, one of which who 'falls' because he believes he can be his equal. However in the book there is no parallel to Jesus, no concept of sin, or afterlife, good characters weild magic - it simply isn't about Christianity or reflecting it in any applicable way, and some fundamentalist believers would find parts to be un-Christian, especially the magic.

Answer 3

No, there was no desire by Tolkien to use allegory in his writing. There is no doubt that his religious beliefs colored his writing, but it was not intentional.

Answer 4

Yes, he was Roman Catholic.