A fascinating insider's interview

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

Mithalwen, you put your finger on a crucial aspect of Edith Tolkien's life, the conversion which was necessary for the marriage yet difficult for her.

You put your finger, Estelyn on a very interesting aspect of the marriage. The Catholic Church has never demanded the conversion of a partner in the marriage; it has demanded the argreement that all children will be raised Catholic, but it never forced the non-C partner to convert as a requirement of the marriage.

So this demand must have come from Tolkien himself. Why did he, who was later to be so against bullying domination of others, demand it? What could have made him so insenstive to Edith's own spiritual perspective? I seem to recall Carpenter saying something that Tolkien was also quite indifferent to Edith's own qualms and discomforts with the demands of confession. What caused this?