The Lord of the Bible?

[Lalwendë]

There's a few interpretations you could get from this one. Gandalf could be a steward of Eru, of Manwe, or he could be a steward for Aragorn as Denethor is. you could also say he is a steward for saruman - as he has taken leadership of the Istari by 'default'.

Bearing in mind that the Sil was not published for some years after LotR, the interpretation that Gandalf was also a steward of Gondor would probably have been the main interpretation for a long time as Eru was unknown. However, there is yet another possible interpretation looking at the following:

But all worthy things that are in peril as the world now stands, those are my care. And for my part, I shall not wholly fail of my task, though Gondor should perish, if anything passes through this night that can still grow fair or bear fruit and flower again in days to come.

So Gandalf is the Steward of the wider world, of Middle-earth itself. He first explains stewardship (for the readers' benefit or Denethor's?) and then goes on to explain what he is Steward of. Here he is Steward not of Gondor, nor of Eru, but of the good people and flora and fauna of Middle-earth which stand against Sauron.

Still not sure how much this could be read as Christian (as opposed to Eruist) though, as to get that interpretation we must first of all also accept that Eru is God. Sure he's God of Arda, but is he God? Even if he's Tolkien's interpretation of God (which is a most peculiar one - we've had this discussion many times and that seems to be the most common point agreed on), and therefore an allegorical God, then would all Christians read it that way, or would some indeed be deeply offended?