Fiction as Participation in the Sacred: Tolkien’s Sub-Creation and Theological Imagination

9th International Western Cultural and Literary Studies Symposium, Konya, Türkiye, 15 - 17 Eylül 2025, ss.1, (Özet Bildiri)

Abstract

This study examines J.R.R. Tolkien’s defence of fantasy in Mythopoeia and On Fairy-Stories as

a deliberate act of sacralising fiction in response to the modern tendency to desacralize holy

texts. Tolkien positions fiction—or "secondary creation"—as a mode of participation in divine

creation, presenting fantasy with the power to reveal deeper meanings, inspire moral insight, and

restore wonder to a disenchanted age.

This approach aligns closely with Christian theological views that see imagination not as mere

entertainment but as a vital medium for conveying spiritual truths. In that tradition, fiction

becomes a form of imaginative theology—one that resonates emotionally and spiritually,

complementing reason. Simultaneously, Tolkien’s model shares an unexpected harmony with

classical Islamic thought, in which imagination—when properly guided—is understood to

mediate spiritual realities, as seen in thinkers like Ibn Sīnā and Ibn Arabi.

Through this comparative study, the paper argues that Tolkien’s fantasy functions not as

escapism but as an intentional form of meaning-making directed toward the divine. When crafted

with coherence and sincerity, fiction becomes a sacred space where human creativity reflects

divine truth. Tolkien’s sub-creation thus stands as a bridge across traditions—restoring fiction to

its place as a legitimate vehicle of spiritual and ethical discovery.

Keywords: Tolkien, fantasy, sacralization, sub-creation, imagination, Christian theology, Islamic

thought, meaning-making