There was Eru, the One.
I thought I would include a fictional text. The Silmarillion is not a religious text, but it is written like one, and is heavily inspired by many variations of European theology and philosophy that Tolkien, himself, was consumed by. Having converted Lutheranism by the time he got to work on the world of the Lord of the Rings, Tolkien was of course very invested in the teachings and morals of Christian mythology, and later in life became particularly fixated with how these teachings interact with duty and war. However, most of the mythology he invents and borrows in this text seem to be more influenced by other European myths. With this level of investment in exploring his own worldview, that was seated in the centre of Christian spirituality, it seemed fitting to see how the creation story of the Silmarillion would encapsulate those beliefs of European myths with which we have become so familiar.
In the beginning, there was only Eru, the One. Eru created the Valar from his mind, each of whom spoke for themselves, but only from the part of Eru’s mind that they came from. These Valar, at instruction of Eru came together to make music that played the theme of Eru’s mind. While most of the Valar worked together to make their perfect music, the most powerful Valar, named Melkor, decided to play his own tune, so that it might overpower the song. Eru, upon listening to this music, granted it power to become the world that is. And so, at Eru’s guidance, the Valar stepped out into the world that was their song. The land and the sky and the wind and rain and trees and grass all came from the song of the Valar, but Melkor’s discordant harmony became the suffering and evil that we see in the world. (Tolkien, 3-6)
I love this creation story. Partly, because it incorporates music as an essential way of interpreting creation, which demonstrates the emotional and spiritual power that music has over us, and how we can interpret the world through the lens of what we create. But also, because it blends the two narrative styles of the European mythologies in a really satisfying way. The Silmarillion is a monotheistic creation story, just like the Judeo-Christian Bible. Eru is the one true god, much like Yahweh. He has dominion over the world, as it was essentially created from his own mind. He is the source of good, the source of light, and the source of all power.
However, the story of creation is not just about Eru. Instead, the Valar are the Gods of creation in the same way that the gods of greek myth were. Each one has their own personality, their own expectations, their own goals, and their own temperaments. Together, their actions and interactions shape the world, and give the world its meaning. In this way, while all the Valar answer to Eru and (most of them) serve him, their goal in the creation was not just to offer their service, but instead to cooperate with each other to do the best that they could for him. This mythology encapsulates the main struggles of the characters in The Lord of the Rings. But I think it also encapsulates Tolkien’s own experience as a christian, especially one who struggled with the morality of the First World War. While he wanted to serve god the way he knew he could, he instead decided to join the ranks after he had earned his degree, and served god by serving others.
“The Lord of the Rings Mythology Explained Part 1.” YouTube, uploaded by CGP Grey. 17 Dec 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxgsxaFWWHQ
Tolkien, J.R.R.. “The Silmarillion,” HarperCollinsPublishers. 1999. Print.
Peterson, Doug. “Hobbits and World War 1.” Disappearing Man, https://www.disappearingman.com/germany/hobbits-world-war/ accessed 18 Mar. 2021