Today we honor Mary and celebrate one of the best works of literature—Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings.”

Get Your Copy of “Tolkien: Man and Myth” here: https://ignatius.com/tolkien-man-and-myth-tmanp/?searchid=4510931&search_query=tolkien+

March 25th marks the feast of the Annunciation when the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary. But this date also marks the destruction of the one ring in Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings.” So we were joined by a Tolkien scholar, Joseph Pearce, to talk about the author of this great myth and to explain the significance of this date in Middle Earth.

Joseph and Ben Eriksen discuss the major influences on Tolkien as both a man and the author and uncover many themes within Tolkien’s writings such as hope, eucatastophes, and Catholicism. They also talk about the true meaning of a “myth” which is not a flight from reality, but a flight into reality. Finally, Joseph gives his thoughts on the film adaptations of the “Lord of the Rings,” “the Hobbit,” and other recent film adaptations. For those who love Tolkien, this in-depth conversation of Tolkien’s Middle Earth is one that you will truly enjoy!

Visit Joseph Pearce's Website Here: https://jpearce.co/

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0:00 March 25 The Annunciation in Middle Earth

3:20 Reading The Lord of the Rings in Prison

13:05 Critical Response to The Lord of the Rings in its Day

15:41 Purpose of Myth and Fairy Tales

20:55 Friendship with C.S. Lewis

24:28 Hope, Melancholy, and Longing in Tolkien

30:29 Eucatastrophe and the Consolation of the Happy Ending

36:15 Thoughts on The Lord of the Rings Movies

44:12 Middle Earth and Our Earth

49:47 How to be a Tolkien-Approved Fan of Middle Earth

Ask and you shall receive! You wanted a smaller Catholic Study Bible and now it is avaliable in a personal size and on an app.

Personal Sized Bible: https://ignatius.com/ignatius-catholic-study-bible-personal-size-2psh/?searchid=0&search_query=study+bible

App: https://www.catholicstudybible.org/

Bundle Deal: https://ignatius.com/ignatius-personal-size-study-bible-hardcover-bundle-2pshx/

We are overwhelmed with the positive feedback about the Catholic Study Bible! But we realize that while the first edition is suitable for our desks, it is not easy to transport or hold in your hand. So over the past year, we custom milled paper to reduce the size and weight of the Catholic Study Bible without taking out any of the information.

The personal sized Catholic Study Bible is the exact same as the original, except it is two pounds lighter and significantly smaller in height, length, and width. The font size has only been reduced by one point as well so it is still very readable.

We also partner with TruthGuard to come out with the Catholic Study Bible app so that you can take the Study Bible on the go.

We are grateful Mark Brumley could join us to talk about these exciting new products, and we pray that this Bible will help you unpack God’s Word in your life.

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Dr. Peter Kreeft believes that the best argument against God’s existence is the problem of pain, and in today’s episode he provides spiritual insights into this mystery.

Get Your Copy of “Making Sense Out Suffering” here (Book Releases 3/20): https://ignatius.com/making-sense-out-of-suffering-msosp/?searchid=0&search_query=making+sense+of+suffering

Suffering afflicts us all; whether you are suffering now or will experience great suffering in the future. Naturally, suffering causes us to question God’s love, His providence, and even His existence. But suffering must not cause us to reject God; instead we must wrestle with Him and ultimately unite ourselves with Him.

Dr. Peter Kreeft beautifully illustrates this process of wrestling with God in this episode and in his book “Making Sense of Suffering.” Written when he himself was going through great suffering, Dr. Kreeft blends personal experience, spiritual wisdom, and philosophical perspective to reveal the truly Catholic approach to suffering. This book is not written on the mountain top as one who no longer suffers or has all the answers, but from one in the valley of tears who encourages his fellow Christian to look to the Heavens. We highly recommend this book and conversation for all who experience great pain, sadness, or suffering. It will be a true consolation but also a challenge as we place all our trust and hope in God.

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