I’ve done similar. As the first schism was between the Latin Church & Orthodox Church, it would be fair to say they were the original Christians, unless you want to say Jewish Essenes, Jewish non-Essenes, Gnostics, or Celtic Christians.
I would have thought that Tolkien’s comment that Middle Earth didn’t start out specifically Catholic but later evolved to become intentionally Catholic work would convince still-on-the-fence-Christians. But at the same time it isn’t ‘in-your-face’. Example is the longevity of the elves (pre-Fall men substitute) and hobbits are a species of men.
Actual quote+: “J. R. R. Tolkien was a devout Roman Catholic from boyhood, and he described The Lord of the Rings in particular as a "fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision". While he insisted it was not an allegory, it contains numerous themes from Christian theology.”
Mum: Now dear, if you keep making faces and the wind changes you be stuck like that for the rest of your life.
Daughter: Is that what happened to you mummy?
Mum: …
Daughter: And daddy still found you!
Mum: … …
😀