Here is an excerpt from Keith Miller's paper, as a preface:

The ubiquity of pain, suffering, and death in the natural world is undeniable. Equally undeniable is the impact of human moral evil at the personal, social, and global scale. The struggle to understand this in the context of belief in a good and powerful Creator God has occupied humanity for millennia. Biblical writers, philosophers, theologians, and artists have all grappled with this problem of evil. As a paleontologist and Christian, I face this seeming conflict both as a Christian and as a consequence of my professional calling. One source of potential insight that I have not much pursued is that provided by imaginative fantasy writing. In this brief essay, I look at the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, particularly the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, as a source of new perspectives on these very ancient questions

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