The Unity of Middle-Church

The Silmarillion is Tolkien’s mythological account of the forming, marring, and populating of Middle-Earth in the deeps of time. His evil one is Morgoth, an angelic spirit who asserts his own will over against the Creator’s. He possesses great power but his chief weapon against the righteous is the sewing of discord among them. Through his subtle lies, they begin to view one another with suspicion, leading to division and even bloodshed. Such are the devices of the real evil one. Let us therefore be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3), “standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27). In Christ we are truly strong together.