Faith

One of the main themes throughout Tolkien's life was his devout faith in the Catholic religion. Mabel Suffield Tolkien was raised in the Church of England but converted to Catholicism after Arthur Tolkien died and the family moved back to England from South Africa. The decision to become a Catholic was a sore point with the Suffields and the Tolkiens, but Mabel would not stray from her faith. As a result, Ronald and Hilary Tolkien were raised receiving a Catholic education, first at their mother's knee, then at various schools, and finally, under the guidance of Father Francis Morgan.

Ronald took Catholicism quite seriously. After Mabel died, Ronald turned to religion to feed him emotionally and spiritually.

Edith Bratt was an Anglican and it caused quite a row in the family when she announced first of all that she would marry a "papist" and secondly, that she intended...