Amon Sûl
Amon Sûl is a podcast exploring the life, works, and Middle-earth legendarium of J. R. R. Tolkien. Hosted by Fr. Anthony Cook with guests, the show examines Tolkien's writings through the lens of Orthodox Christian faith. Earlier episodes were hosted by Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick and Richard Rohlin. The podcast is produced by Ancient Faith Ministries.
Episodes
133 - You Cannot Pass
Fr. Anthony talks with guest co-host Georg Sellner, as the Ring passes over a long, long drop…and Gandalf does not.
Music attribution:
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompatech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
132 - These are not Holes
Fr. Anthony talks with guest co-host Spenser White, as the Ring goes underground.
131 - A Strange Christmas
Father Anthony talks with returning guest co-host Josh Cook, as the Ring sets out once more, on the journey to Mordor.
Music attribution:
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompatech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
130 - Let Folly Be Our Cloak
Fr. Anthony talks with returning guest co-host Dr. Cyril Gary Jenkins, as we reach what Frodo had hoped was the end of his quest and begin to find that it has only just begun.
Music attribution: Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
129 - Elrond’s History Lesson
Father Anthony talks with returning guest co-host Dr. Brad Birzer, as we reach what Frodo had hoped was the end of his quest and begin to find that it has only just begun. Music attribution: Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
128 - One Fine Day in Rivendell
Fr. Anthony talks with returning guest co-host Steve Christoforou, as Frodo recovers in the Last Homely House and meets with many old and new friends in the House of Elrond.
Music attribution:
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
127 - Brandywine, Bombadil, Barrow-wights, Bree, & Bruinen
Fr. Anthony talks with returning guest co-host Zach Heller, discussing the entire sweep of the story from the house at Crickhollow to the Ford of Bruinen, as the podcast winds up Book 1 of the Fellowship of the Ring.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
126 - Hobbits on the Hoof
Fr. Anthony talks with returning guest co-host Robert Clark, as a wounded Frodo and his companions make the long and difficult journey from Amon Sul to Bruinen..
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
125 - On the Slopes of Amon Sûl
Fr. Anthony talks with guest co-host (and brother) Fr. Timothy Cook, as the Hobbits follow Strider out into the Wild.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
124 - Looks Foul but Feels Fair
Fr. Anthony talks with returning host, Deacon Seraphim Richard Rohlin, as the Hobbits have a very unsettling after-dinner conversation.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
123 - There was an Old Inn
Fr. Anthony talks with returning founding host, Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick, as the Hobbits move forward from their encounter with Tom Bombadil and enter the village of Bree.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
122 - Yellow Boots and Lots of Questions
Fr. Anthony talks with listener Brittany Miller, about chapters 6 through 8 of the Fellowship of the Ring, as a retrospective on these chapters before proceeding through the book.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
121 - Out of the Deep Water
Fr. Anthony talks with ten-time returning guest co-host Michael Haldas about the eighth chapter of Fellowship of the Ring, “Fog on the Barrow Downs,” as the hobbits leave the refuge of Tom Bombadil’s house and almost immediately fall into terrible peril and near disaster.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0
120 - Tom Is Master
Fr. Anthony talks with Rob Clark about the seventh chapter of Fellowship of the Ring, “In the House of Tom Bombadil,” as the hobbits arrive at this strange and beautiful place of refuge and respite.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
119 - Willows & Ashes & Oaks (oh my!)
Fr. Anthony talks with arborist Mark Caldwell, about the sixth chapter of Fellowship of the Ring, “The Old Forest,” as the hobbits leave the Shire behind and enter into the Wide World in a place that is not at all wide and open.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/license
118 - One Last Look at the Shire
Fr. Anthony talks with his original Tolkien Interlocutor, Josh Cook, about the first five chapters of the Fellowship of the Ring, returning to some of the essential themes that we have identified over the past several months.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/b
117 - Sing Hey! for the Bath
Fr. Anthony talks with returning guest co-host Richard Barrett about Chapter 5 of the Fellowship of the Ring: A Conspiracy Unmasked, and they dig deeply into an entirely different sort of music in Middle Earth than Richard and Fr. Andrew discussed five years ago.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
116 - Paschal Extravaganza! (Panic Episode)
In this month's episode, Fr. Anthony assembles an intrepid panel to discuss Paschal themes in Tolkien. This episode originally aired on April 25 on the YouTube channel, so the format will be a little different this time.
Music attribution:
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.
115 - Mushrooms & Handkerchiefs & Towers
Fr. Anthony talks with first-time reader, long time movie fan Zach Heller about the beginning of the Lord of the Rings, the characters in the books, and the long slow leavetaking of the Shire.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
114 - Go Not to the Elves for Counsel
Fr. Anthony reads Chapter 3, Three is Company, with Fr. Paul Hodge as the guest host.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
113 - The Silmarillion Comes to the Shire
Fr. Anthony reads Chapter 2, the Shadow of the Past, with Dr. Cyril Gary Jenkins as the guest host.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
112 - Among Such Excellent Hobbits
Fr. Anthony begins the grand read-through of the Lord of the Rings with the first chapter, with Dr. Brad Birzer as guest host.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
111 - Many Partings
Fr. Andrew & Richard sign off from the podcast, and Fr. Anthony joins in, and together, in the first episode with three co-hosts, they discuss some favorite memories from the past, and the preliminary material to the Lord of the Rings, especially the Foreword to the Second Edition and the Prologue Concerning Hobbits and Other Matters.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.inc
110 - The Last Homely House: The Breaking of the World
Richard is rejoined by Magister Scott Brewer to round out The Last Homely House’s read-through of the Silmarillion. They discuss the Breaking of the World, and Richard pitches his own version of a TV show focused on the Second Age of Middle-earth.
Folk Round, Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
http
109 - The Last Homely House: The Masculine Urge to Go On About the Sea
Richard is joined by Deacon Davede Thompson for the finale of our Earendil series. They talk about St. Augustine, Old English poetry, Earendil, and the Tale of the Mariner and His Wife.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
108 - Like Rain on the Mountain
In this presentation from Doxamoot 2024, Richard Rohlin presents his talk "Like Rain on the Mountain: Theodoric, Beowulf, Theoden, and Tolkien’s Elegy for Northern Courage."
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
107 - Love's Obligation
In this presentation from Doxamoot 2024, Dr. Cyril Jenkins presents his talk "Love’s Obligation: Deceit and Truth - The Divide Between Virtue and Vice in Tolkien."
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
106 - We Heard of the Horns in the Hills Ringing
In this presentation from Doxamoot 2024, Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick presents his talk "'We heard of the horns in the hills ringing': Musical memory of the Rohirrim in J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings."
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
105 - Pentecost at the Stone of Erech
In this presentation from Doxamoot 2024, Richard Rohlin presents his talk "Pentecost at the Stone of Erech: Oathbreakers and Covenant Keepers in the Legendarium."
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
104 - A Diet of Wyrms
Dcn. Nicholas Kotar is back on the podcast to discuss with Fr. Andrew what is probably the funniest of all of Tolkien’s stories, the non-Legendarium tale “Farmer Giles of Ham.” Pull up a chair, grab a big bowl full of Dragon’s Tail, and be prepared for some storytelling joy.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution
103 -The Last Homely House: The Masculine Urge to Die at Sea
Fr. Andrew comes over to this side of the podcast to discuss the tale of The Mariner’s Wife, one of the most melancholy tales in the legendarium. They talk about marriage, the sea, and Fr. Andrew even shares a beautiful piece of music to lift our spirits at the end…
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 Licen
102 -The Last Homely House: The War of Wrath
Podcaster and entomologist Aaron Irber of “I Might Believe in Faeries” rejoins Richard to continue his extended deep-read of the Silmarillion. They finish up the Quenta Silmarillion proper. If this series has passed from the high and the beautiful to darkness and ruin, that was of old the fate of Arda Marred; and if any change shall come and the Marring be amended, Manwë and Varda may know; but th
101 - Niggle by Cyril
Dr. Cyril Jenkins joins Fr. Andrew for a reading of Tolkien’s short story “Leaf by Niggle.” Is this really an allegory? What does it say about this life and the life of the age to come? Why did Tolkien write this story?
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4
100 - There's (No) Religion in Middle-earth
After 99 episodes of talking about how to interpret Tolkien’s works in religious and specifically Orthodox Christian terms, in Episode 100 Fr. Andrew and Richard talk about all that religion that really is in Middle-earth. Because actually it really is in there – prayer, worship, invocation of saints, etc. The episode wraps up with a big announcement about the future of the podcast.
Hidden Past
099 - Lenten Meditation: How to Save the Shire
Richard Rohlin returns from his travels and travails with a lenten meditation on food and song, bacon and eggs, and the love of home.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
098 - No Living Man Am I
Author Georgia Briggs joins Fr. Andrew to talk about the character arc of the great Eowyn, Shieldmaiden of the North and White Lady of Rohan. Why is she the way that she is? Why is she so relatable? What makes her different from the other prominent women in The Lord of the Rings? And which passage in The Silmarillion has notable parallels with her confrontation with the Witch-king of Angmar?
Hidd
097 - Brightest of Angels (Christmas Special)
For their 2023 Christmas episode, Fr. Andrew and Richard discuss the Old English Cynewulf poem “Christ,” whose famous line “Eala Earendel engla beorhtast” inspired the core of the Tolkien legendarium.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
096 - The Last Homely House: The Star-Ship Vingilot
Andrea with the Bangs comes back for Part 2 of our mini-series on the Voyages of Earendil. She and Richard talk more about what it would mean for Earendil to leave his wife and sons for the doomed voyage into the West, take a deep-dive into Tolkien’s insanely complex notes for his unfinished Earendil heptology. Finally, Andrea makes a billion-dollar pitch.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by
095 - Roads Go Ever Ever On
Richard joins Fr. Andrew for the conclusion of his two-year walk through The Hobbit, pondering on what it means to be just a little hobbit in the wide world, reading a little Tinfang Warble, and taking a funky dive into the funkiest of all Tolkien movies.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://
094 - The Last Homely House: These Are the Voyages
Richard is rejoined by Andrea with the Bangs for part 1 of a 2-part series on the Voyages of Earendil. They talk about stories, the necessity of properly pairing the masculine and the feminine, and various matters touching seabirds. Richard poses a billion-dollar question to Andrea and the audience.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creativ
093 - Until the World is Renewed
Michael Landsman joins Fr. Andrew to look at the penultimate chapter of The Hobbit, chapter 18, “The Return Journey,” featuring many farewells and most importantly, the death of Thorin. They talk about themes of hope, asceticism, blessings, generosity, repentance, and of course dwarven eschatology.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative
092 - The Last Homely House: Gondolin
Michael Haldas joins Richard once again to wrap up the conversation they started in 089 - The Last Homely House: The Fall of Everything. This time, they finally make it to Gondolin, and talk about how Professor Tolkien first broke their hearts. Michael also gives us a DoxaMoot after-action report, and we talk once again about the danger presented by lonely metalworkers.
Hidden Past and Celtic Imp
091 - A Dream Some Other Mind is Weaving
Unearthed from hidden archives (because you can never delve too greedily nor too deeply when it comes to lore), we present this previously unpublished 2021 DoxaMoot lecture by Richard Rohlin: "'A dream that some other mind is weaving’: Faerian Drama and the Liturgical Making of Middle-earth."
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Comm
090 - Don’t Damage the Burglar
Steven Christoforou joins Fr. Andrew to talk chapter 17 of The Hobbit, “The Clouds Burst,” where we finally get the Battle of Five Armies – but which five? The King Under the Mountain leaps forth, Bilbo collects war stories, and the podcast says a very fond farewell to a silent but critical contributor.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Cre
089 - The Last Homely House: The Fall of Everything
Michael Haldas joins Richard to discuss “Of the Fall of Doriath,” which rivals “The Fifth Battle…” for being the bummerest chapter in The Silmarillion. They talk about weeping, Michael’s favorite character in the legendarium, and Michael schools Richard on some Rock & Roll trivia.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attrib
088 - A Diplomat in the Night
Reading chapter 16, the shortest chapter in The Hobbit, “A Thief in the Night,” Dr. Cyril Jenkins and Fr. Andrew talk about what the Arkenstone means for the narrative, whether Bilbo ought to have handed it over, and how possessiveness turns us into gnostics. They also talk Oxford, Doxamoot, and finish up with a reading from one of Tolkien’s letters.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin
087 - The Last Homely House: Alliteration for Fun and Profit
Richard is joined once again by fellow philologist Scott Brewer. Together, they passionately defend flagon-tossing, rant about the current state of medievalism as an academic discipline, and dispense hot takes about all of the latest vowel-shifting, syntax-muddling news. Also, they read a LOT of poetry.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Cre
086 - The Last Homely House: To Rule the Fate of Many
Richard interviews Tom Hillman about his forthcoming book “Pity, Power, and Tolkien’s Ring: To Rule the Fate of Many.” They talk about what exactly the Ring is, how it works, and the importance of Pity in Tolkien’s legendarium. There’s also some poetry reading.
Folk Round, Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.
085 - Still Stinks of Dragon
Tolkien scholar Dr. Lisa Coutras joins Fr. Andrew to discuss chapter 15 of The Hobbit, “The Gathering of the Clouds.” Together they ponder balding ravens and whether Thorin is acting like an Antichrist, wrapping up with a short reading from The Two Towers that introduces Eowyn.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attributi
084 - The Last Homely House: The Very Happy Tale of the Children of Hurin
Richard is rejoined by Dr. Augusta Hardy. Together, they explore the saddest of all of the Great Tales of the First Age of Middle-earth: the Tale of the Children of Hurin, and discuss the dangers of Protagonist Syndrome. Also, Augusta talks about the bad boys of Middle-earth, and enrolls her name in the Amon Sul Faramir Appreciation Society.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (
083 - The Grim-Voiced Man
Richard joins Fr. Andrew to discuss chapter 14 of The Hobbit, “Fire and Water.” Bard gets introduced, Smaug sleeps with the fishes, and the dream of gold comes back into everyone’s hearts. Richard reads a little-known Tolkien dragon poem, and Fr. Andrew makes a corvid joke.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution
082 - The Last Homely House: 525,600 Tears
Fr. Andrew joins Richard as The Last Homely House returns after being closed for renovations. They discuss Chapter 20 of the Quenta Silmarillion: The Fifth Battle, and also talk a good bit about Beowulf and Germanic myths, legends, and poetry. What’s the coolest moment in the Silmarillion? What hath Telchar wrought in the deeps of time? What kind of submission hold DID Beowulf use on Grendel? All
081 - What on Earth or Under It
Dcn. Nicholas Kotar joins Fr. Andrew to cover chapter 13 of The Hobbit, “Not at Home.” The dwarves have a look around inside the mountain while the dragon is away, and Bilbo picks up a couple souvenirs.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
080 - The Real King Under the Mountain
Dr. Cyril Jenkins joins Fr. Andrew to cover chapter 12 of The Hobbit, “Inside Information.” Dragons sit on gold, conversations are had with the wyrm, and key narrative links are made to Beowulf and the Volsungasaga. But what does it mean to be King Under the Mountain?
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 Lic
079 - The Last Homely House: I Will Tell You the Tale of Tinuviel
Fr. Anthony Cook returns to The Last Homely House to talk about the autobiographical origins of the earliest version of the story of Beren & Luthien. Richard and Fr. Anthony read the wild and wonderful Tale of Tinuviel, discussing love, marriage, cats, dogs, and spiders along the way. And, we find out that actually, Fr. Anthony doesn’t need his legs.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin
078 - Durin’s Day
Pop culture columnist and fantasy fiction writer Elizabeth Dresdow joins the podcast to discuss chapter 11 of The Hobbit, “On the Doorstep.” She shares her thoughts on “The Rings of Power” and its reception and explores with Fr. Andrew why the Dwarves can’t seem to remember that they have a key. They wrap up with reading an iconic moment from LOTR and a prophetic jaunt toward Isengard.
Hidden P
077 - The Last Homely House: Elf Girl Summer
In this second installment of our mini-series on Beren and Luthien, Richard Rohlin is joined by Andrea with the Bangs. Together, they talk about the masculine and the feminine, the difference between masculine and feminine heroic archetypes, and the way that those archetypes come together to create what is not just one of the most important stories of the legendarium, but one of the most beautiful
076 - Thag You Very Buch
Michael Haldas returns to the podcast to talk with Fr. Andrew about chapter 10 of The Hobbit, “A Warm Welcome,” in which Bilbo and the Dwarves arrive at Laketown. But what is the lost history of the city-state of Dale? What does it mean to be the Master? And what happens when your legends show up and walk through town? They discuss all this and more, but first they respond to a listener question a
075 - The Last Homely House: Of Leaves and Lindon Trees
Richard Rohlin is rejoined by guest co-host Tom Hillman who shows up… prepared to talk about something else entirely? It all works out in the end, though, as Rohlin and Hillman begin a discussion of Beren & Luthien. What makes this story so beautiful, and what did Legolas mean when he said that the line of Luthien would never end?
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompe
074 - This Sneaking Sort of Life
Richard joins Fr. Andrew to read chapter 9 of The Hobbit, “Barrels Out of Bond.” We meet the Elvenking, learn about the Wood Elves’ fondness for wine, and Bilbo does what it takes to acquire his great title of “Barrel Rider.” Also, there is no Tauriel. Not even a little bit. And where is Legolas? No idea.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under C
073 - The Last Homely House: Fingolfin's Last Ride
Richard Rohlin is joined by Fr. Anthony Cook. Together, they read Chapter 18 of the Silmarillion “Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin” and discuss the primacy of poetry in the Legendarium. And yeah, there’s also a little Rings of Power chatter in here, but we promise, not too much.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative C
072 - “What is Heat?” and Other Hot Takes from “The Rings of Power”
Fresh from watching the first two episodes of the new Amazon Tolkien series “The Rings of Power,” Fr. Andrew and Richard give their initial impressions – what they liked, what they didn’t like, and that haunting, uncomfortable feeling Richard has that there is a lot of acne in Amazon’s Middle-earth. Spoilers included!
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Li
071 - I Shall Call You Sting
Rev. Michael Landsman (Fr. Andrew’s co-host on the Areopagus Podcast) finally joins the podcast to talk about chapter 8 of The Hobbit with its spiders, enchanted forest, and that elven dinner party that you can’t quite reach. The episode wraps up with Michael serving up a melancholic slice of shared beauty.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under
070 - The Last Homely House: Go West, Young Men
Richard Rohlin is joined by Aaron Irber, the host of the “I Might Believe in Fairies” podcast. They continue Richard’s deep-read through the Silmarillion with Chapter 17 “Of the Coming of Men into the West” and talk about why it turns out to have been one of the most important and overlooked chapters in the book.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed
069 - Waiter, There's a Were-bear in my Mead Hall
Fr. Anthony Cook returns to the podcast to talk about everyone’s favorite were-bear in “Queer Lodgings,” chapter 7 of The Hobbit, not to mention animals who walk upright, the proper greetings of eagles, the many blessings in The Hobbit, and Gandalf as the match-maker who introduces Beorn to his future Missus. References to Beowulf and Icelandic sagas naturally abound.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impul
068 - The Last Homely House: Tolkien Doesn't Have Enough Dark Characters
Richard is joined by recurring guest Deacon Nicholas Kotar to discuss Chapter 16 of the Quenta Silmarillion “Of Maeglin.” They talk about the dark side of Tolkien, dish on the new Obi-Wan Kenobi show, and answer some of your questions about recommendations for contemporary fantasy authors.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons
067 - Eagles Aren't Forks
Dr. Cyril Jenkins returns to the podcast to discuss “Out of the Frying-pan Into the Fire,” chapter 6 of The Hobbit. Is this the real turning point in Bilbo’s career? What does the virtue of duty mean? And are eagles the anti-dragons? Includes a big “save the date” announcement!
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attri
066 - The Last Homely House: Philology for Fun and Profit
Richard is joined by fellow parishioner and philologist Scott Brewer, and the two of them finally cut loose about their deep love of lenition, morphology, and the English language. They read Chapter 15 “Of the Noldor in Beleriand,” drop some hot takes and weird language lore, and pull back the veil on the wild and scandalous world of linguistics.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin Mac
065 - That Chancy Quest of Erebor
Fr. Andrew and Richard tackle “The Quest of Erebor,” a text found in Unfinished Tales that provides depth and context for The Hobbit. They talk about whether and how texts like this count as “Tolkien Apocrypha,” Thorin’s real opinion of Bilbo, and how flawed heroes fit into the larger story of both the Tolkien legendarium and the salvation of the world in Christ.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse,
064 - The Last Homely House: The Scary Geography Chapter
Richard is joined by Fr. Andrew for this month’s installment of The Last Homely House as they discuss orcs, ogres, and take a deep dive into the notorious lucky number chapter fourteen of the Quenta Silmarillion: Of Beleriand and Its Realms. In this podcast, you’ll learn everything you ever wanted to know about vowel shifts in Sindarin, the exciting and highly profitable field of onomastics, and w
063 - Dark as Darkness
Is it nice, my preciousss? Is it juicy? Is it scrumptiously crunchable? Christian Gonzalez joins Fr. Andrew to riddle some riddles in the dark, looking at chapter 5 of The Hobbit. They also address listener questions about the morality of Bilbo Baggins and the original owners of Gollum’s cave. Fr. Andrew also talks about his big paper for this past semester on the Harrowing of Hell in Tolkien.
062 - The Last Homely House: Finrod Gives Maedhros a Hand
Stan Shin joins Richard Rohlin to talk about gaming and Tolkien, Tolkien and gaming, and field some questions from listeners about violence in our entertainment. They also read and discuss Chapter 13 of The Silmarillion, “The Return of the Noldor.”
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativ
061 - These Miserable Persons
Dr. Joshua Moritz joins Fr. Andrew to discuss Chapter 4 of The Hobbit, “Over Hill and Under Hill,” where Bilbo, Gandalf, Thorin and company get dragged into the goblin underworld. It’s the first(?) and only(?) time we meet giants and the first time we meet orcs, who get bit and beat by Biter and Beater. They wrap up with a discussion of how orcs use language and reflect on life with a palantir.
H
060 - The Last Homely House: What Even Is Language?
Richard Rohlin is joined by philologist, classical educator, and bowtie aficionado Reno Lauro as they talk about language, “recovery,” and anthropology. They barely make it 2 paragraphs into Chapter 12 of The Silmarillion “Of Men,” and Reno offers some words of comfort and wisdom about the new Amazon Rings of Power show.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
059 - Smells Like Elves
Maritime surveyor Davede Thompson joins Fr. Andrew to cover a pivotal chapter in The Hobbit, “A Short Rest,” where we meet Elrond the master of Rivendell in his Last Homely House. They discuss the eucatastrophe of lore consolidation that occurs in this chapter and the idea of Rivendell as an image of the rest and sanctuary of the Church, and they wrap up with a short chat about adaptations of Tolk
058 - The Last Homely House: West of the Moon, East of the Sun
Dr. Cyril Jenkins joins Richard Rohlin to both catch up with Deacon Nicholas Kotar on guest appearances and also discuss the Sun, the Moon, and the Hiding of Valinor. Is the Sun masculine or feminine in Tolkien? And how well does one of Amon Sul’s most frequent guests remember trivia questions he’s answered before?
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licens
057 - Roast Burrahobbit
“Roast Mutton,” Chapter Two of The Hobbit, is toasting slowly over the fire for our continued walk-through, and Fr. Andrew is joined by Dcn. Anthony Gaelan Gilbert to dodge trolls, ponder the proper roasting of dwarves, and where exactly the trolls were planning to spend all that gold they were hoarding.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Licensed under Cr
056 - An Unexpected Hole in the Ground
John Heitzenrater joins the podcast to begin with Fr. Andrew a chapter-by-chapter walk-through of Tolkien’s seminal work, the novel that introduced most of us to Middle-earth – The Hobbit. In “An Unexpected Party,” we are introduced to Bag End, to Hobbits, to Bilbo Baggins, to Gandalf, to Dwarves, to the Quest for Erebor and… to Sauron(?!). Lay aside your walking-sticks and put on your swords, ev
055 - The Last Homely House: Meanwhile in Beleriand
Richard and Fr. Andrew resume their deep-read of the Silmarillion with Chapter 10 “Of the Sindar.” We find out what has been happening in Beleriand while Feanor was busy ruining paradise, talk about where trolls come from, and find possibly the only time anyone ever took Melian’s advice. Fr. Andrew shares his favorite bits about orc-speech.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (w
054 - Minstrelsy Among Monstrosity
What does Legolas and Gimli's conversation in "The Last Debate" about rebuilding Minas Tirith tell us about creativity? Dcn. Nicholas Kotar and Jonathan Pageau team up with Fr. Andrew to discuss Elvish and Dwarvish making in Middle-earth and what that means for us Men, whose deeds hold both promise and disappointment.
Hidden Past and Celtic Impulse, both by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)
Li
Recommended
True Crime Classics
The Healer Revolution
Becoming: HER with Nikki Spoelstra
Booked, Blonde & Busy w/ Olivia Ponton
McKinsey on Consumer and Retail
megahired.com
Hard Knocks Podcast
Effective Weight Loss for Moms | High protein, Strength Training, Lose Weight, Meal Planning, Fat Loss, Healthy Habits
The Human-Animal Connection - Pet Life Radio Original
Infinite Health with Dr. Arasi Maran
The Daily
World News Tonight with David Muir
