Amon Sûl

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Join host Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick and his guest co-hosts as they explore the life, works and Middle-earth legendarium of author J. R. R. Tolkien, informed by the Orthodox Christian faith.

Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick and Ancient Faith Radio


    • Nov 25, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 59m AVG DURATION
    • 451 EPISODES

    4.9 from 218 ratings Listeners of Amon Sûl that love the show mention: damick, kevin zalac, tolkien, orthodox, lord of the rings, fr, andrew, stephen, nerds, father, fantasy, christian, pop culture, books, faith, laughter, god bless, movies, discussion, variety.


    Ivy Insights

    The Amon S?l podcast is a truly remarkable show that delves deep into the world of J.R.R. Tolkien and explores its connections to Orthodox Christian faith. The hosts, led by Father Andrew Damick, provide insightful and thought-provoking discussions on various themes and aspects of Tolkien's writings. With a wide range of guest hosts, the podcast offers a diverse perspective on the works of Tolkien, making it enjoyable for both Tolkien enthusiasts and those interested in exploring the intersection between spirituality and literature.

    One of the best aspects of The Amon S?l podcast is its ability to present interesting information about the Tolkien legendarium in an engaging and accessible manner. The hosts have a knack for explaining complex concepts and themes in a way that is both informative and entertaining. Whether it's delving into the deep lore of Middle-earth or examining the moral and philosophical implications of Tolkien's stories, each episode provides fascinating insights that keep listeners hooked from start to finish.

    Furthermore, the podcast does an excellent job of showcasing how stories can help frame one's thinking and inspire them to live a more meaningful life. Through their analysis of Tolkien's works, the hosts highlight the timeless truths embedded within these stories, showing how they can resonate with people from all walks of life. The Amon S?l podcast encourages listeners to reflect on their own beliefs and values while immersing themselves in the rich tapestry of Middle-earth.

    While there are no major drawbacks to The Amon S?l podcast, some listeners may find that certain episodes delve too deep into nerdy details or esoteric discussions. However, this aspect can also be seen as a positive for die-hard fans who enjoy diving into every little aspect of Tolkien's world. Additionally, episodes are released on a monthly basis, which may leave some wanting more frequent content.

    In conclusion, The Amon S?l podcast is an absolute treasure for fans of J.R.R. Tolkien and those interested in exploring the spiritual dimensions of literature. With its engaging hosts, thought-provoking discussions, and insightful analysis, this podcast offers a unique and enriching experience for listeners. Whether you're a die-hard Tolkien nerd or just someone seeking inspiration and wisdom, The Amon S?l podcast is definitely worth a listen.



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    Latest episodes from Amon Sûl

    123 - There was an Old Inn

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2025


    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.

    123 - There was an Old Inn

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2025


    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.

    122 - Yellow Boots and Lots of Questions

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2025


    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.

    122 - Yellow Boots and Lots of Questions

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2025


    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.

    121 - Out of the Deep Water

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2025


    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.

    121 - Out of the Deep Water

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2025


    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.

    120 - Tom Is Master

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2025


    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.

    120 - Tom Is Master

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2025


    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.

    119 - Willows & Ashes & Oaks (oh my!)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2025


    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.

    Willows & Ashes & Oaks (oh my!)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2025


    https://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/amonsul/willows-ashes-oa

    118 - One Last Look at the Shire

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2025


    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.

    118 - One Last Look at the Shire

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2025


    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.

    117 - Sing Hey! for the Bath

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2025


    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.

    117 - Sing Hey! for the Bath

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2025


    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.

    116 - Paschal Extravaganza! (Panic Episode)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2025


    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.incompatech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    116 - Paschal Extravaganza! (Panic Episode)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2025


    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.incompatech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    115 - Mushrooms & Handkerchiefs & Towers

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2025


    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.

    115 - Mushrooms & Handkerchiefs & Towers

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2025


    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.

    114 - Go Not to the Elves for Counsel

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2025


    Fr. Anthony reads Chapter 3, Three is Company, with Fr. Paul Hodge as the guest host.

    114 - Go Not to the Elves for Counsel

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2025


    Fr. Anthony reads Chapter 3, Three is Company, with Fr. Paul Hodge as the guest host.

    113 - The Silmarillion Comes to the Shire

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2025


    Fr. Anthony reads Chapter 2, the Shadow of the Past, with Dr. Cyril Gary Jenkins as the guest host.

    113 - The Silmarillion Comes to the Shire

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2025


    Fr. Anthony reads Chapter 2, the Shadow of the Past, with Dr. Cyril Gary Jenkins as the guest host.

    112 - Among Such Excellent Hobbits

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 25, 2024


    Fr. Anthony begins the grand read-through of the Lord of the Rings with the first chapter, with Dr. Brad Birzer as guest host.

    112 - Among Such Excellent Hobbits

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 25, 2024


    Fr. Anthony begins the grand read-through of the Lord of the Rings with the first chapter, with Dr. Brad Birzer as guest host.

    111 - Many Partings

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2024


    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.

    111 - Many Partings

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2024


    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.

    110 - The Last Homely House: The Breaking of the World

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2024


    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.

    110 - The Last Homely House: The Breaking of the World

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2024


    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.

    109 - The Last Homely House: The Masculine Urge to Go On About the Sea

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2024


    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

    109 - The Last Homely House: The Masculine Urge to Go On About the Sea

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2024


    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

    108 - Like Rain on the Mountain

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2024


    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."

    108 - Like Rain on the Mountain

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2024


    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."

    107 - Love's Obligation

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2024


    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."

    107 - Love's Obligation

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2024


    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."

    106 - We Heard of the Horns in the Hills Ringing

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2024


    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."

    106 - We Heard of the Horns in the Hills Ringing

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2024


    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."

    105 - Pentecost at the Stone of Erech

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2024


    In this presentation from Doxamoot 2024, Richard Rohlin presents his talk "Pentecost at the Stone of Erech: Oathbreakers and Covenant Keepers in the Legendarium."

    105 - Pentecost at the Stone of Erech

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2024


    In this presentation from Doxamoot 2024, Richard Rohlin presents his talk "Pentecost at the Stone of Erech: Oathbreakers and Covenant Keepers in the Legendarium."

    104 - A Diet of Wyrms

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2024


    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.

    104 - A Diet of Wyrms

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2024


    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.

    104 - A Diet of Wyrms

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2024


    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.

    103 -The Last Homely House: The Masculine Urge to Die at Sea

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2024


    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…

    103 -The Last Homely House: The Masculine Urge to Die at Sea

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2024


    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…

    103 -The Last Homely House: The Masculine Urge to Die at Sea

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2024


    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…

    102 -The Last Homely House: The War of Wrath

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2024


    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 they have not revealed it, and it is not declared in the dooms of Mandos

    102 -The Last Homely House: The War of Wrath

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2024


    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 they have not revealed it, and it is not declared in the dooms of Mandos

    102 -The Last Homely House: The War of Wrath

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2024


    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 they have not revealed it, and it is not declared in the dooms of Mandos

    101 - Niggle by Cyril

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2024


    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?

    101 - Niggle by Cyril

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2024


    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?

    101 - Niggle by Cyril

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2024


    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?

    100 - There's (No) Religion in Middle-earth

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2024


    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.

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