Pagan Inspiration in C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien

I asked ChatGPT to summarize pagan influence in the work of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, and below is the result.  I'm very familiar with both of these authors, and, as I suspected would be the case, ChatGPT's summary is very helpful and accurate.

There are rays of truth in all human religions and cultures, and a Catholic Christian worldview encourages us to approach various cultures and religions with a nuanced perspective, recognizing elements of incompatibility and difference, but also recognizing and appreciating elements of truth and beauty.  I think the works of Lewis and Tolkien provide an excellent example of such nuanced appreciation, and how Christians can derive inspiration from paganism.  I've discussed this more here, here, and here.

I should note that neither Lewis nor Tolkien advocated an uncritical acceptance of pagan ideas.  They were critical of certain aspects of paganism, particularly where pagan ideas conflict with Christian beliefs and values.  There is a lot of diversity in paganism, as I discuss in this post.  But what I want to emphasize here is the positive value they found in pagan myths, themes, motifs, and practices, as they appreciated them from a Christian point of view.

I should also note that, while Tolkien's fictional works were influenced profoundly by his Christian worldview, he did not see his works as allegories referring to Christian themes but as myths and stories with their own unique integrity as "sub-creations" (see below).

The analysis below was generated with the assistance of OpenAI's ChatGPT sometime in August (with just a little bit of editing by me).

C.S. Lewis

C.S. Lewis, renowned for his profound Christian writings and imaginative fiction, intricately wove pagan motifs, themes, aesthetics, practices, deities, and magical elements into his works. This synthesis was not merely artistic but stemmed from his belief in the intrinsic value of myth and its role in pointing toward deeper truths. Lewis saw pagan myths as echoes of a universal longing for redemption and truth, which he believed were ultimately fulfilled in Christianity. This integration showcases how Lewis reconciled pagan elements with his Christian worldview, using them to enrich his narratives and convey spiritual truths.

Incorporation of Pagan Elements in Lewis's Works

1. Mythological Creatures and Deities:

   • The Chronicles of Narnia series is replete with creatures from Greek and Roman mythology, such as fauns, centaurs, dryads, naiads, and satyrs. For instance, Mr. Tumnus, a faun, plays a pivotal role in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe."
   • In "Prince Caspian," Bacchus and Silenus, figures from Roman mythology associated with revelry and nature, appear and participate in the narrative, symbolizing liberation and the restoration of rightful order.

2. Pagan Practices and Rituals:

   • Lewis incorporates festivals and celebrations that echo pagan rituals. The joyous romp led by Bacchus in "Prince Caspian" mirrors ancient rites celebrating nature's bounty and the gods' favor.
   • The emphasis on deep magic and ancient laws in Narnia reflects a world governed by timeless, mystical principles reminiscent of pagan cosmologies.

3. Aesthetic and Thematic Elements:

   • The natural world is sacralized, embodying a living, enchanted universe where trees and rivers possess spirits, akin to animistic beliefs in pagan traditions.
   • Themes of sacrifice, rebirth, and redemption are explored using pagan symbols, such as the dying-and-rising god motif, which parallels Aslan's sacrificial death and resurrection.

4. "Till We Have Faces":

   • This novel is a retelling of the Cupid and Psyche myth from Greek mythology. Lewis delves deep into pagan religious practices, exploring themes of love, jealousy, and the human longing for the divine.
   • The protagonist's journey reflects a spiritual pilgrimage from ignorance to understanding, using the framework of a pagan myth to explore universal truths.

Relation to His Christian Worldview

1. Myth as a Precursor to Truth:

   • Lewis viewed pagan myths as "good dreams" given by God to humanity, preparing the way for the ultimate truth revealed in Christianity.
   • He believed that these myths contained fragmented reflections of the same truths fulfilled in the Christian narrative of Jesus Christ.

2. "Myth Became Fact":

   • In his essay "Myth Became Fact," Lewis argues that myths are expressions of profound truths and that Christianity is the true myth that became historical fact.
   • By incorporating pagan elements, Lewis bridges the gap between myth and history, showing how ancient stories find their culmination in the Christian gospel.

3. Redemption of Pagan Elements:

   • Pagan motifs are not presented in opposition to Christianity but are redeemed and integrated into a Christian framework.
   • The presence of pagan deities and creatures in Narnia acknowledges the validity of their symbolic meanings while subsuming them under the sovereignty of Aslan, the Christ figure.

4. Imagination and Faith:

   • Lewis championed the role of imagination in understanding and experiencing faith. Pagan myths stir the imagination, opening hearts to spiritual realities.
   • He used pagan imagery to make Christian truths more accessible and resonate deeply with readers' innate sense of wonder and longing.

Lewis's Theological Perspective

1. Natural Law and Deep Magic:

   • The concept of "Deep Magic" from the dawn of time in Narnia represents a moral order inherent in the universe, akin to the natural law tradition in Christian theology.
   • This reflects Lewis's belief in a universal moral code that transcends cultural and religious boundaries, which pagan myths also touch upon.

2. Common Grace and General Revelation:

   • Lewis acknowledged that truth and beauty in paganism are a result of God's general revelation to all humanity.
   • He believed that God imparts wisdom and glimpses of truth even outside the specific revelations of Christianity.

3. Transformation and Fulfillment:

   • Pagan elements are transformed within his stories to serve a higher purpose, illustrating the fulfillment of human myths in divine reality.
   • This aligns with his view that Christianity does not discard pagan truths but fulfills and elevates them.

Conclusion

C.S. Lewis masterfully integrates pagan motifs into his works to enrich his storytelling and to highlight the universal human quest for meaning, truth, and redemption. By doing so, he demonstrates how pagan myths are not antithetical to Christian belief but can be harmoniously woven into a Christian narrative that fulfills the deepest longings expressed in those myths. Lewis's approach reflects his conviction that all myths and stories find their ultimate significance in the Christian story, where the myth becomes reality, and the ancient hopes of humanity are realized.

Through this synthesis, Lewis invites readers to explore the depths of their own imaginations and desires, guiding them toward the spiritual truths he cherished. His works stand as a testament to the power of storytelling to bridge cultures, epochs, and beliefs, revealing a tapestry of divine truth threaded through the diverse expressions of human longing.

J.R.R. Tolkien

J.R.R. Tolkien, best known for his epic works The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, was a devout Roman Catholic whose deep faith profoundly influenced his writing. However, his works are richly infused with pagan motifs, themes, aesthetics, practices, deities, and magical elements drawn from Norse, Celtic, and other mythologies. Tolkien's intricate blending of these elements serves to create a mythopoeic world that explores universal themes such as good versus evil, sacrifice, and redemption. This synthesis reflects how Tolkien reconciled pagan elements with his Christian worldview, using them to illuminate spiritual truths and moral principles.

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Incorporation of Pagan Elements in Tolkien's Works

1. Mythological Creatures and Beings:

   • Elves and Dwarves:
     • Tolkien's Elves and Dwarves are heavily inspired by Norse mythology. Elves (Álfar) and Dwarves (Dvergar) in Norse myths are supernatural beings with their own realms and cultures.
     • In Middle-earth, Elves are immortal, wise, and possess a deep connection to nature, while Dwarves are skilled craftsmen and miners, echoing their mythological counterparts.
   • Ents and Dragons:
     • Ents resemble the tree-like beings found in various mythologies, symbolizing the personification of nature.
     • Dragons like Smaug draw from European dragon legends, embodying greed and destructive power.
   • Valar and Maiar:
     • The Valar and Maiar are god-like beings that govern the world, similar to pantheons in pagan religions. They represent various aspects of creation and natural forces.

2. Pagan Themes and Motifs:

   • Heroic Quest and Destiny:
     • The narrative structure follows the classic hero's journey found in mythologies, where characters embark on quests that shape their destiny.
   • The Cyclical Nature of Time:
     • Tolkien's world operates in ages, reflecting the cyclical concept of time present in pagan cosmologies.
   • Fate and Prophecy:
     • Prophecies and predetermined fates play significant roles, akin to the Norse concept of fate (wyrd).

3. Aesthetic and Cultural Elements:

   • Runes and Languages:
     • Tolkien, a philologist, created languages like Quenya and Sindarin, inspired by Finnish and Welsh. The use of runes echoes ancient writing systems like the Futhark runes.
   • Cultural Practices:
     • Rituals, songs, and storytelling within the cultures of Middle-earth reflect pagan traditions of oral history and celebration.

4. Magic and Supernatural Elements:

   • Magic as a Natural Force:
     • Magic in Middle-earth is an inherent part of the world, wielded by beings like wizards (Istari) and Elves. It is not "supernatural" but a natural aspect of existence.
   • Artifacts and Relics:
     • Objects like the One Ring, swords like Narsil/Andúril, and the Silmarils hold immense power, reminiscent of enchanted items in myths.

5. Creation Mythology:

   • "The Silmarillion":
     • Tolkien presents a creation story where Eru Ilúvatar (the One) creates the world through a great musical theme sung by the Ainur, paralleling creation myths in various pagan traditions.

6. Nature and Respect for Nature:

   • Reverence for the Natural World:
     • Tolkien's works exhibit a profound respect for nature, reflecting pagan animism where natural elements are imbued with spirit and agency.
     • Forests like Fangorn and Lothlórien are depicted as living entities with consciousness and memory.
   • Harmony with Nature:
     • Characters such as the Elves live in harmony with their environment, embodying a deep ecological wisdom and stewardship over the natural world.
   • Environmental Themes:
     • The destructive impact of industrialization is personified in characters like Saruman, whose defilement of Isengard represents a violation of the natural order.
     • The scouring of the Shire highlights the consequences of environmental neglect and the importance of restoring balance.

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Relation to His Christian Worldview

1. Sub-Creation and Reflection of Divine Creation:

   • Concept of Sub-Creation:
     • Tolkien believed that humans, made in the image of the Creator, have the innate desire to create (sub-create). His myth-making is an act of sub-creation that reflects divine creativity.
   • Moral Order and Providence:
     • Despite the pagan elements, the underlying moral order in Middle-earth reflects a Christian understanding of good and evil orchestrated under divine providence.

2. Redemption and Sacrifice:

   • Christ-like Figures:
     • Characters like Gandalf, Frodo, and Aragorn embody aspects of Christ's journey—sacrifice, resurrection, and kingship.
     • Gandalf's fall and return as Gandalf the White mirrors resurrection.
   • Self-Sacrifice:
     • The willingness of characters to sacrifice themselves for others aligns with Christian virtues.

3. The Fall and Corruption:

   • The Corrupting Influence of Power:
     • The One Ring resonates with the idea of sin and the corrupting nature of power, reflecting the Christian concept of original sin and temptation.
   • The Fall of Races:
     • The decline of Elves and Men echoes the Fall of Man, a central theme in Christian theology.

4. Hope and Eschatology:

   • The Triumph of Good Over Evil:
     • The ultimate defeat of Sauron reflects the eschatological hope in Christianity that good will prevail.
   • The Undying Lands:
     • The Elves' journey to the West can be seen as a metaphor for the soul's journey to the afterlife.

5. Integration of Pagan Elements into a Christian Framework:

   • Universality of Truth:
     • Tolkien believed that pagan myths contain fragments of the true light, which Christianity fulfills.
   • Christianity as the True Myth:
     • Concept of the True Myth:
       • Tolkien viewed Christianity as the "True Myth"—a myth that is also a historical fact. This concept suggests that the story of Christ is the fulfillment of the truths and archetypes expressed imperfectly in pagan myths.
     • Discussion with C.S. Lewis:
       • Tolkien played a pivotal role in C.S. Lewis's conversion to Christianity. In their famous conversation, Tolkien explained that myths are not lies but convey profound truths.
       • He argued that the pagan stories of dying and resurrecting gods are echoes of the ultimate truth realized in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

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Tolkien's Theological Perspective

1. Free Will and Moral Choice:

   • Emphasis on Choice:
     • Characters are defined by their choices, highlighting the Christian belief in free will and moral responsibility.
   • Resisting Temptation:
     • The struggle against temptation, as seen with Frodo and the Ring, underscores the spiritual battles described in Christian theology.

2. Suffering and Providence:

   • Purpose in Suffering:
     • Suffering leads to growth and fulfills a greater purpose, aligning with the Christian understanding of redemptive suffering.
   • Hidden Providence:
     • The unseen guidance of a higher power reflects the Christian belief in God's providential care.

3. Community and Fellowship:

   • Importance of Fellowship:
     • The unity and cooperation among diverse races symbolize the Christian ideal of community and the Body of Christ.
   • Hospitality and Generosity:
     • Acts of kindness and hospitality are recurrent, echoing Christian virtues.

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Conclusion

J.R.R. Tolkien masterfully weaves pagan motifs and elements into his works to create a rich and immersive mythological world. While deeply rooted in various pagan traditions, his narratives are imbued with Christian symbolism and themes, reflecting his faith. Tolkien does not reject the pagan myths but reinterprets them, integrating their universal truths into a Christian framework.

Through this synthesis, Tolkien explores profound themes of creation, fall, redemption, hope, and the sanctity of nature. His works emphasize the intrinsic value of the natural world, advocating for a harmonious relationship between humanity and the environment. This respect for nature aligns with both pagan reverence for the natural world and Christian stewardship of creation.

Central to his integration of pagan elements is the concept of Christianity as the "True Myth." Tolkien believed that while pagan myths express fundamental truths about the human condition and the divine, these truths find their fullest and most concrete expression in Christianity.

His stories invite readers to ponder the complexities of good and evil, the significance of free will, and the possibility of redemption. By harmoniously blending pagan elements with his Christian worldview, Tolkien's narratives resonate with a timeless appeal, offering both an epic adventure and a reflection on the spiritual truths that transcend culture and time.

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References to Key Works:

• "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings": Exploration of heroism, sacrifice, the battle between good and evil, and the deep connection to nature.
• "The Silmarillion": Detailed mythology of Middle-earth, including creation myths and the history of its peoples.
• Letters and Essays: Tolkien's correspondence and writings provide insight into his intentions and the theological underpinnings of his work, including his concept of Christianity as the True Myth.

By delving into the rich tapestry of Middle-earth, readers encounter a world where pagan and Christian elements coalesce, offering a profound reflection on the human condition and the divine narrative that Tolkien believed encompasses all of history. His emphasis on respect for nature and the idea of Christianity as the True Myth serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of all creation and the ultimate fulfillment of human longing in the Christian story.

Published on the feast of St. John of Capistrano

Christianity is the True Myth

One of the things that has always been an important part of my view of the nature of the world, and of the world as Christian, at least since I have been a Christian, is the idea of Christianity as the True Myth.  We humans are made in the image of God, and the things that we create reflect that image, including our literature and our stories.  In our stories, in which there is a beginning, a middle, and an end, we often manage to portray, in a microcosm, to some limited degree, the true story of history as written by God.  That is, our stories, as we pour into them our own intuitions coming from the image of God inside of us--from our reason, our feelings, our imagination--come to reflect to a limited and imperfect degree the fundamental themes of history as written by God.  In our stories, there is purpose, there is good, there is evil, there is a battle between good and evil, and there is the ultimate victory of good, often coming at the very moment when evil seems strongest (this moment J. R. R. Tolkien called the "eucatastrophe").  We infuse beauty into our stories, just as we do into our other forms of creation (music, art, architecture, etc.)  We capture the character traits of virtue, and of wickedness.  We often manage to portray the fact that good wins by coming down into the mass of evil and overcoming it from within, just at the point when it seems as if it will be overcome by it (pointing to the cross of Christ).

This is one of the main reasons, I believe, we are drawn to stories.  We see in them glimpses of the Ultimate Reality.  Similarly, we are drawn to other human creations, such as music and art; we see in them glimpses of True Beauty.  Of course, great caution is necessary at this point.  There is a temptation to idolatry that accompanies these things, for obvious reasons, just as there is a temptation to idolatry involved in all manifestations of beauty and truth in this world (whether we find it in the natural creation or in those things created by man).  We should not throw out all finite manifestations of truth and beauty or fail to appreciate them as gifts from God simply because of the danger of idolatry that accompanies them, but we must tread with great care.  (Acts 14:11-18; Psalm 19:1.)  On a similar note, we must remember that human stories, as productions of man made in God's image but also of man as fallen, can contain both truth and error, goodness and wickedness.  A story can bring out more clearly the truth, but it can also be used to give a false beauty and appearance of truth to wickedness and error.  The same can be said for other human artistic creations.  We must "Prove all things," and "hold fast that which is good," as the Apostle says (1 Thessalonians 5:21).  Our ability to create is a gift of God, for which we must be grateful, but we must use and appreciate it with care and intelligence, by the grace of God.

I said above that I have long thought of Christianity as the True Myth.  What I mean by that is that Christianity is the truth of reality that all the truth and beauty hidden in our humanly-created stories point to.  Richard Dawkins, the famous Atheist, in his book River Out of Eden (New York: Basic Books, 1995, pp. 131-132), has famously described his view of the world in this way:

The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil and no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference.

But human stories confront us with the fact that this is not the way the world really is at all.  An Atheist must see the world in this way, for he wants to reduce all mind to mindless matter, thereby destroying any idea of ultimate purpose, beauty, or goodness.  Intuitively, we are aware that this is false, and that the elements involved in personhood are more fundamental parts of ultimate reality than mindless matter.  Intellectually, our intuitions in this area can be proven (see my attempt to prove this, along with the rest of Christianity, in Why Christianity is True).  Stories have a way of inflaming our true intuitions in this area, because they present such a compact, forceful glimpse of those facts of reality that Atheism is all about denying.  Our human stories, therefore, have a natural power to point us beyond this world and to the Triune Personal God, to Christ and the Incarnation, to the cross and the resurrection, and to history as God's purposes unfolded, because in Christianity only do we find the full fulfillment of those things that we glimpse in our stories.

This idea of Christianity as the True Myth came to me to a great extent through the writings of two famous Christian writers--C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien.  Therefore, below I have selected three readings--one from J. R. R. Tolkien, one from C. S. Lewis, and one from a biography of Tolkien discussing Tolkien's and Lewis's friendship.  I think these selections shed a lot of light on what I've been talking about (though, as should go without saying, this doesn't mean I agree with every single thing they have to say or all their ways of putting what they have to say).

From "On Fairy-Stories", by J. R. R. Tolkien (Taken from The Tolkien Reader [New York: Ballantine Books, 1966], pp. 70-73):

This "joy" which I have selected as the mark of the true fairy-story (or romance), or as the seal upon it, merits more consideration.
    Probably every writer making a secondary world, fantasy, every sub-creator, wishes in some measure to be a real maker, or hopes that he is drawing on reality: hopes that the peculiar quality of this secondary world (if not all the details)(40) are derived from Reality, or are flowing into it.  If he indeed achieves a quality that can fairly be described by the dictionary definition: "inner consistency of reality," it is difficult to conceive how this can be, if the work does not in some way partake of reality.  The peculiar quality of the "joy" in successful Fantasy can thus be explained as a sudden glimpse of the underlying reality or truth.  It is not only a "consolation" for the sorrow of this world, but a satisfaction, and an answer to that question, "Is it true?"  The answer to this question that I gave at first was (quite rightly): "If you have built your little world well, yes: it is true in that world."  That is enough for the artist (or the artist part of the artist).  But in the "eucatastrophe" we see a brief vision that the answer may be greater--it may be a far-off gleam or echo of evangelium in the real world.  The use of this word gives a hint of my epilogue.  It is a serious and dangerous matter.  It is presumptuous of me to touch upon such a theme; but if by grace what I say has in any respect any validity, it is, of course, only one facet of a truth incalculably rich: finite only because the capacity of Man for whom this was done is finite.
    I would venture to say that approaching the Christian Story from this direction, it has long been my feeling (a joyous feeling) that God redeemed the corrupt making-creatures, men, in a way fitting to this aspect, as to others, of their strange nature.  The Gospels contain a fairy-story, or a story of a larger kind which embraces all the essence of fairy-stories.  They contain many marvels--peculiarly artistic,(41) beautiful, and moving: "mythical" in their perfect, self-contained significance; and among the marvels is the greatest and most complete conceivable eucatastrophe.  But this story has entered History and the primary world; the desire and aspiration of sub-creation has been raised to the fulfilment of Creation.  The Birth of Christ is the eucatastrophe of Man's history.  The Resurrection is the eucatastrophe of the story of the Incarnation.  This story begins and ends in joy.  It has pre-eminently the "inner consistency of reality."  There is no tale ever told that men would rather find was true, and none which so many sceptical men have accepted as true on its own merits.  For the Art of it has the supremely convincing tone of Primary Art, that is, of Creation.  To reject it leads either to sadness or to wrath.
    It is not difficult to imagine the peculiar excitement and joy that one would feel, if any specially beautiful fairy-story were found to be "primarily" true, its narrative to be history, without thereby necessarily losing the mythical or allegorical significance that it had possessed.  It is not difficult, for one is not called upon to try and conceive anything of a quality unknown.  The joy would have exactly the same quality, if not the same degree, as the joy which the "turn" in a fairy-story gives: such joy has the very taste of primary truth.  (Otherwise its name would not be joy.)  It looks forward (or backward: the direction in this regard is unimportant) to the Great Eucatastrophe.  The Christian joy, the Gloria, is of the same kind; but it is pre-eminently (infinitely, if our capacity were not finite) high and joyous.  But this story is supreme; and it is true.  Art has been verified.  God is the Lord, of angels, and of men--and of elves.  Legend and History have met and fused.
    But in God's kingdom the presence of the greatest does not depress the small.  Redeemed Man is still man.  Story, fantasy, still go on, and should go on.  The Evangelium has not abrogated legends; it has hallowed them, especially the "happy ending."  The Christian has still to work, with mind as well as body, to suffer, hope, and die; but he may now perceive that all his bents and faculties have a purpose, which can be redeemed.  So great is the bounty with which he has been treated that he may now, perhaps, fairly dare to guess that in Fantasy he may actually assist in the effoliation and multiple enrichment of creation.  All tales may come true; and yet, at the last, redeemed, they may be as like and as unlike the forms that we give them as Man, finally redeemed, will be like and unlike the fallen that we know.

From Tolkien: A Biography, by Humphrey Carpenter (New York: Ballantine Books, 1977), pp. 163-165:

    Usually his discussions with Tolkien took place on Monday mornings, when they would talk for an hour or two and then conclude with beer at the Eastgate, a nearby pub.  But on Saturday 19 September 1931 they met in the evening.  Lewis had invited Tolkien to dine at Magdalen, and he had another guest, Hugo Dyson, whom Tolkien had first known at Exeter College in 1919.  Dyson was now Lecturer in English Literature at Reading University, and he paid frequent visits to Oxford.  He was a Christian, and a man of feline wit.  After dinner, Lewis, Tolkien, and Dyson went out for air.  It was a blustery night, but they strolled along Addison's Walk discussing the purpose of myth.  Lewis, though now a believer in God, could not yet understand the function of Christ in Christianity, could not perceive the meaning of the Crucifixion and Resurrection.  He declared that he had to understand the purpose of these events--as he later expressed it in a letter to a friend, 'how the life and death of Someone Else (whoever he was) two thousand years ago could help us here and now--except in so far as his example could help us'.
    As the night wore on, Tolkien and Dyson showed him that he was here making a totally unnecessary demand.  When he encountered the idea of sacrifice in the mythology of a pagan religion he admired it and was moved by it; indeed the idea of the dying and reviving deity had always touched his imagination since he had read the story of the Norse god Balder.  But from the Gospels (they said) he was requiring something more, a clear meaning beyond the myth.  Could he not transfer his comparatively unquestioning appreciation of sacrifice from the myth to the true story?
    But, said Lewis, myths are lies, even though lies breathed through silver.(1)
    No, said Tolkien, they are not.
    And, indicating the great trees of Magdalen Grove as their branches bent in the wind, he struck out a different line of argument.
    You call a tree a tree, he said, and you think nothing more of the word.  But it was not a 'tree' until someone gave it that name.  You call a star a star, and say it is just a ball of matter moving on a mathematical course.  But that is merely how you see it.  By so naming things and describing them you are only inventing your own terms about them.  And just as speech is invention about objects and ideas, so myth is invention about truth.
    We have come from God (continued Tolkien), and inevitably the myths woven by us, though they contain error, will also reflect a splintered fragment of the true light, the eternal truth that is with God.  Indeed only by myth-making, only be becoming a 'sub-creator' and inventing stories, can Man aspire to the state of perfection that he knew before the Fall.  Our myths may be misguided, but they steer however shakily towards the true harbour, while materialistic 'progress' leads only to a yawning abyss and the Iron Crown of the power of evil.
    In expounding this belief in the inherent truth of mythology, Tolkien had laid bare the centre of his philosophy as a writer, the creed that is at the heart of The Silmarillion.
    Lewis listened as Dyson affirmed in his own way what Tolkien had said.  You mean, asked Lewis, that the story of Christ is simply a true myth, a myth that works on us the same way as the others, but a myth that really happened?  In that case, he said, I begin to understand.
    At last the wind drove them inside, and they talked in Lewis's rooms until three a.m., when Tolkien went home.  After seeing him out into the High Street, Lewis and Dyson walked up and down the cloister of New Buildings, still talking, until the sky grew light.
    Twelve days later Lewis wrote to his friend Arthur Greeves:  'I have just passed on from believing in God to definitely believing in Christ--in Christianity.  I will try to explain this another time.  My long night talk with Dyson and Tolkien had a great deal to do with it.'
    Meanwhile Tolkien, invigilating in the Examination Schools, was composing a long poem recording what he had said to Lewis.  He called it "Mythopoeia', the making of myths.  And he wrote in his diary:  "Friendship with Lewis compensates for much, and besides giving constant pleasure and comfort has done me much good from the contact with a man at once honest, brave, intellectual--a scholar, a poet, and a philosopher--and a lover, at least after a long pilgrimage, of Our Lord.'"

From Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life, by C. S. Lewis (New York: Harcourt, Brace, & World, Inc., 1955), pp. 234-236:

    Thus my churchgoing was a merely symbolical and provisional practice.  If it in fact helped to move me in the Christian direction, I was and am unaware of this.  My chief companion on this stage of the road was Griffiths, with whom I kept up a copious correspondence.  Both now believed in God, and were ready to hear more of Him from any source, Pagan or Christian.  In my mind (I cannot now answer for his, and he has told his own story admirably in The Golden String) the perplexing multiplicity of "religions" began to sort itself out.  The real clue had been put into my hand by that hard-boiled Atheist when he said, "Rum thing, all that about the Dying God.  Seems to have really happened once"; by him and by Barfield's encouragement of a more respectful, if not more delighted, attitude to Pagan myth.  The question was no longer to find the one simply true religion among a thousand religions simply false.  It was rather, "Where has religion reached its true maturity?  Where, if anywhere, have the hints of all Paganism been fulfilled?"  With the irreligious I was no longer concerned; their view of life was henceforth out of court.  As against them, the whole mass of those who had worshiped--all who had danced and sung and sacrificed and trembled and adored--were clearly right.  But the intellect and the conscience, as well as the orgy and the ritual, must be our guide.  There could be no question of going back to primitive, untheologized and unmoralized, Paganism.  The God whom I had at last acknowledged was one, and was righteous.  Paganism had been only the childhood of religion, or only a prophetic dream.  Where was the thing full grown? or where was the awakening? . . . I was by now too experienced in literary criticism to regard the Gospels as myths.  They had not the mythical taste.  And yet the very matter which they set down in their artless, historical fashion--those narrow, unattractive Jews, too blind to the mythical wealth of the Pagan world around them--was precisely the matter of the great myths.  If ever a myth had become fact, had been incarnated, it would be just like this.  And nothing else in all literature was just like this.  Myths were like it in one way.  Histories were like it in another.  But nothing was simply like it.  And no person was like the Person it depicted; as real, as recognizable, through all that depth of time, as Plato's Socrates or Boswell's Johnson (ten times more so than Eckermann's Goethe or Lockhart's Scott), yet also numinous, lit by a light from beyond the world, a god.  But if a god--we are no longer polytheists--then not a god, but God.  Here and here only in all time the myth must have become fact; the Word, flesh; God, Man.  This is not "a religion," nor "a philosophy."  It is the summing up and actuality of them all.

To see my attempt to portray the heart of the Christian story of reality, see here.