The Christus Victor theory of atonement holds that Christ is a conqueror, and has defeated the powers of evil, thus redeeming mankind from its grasp. It is the ultimate battle of Light versus Dark, in which the light prevails gloriously.
The Lord of the Rings is prime example of redemption theory in film through its parallels to the Christus Victor theory of atonement. Throughout the films, we can find the embodiment of this theory in the characters of Gandalf, Aragorn, and Frodo.
The first, and perhaps the most obvious parallel to Christ, is the character of Gandalf. Throughout the films, Gandalf displays many Christlike features though his appearance and actions. Gandalf the Grey, as he is introduced to us, is an unassuming elderly wizard, but beneath the surface is so much more than meets the eye. Gandalf bears stunning power despite his appearance as a frail old man, similar to that of Jesus of Nazareth, who was but a lowly carpenter.
The greatest feat of Gandalf the Grey that exemplifies the Christus Victor theory is his fight with the Balrog demon in the Mines of Moria. As the fellowship makes its way through the mines, pursued by the demon and hordes of goblins, Gandalf takes a final stand on the bridge, sacrificing himself to save the …show more content…
Created by the dark lord Sauron, it is imbued with his evil, power, and will. So long as the Ring exists, Sauron cannot be destroyed, however, Sauron cannot exist without the Ring. If Sauron is the film’s personification of evil, then the Ring is the personification of sin, since evil cannot exist without sin. The Ring corrupts the hearts and minds of all, just as sin does. In order to destroy the Ring, it would take a person who is not influenced by its power. Hobbits are blameless, humble, and free from corruption, unwavered by the lust for power. It is for this reason that Frodo alone must carry the One Ring, since it would corrupt all
The Lord of the Rings is prime example of redemption theory in film through its parallels to the Christus Victor theory of atonement. Throughout the films, we can find the embodiment of this theory in the characters of Gandalf, Aragorn, and Frodo.
The first, and perhaps the most obvious parallel to Christ, is the character of Gandalf. Throughout the films, Gandalf displays many Christlike features though his appearance and actions. Gandalf the Grey, as he is introduced to us, is an unassuming elderly wizard, but beneath the surface is so much more than meets the eye. Gandalf bears stunning power despite his appearance as a frail old man, similar to that of Jesus of Nazareth, who was but a lowly carpenter.
The greatest feat of Gandalf the Grey that exemplifies the Christus Victor theory is his fight with the Balrog demon in the Mines of Moria. As the fellowship makes its way through the mines, pursued by the demon and hordes of goblins, Gandalf takes a final stand on the bridge, sacrificing himself to save the …show more content…
Created by the dark lord Sauron, it is imbued with his evil, power, and will. So long as the Ring exists, Sauron cannot be destroyed, however, Sauron cannot exist without the Ring. If Sauron is the film’s personification of evil, then the Ring is the personification of sin, since evil cannot exist without sin. The Ring corrupts the hearts and minds of all, just as sin does. In order to destroy the Ring, it would take a person who is not influenced by its power. Hobbits are blameless, humble, and free from corruption, unwavered by the lust for power. It is for this reason that Frodo alone must carry the One Ring, since it would corrupt all