Repost: NZS on "overt religion"

I had to try a couple times to open NZ Strider's old post that I linked to above; expecting others might encounter similar difficulties, I'm reposting it here:

NZ Strider
Fri, 5/10/2002 at 23:08 EDT (Sat, 5/11/2002 at 16:08 NZDT)
On Tolkien's suppression of overt religion (belief or practice) in the LotR

This is partly in answer to the negative review of Tom Shippey�s book by Richard Jenkyns which lambasted Tolkien�s invented societies as unconvincing because they had no religion and were thus unlike any historical society: available at www.powells.com/review/2002_02_07.html.

Now it is clear that Tolkien purposefully suppressed overt religion. See letter Nr. 142:
"�I have not put in, or have cut out, practically all references to anything like �religion,� to cults or practices, in the imaginary world."

My question however is, how thoroughly did he really succeed in editing overt religion and religious belief out? I�ve gone through the LotR in my mind and tried to put together every reference to overt religion or religious belief. I�ve limited myself to just the LotR (as published); and have tried to catalogue matters neutrally (as a sort of disinterested anthropologist).

I have noted the following:

1.) There is the Standing Silence of the Gondorians before meals, a clear religious rite as it involves a sort of homage to the place described under Nr. 8 below.

2.) On Mt. Mindoluin is a "hallow" which only the King may enter. I first assumed that "hallow" was a form of "hollow" (i.e. a short, blind valley in moutainous country) though the word can, I think, mean "a sanctified area" as well. [Letter 156, p. 206, confirms that the latter is meant, by the way � strictly speaking, this is a departure from the methodological strictures outlined above.]. A sanctified area must logically be sanctified to someone or something.

3.) One of the mountains on the border between Rohan and Gondor is called Halifirien. I assume that it is territory of Gondor since the Gondorians maintain a beacon there. Halifirien is a modernised form of Anglo-Saxon "halig fyrgen," i.e. Holy Mountain. [I exclude from discussion here the story of Cirion and �orl in Unfinished Tales which confirms the meaning of Halifirien.] Is the mountain itself holy? Or is there another "hallow" on this mountain? If so, sanctified to whom or what?

4.) When the oliphaunt charges the rangers of Ithilien, they cry "May the Valar turn him aside!" The Valar seem from this to be not-visibly present entities who might, if they were so inclined, divert the oliphaunt. Various characters call upon such an entity at various times: e.g. "A Elbereth Gilthoniel" etc.; and she seems particularly important. [To figure out from just the LotR that Elbereth is one of the Valar is possible: see Nr. 8 below.]

5.) There is also the famous cry to Earendil: Aiya Earendil elenion ancalima, "Hail, Earendil, of stars the brightest!" [The meaning of the line can be deduced without recourse to a non-existent Elvish dictionary if one knows Anglo-Saxon poetry: "eala Earendil engela beorhtast" in Cynewulf�s Christ gives the key along with Frodo�s glossed remark "Elen s�la etc." = "A star shines etc." Admittedly, this takes a bit of work.] Frodo expects that calling on Earendil may do some good, but as Earendil demonstrably started off as a mere denizen of Middle-earth, I have put him into a separate category from Elbereth and the Valar. [His original status and rise can be deduced from Bilbo�s poem about him as well as from Strider�s summary on Weathertop.]

6.) Something silly: Sam once exclaims, "Lor� bless me!"

7.) Moving from the ridiculous to the sublime: In the Appendix Aragorn assures Arwen that "beyond the circles of the world is more than memory"; i.e. if Arwen does not die, but goes into the West instead (as an immortal Elf), she will have only the "memory" of her marriage and her husband. If she dies and leaves the circles of the world (as a mortal Man), she will have more than mere memories. This indicates a clear belief in some sort of afterlife.

8.) Bilbo refers to a "Blessed Realm" where, apparently, Elbereth, whom the Elves call upon, dwells. It does not seem a stretch to connect this with Faramir�s reference to "N�men�r that was and Elvenhome which is *and that which is beyond Elvenhome and shall ever be*." (Emphasis mine) Furthermore, Bilbo�s poem on Earendil describes a journey from Middle-earth to, first, a place called "Eldamar" or "Elvenhome" and thence to another place called "hidden land" (presumably identical with "Valinor" mentioned one stanza earlier) where there are "timeless halls" and an "Elder King." Elbereth dwells there. A minor bit of linguistic ingenuity might connect "Valar" with "Valinor"; Elbereth would then be one of the Valar. Valinor aka the Blessed Realm or hidden land lies beyond Elvenhome aka Eldamar, just as Faramir describes their relative positions. Elvish, Hobbitish, and Human beliefs harmonise perfectly.

9.) Gandalf, when speaking of Sauron�s not having extracted information from Pippin after the latter looked into the palant�r, says, "you have been saved, and all your friends too, mainly by good fortune, *as it is called*." (Emphasis mine) Apparently, Gandalf views "good fortune" as just a name for something else, presumably something that works with a purpose. See 10.) below.

10.) Various characters discuss Frodo�s possession of the Ring. Gandalf explains: "Behind that [Bilbo�s picking up of the Ring] there was something else at work, beyond any design of the Ring-maker. I can put it no plainer than by saying that Bilbo was *meant* to find the Ring, and *not* by its maker. In which case you also were *meant* to have it." (Emphasis Tolkien�s) If not meant by its maker, than by whom?
Frodo asks of his possession of the Ring: "Why was I chosen?" Gandalf does not answer the question, but confirms the appropriateness of Frodo�s choice of word: "you have been chosen." Chosen by whom?
At the Council of Elrond Aragorn tells Frodo: "It has been ordained that you should hold it [i.e. the Ring] for a while." Ordained by whom?

11.) Gandalf tells Denethor, when the latter contemplates suicide, that "authority is not given you�to order the hour of your death, and only the heathen kings of old�" Who has not given the authority? What makes the kings of old "heathen"? And what is (ideally) supposed to make Denethor better than a "heathen"?

To summarise: There are occasional sanctuaries/holy places (Nrr. 2 & 3), repeated calls both to preterhuman characters called Valar (Nr. 4) and to one Middle-earth dweller who somehow ascended to preterhuman status (Nr. 5), and one clear religious rite (Nr. 1). There is belief in an afterlife (Nr. 7) and in a "Blessed Realm" (Nr. 8) which is hidden, called Valinor, and is home to preterhuman characters called Valar one of whom is Elbereth and another of whom is "Elder King." Furthermore, there is someone or something who/which means for Frodo to have the Ring, chooses him as Ringbearer, and ordains that he hold the Ring. This someone or something stands higher than Sauron or the Ring and can override either�s purpose at will (Nr. 10). I hesitate to press Nr. 6 into service here to explain the "someone or something." Nr. 9, a rational purpose which lurks behind so-called good fortune, probably belongs here as well. Finally, there is a concept of "heathen" (Nr. 11). The basic beliefs seem to be shared by Hobbits (Bilbo, Frodo), Men (Aragorn, Faramir), and Elves (who sing songs of the Blessed Realm and in whose language one calls upon Elbereth).

I write this, of course, as a sort of neutral anthropological observer unaware of Christianity/Catholicism or of Tolkien�s own intensely held faith. After all this, is it fair to say, as does Jenkyns, that the societies of Middle-earth hold no religious beliefs? To what extent are these things "slipping past" Tolkien�s self-proclaimed censorship of overt religion? To what extent is he (in despite of his self-proclaimed censorship) planting clues that we may track down and put together?

Finally, are there additional references in the LotR (as published) to overt religion or religious belief which I have missed? I�m sure there must be � I have been working mostly from memory with only occasional glances at the text. In particular, is there a way to distinguish the purpose/power/entity behind Nr. 10 from the Valar and their Elder King? I can�t think of one, but I�ve probably missed the clue that clears that up.