A native of Portland, Oregon, who served for several years as pulpit minister at West Side Church of Christ in Elkton, Dr. Jon Partlow will have a signing for his book, The Lord of All Things: A Spiritual Adventure through Middle-earth Where Hope Is Realized, on Saturday, November 30, 2024.
Time for the event is from 12:00 PM until 2:00 PM in the Community Room at the Todd County Public Library located at 507 South Main Street in Elkton. Dr. Partlow, who for the past three and a half years has worked as a chaplain for Heartland Hospice in Lucasville, Ohio, has studied at Harding University, at Harding University’s Graduate School of Religion, and at East Tennessee State University. Those years of study at the collegiate level have led to Dr. Jon earning a doctorate in ministry as well as a master’s degree in storytelling.
Using both his educational background as well as his experiences in preaching at several congregations in the area and region, Dr. Jon combines his knowledge of the Bible and his life stories as he works with those involved in his hospice ministry. His book jacket for The Lord of All Things provides this excerpt – “With theological degrees from Harding School of Theology and a storytelling degree from East Tennessee State University, he merges biblical and life stories together, creating a freshness for hearing the gospel.” A candidate for a doctorate at Tennessee Tech University, Tabitha Schlatter, shared, “Jon Partlow provides pastoral guidance not only for lovers of Middle-earth but also for lovers of the story of Jesus. I think I will have to read the Bible and Tolkien again!” Greg Stevenson, a professor of the New Testament at Rochester University in Rochester, New York, added, “Jon Partlow is a passionate storyteller. A man of zeal for both the story and the craft of sharing it.”
The Lord of All Things can be viewed as a combination exploring the themes of faith and hope found in both The Hobbit and in The Lord of the Rings. Dr. Jon explains that through his book the reader will discover an “underlying glimpse of the gospel … through a series of engaging and inspiring essays that explore the connection between Tolkien’s world and the life of faith today.” He also shared, “In a culture of division where we tend to embrace the ‘us vs. them’ mentality, Scripture calls us to seek unity and reconciliation.” That theme of unity and reconciliation is definitely one that is paramount in our culture today, especially as both concepts are ones many people are reluctant to accept.
Dr. Jon messaged, “I wrote the original draft of my book while I was the minister at West Side Church of Christ. Inspired by Tolkien’s Middle-earth world, I explore Christian spiritual themes while sharing numerous personal stories that tie to each chapter’s theme.” Emphasizing another much-needed reminder, he also shared, “God’s heart always pursues the lost until they are found.” As true of the past weekend that saw the grand opening of the new library, the Todd County Public Library staff invites everyone who has the opportunity to attend Dr. Jon’s book signing, and they also encourage everyone to arrive early to have a tour of the new 12,900 square foot facility!
~ Article by Carolyn L. Wells
November 25, 2024
