Happy 150th Birthday Gilbert Keith Chesterton

Today marks what would have been the 150th earthly birthday of G.K. Chesterton. Chesterton was a Catholic convert, apologist, journalist, author, and defender of faith who existed in England from the late 19th Century until he died in 1936.

Most of his writings were in the guise of Catholicism even before his conversion. One example is Orthodoxy and The Man Called Thursday published the same year.  His writings continued a Catholic revival that first began with St. John Henry Newman. It would resonate with many Catholics reverts, converts, and even influencers. To celebrate his birthday, we will look at his top writing and some of his famous quotes.

Seven of His Best Works

St. Thomas Aquinas

If someone were to compare St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Francis of Assisi, many would say that they founded different orders of the church. However, Chesterton provided what would be the best biography of one of the most well-known Dominicans. Even Chesterton referred to St. Thomas Aquinasa as a “Champion of God”.

Orthodoxy

His first book was the biggest defense of the church in the early 20th Century. Chesterton wrote about his journey to adopting Christian values. It would propel him to be a tireless defender of the Catholic Church even before coming home in 1922.

Heretics

His debut book Heretics was released three years before Orthodoxy. In his debut at the helm of Christian apologetics, Chesterton wrote several essays countering the arguments brought forth by an atheist named Joseph McCabe. He also argues against intellects of the last century like Nietzsche, Kipling, and Wells.

The Man Who Was Thursday

In many of Chesterton’s works of fiction, the protagonist is evangelizing about the Catholic faith. His first work of fiction would give his future readers an idea of what was to come in his contribution to literature. Released the same year as Orthodoxy, Chesterton introduces his readers to Gabriel Syme. Syme infiltrates a council of anarchists.

The Ball and the Cross

In this 1909 work, Chesterton introduces us to the debate between rationalism and religion. The section was quoted in a letter to him by Pope John Paul I titled “Illustrissimi”. The book follows Evan Maclan and James Turnbull. The novel explores a battle of ideas at every turn of a page. Again, Chesterton presents his main character as someone who is an evangelist helping the antagonist to understand his belief.

What’s Wrong with the World?

In this 1910 work, it was ahead of its time, and many would have speculated that it was written for today. This eye-opening book doesn’t shy away from the issues we are facing today.

The novel tackles the issues of big corporations and big government that are prominent issues of the now.

What I Saw In America

From 1921 to 1922, Chesterton set out for a year-long voyage across the United States. Upon his return, he published a work on what he saw in a young nation and its uniqueness. He shared his wits from the time he departed to when he returned. In between, he debated some prominent figures.

Seven Famous quotes

Chesterton is rich with wisdom and wits. It was a challenge to pick some of my favorites. Surely my top seven would be the best that can help anyone who wants to learn more about this all-around evangelist.  

“The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because they are generally the same people.”

Chesterton wants us to know that we struggle to understand how we should love both our neighbors and enemies. He wanted to remind us of the universal call to love everyone we will encounter.

“The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.”

Chesterton believes that we are called to lay down our lives for those we love. Hence, why Christ laid down his life for us as an act of love.

“The Declaration of Independence dogmatically bases all rights on the fact that God created all men equal, and it is right; for if they were not created equal, they were certainly evolved unequal. There is no basis for democracy except in a dogma about the divine origin of man.”

Chesterton made this observation about what the founders agreed on when writing the Declaration of Independence. They drafted the conclusion that every man is created equal and that their rights came from God, not man.

“Do not be so open-minded that your brains fall out.”

Chesterton wants us to be sure that we expand our minds to grow. It is also helpful to know that we must be willing to listen to opposing views.

“It [feminism] is mixed up with a muddled idea that women are free when they serve their employers but slaves when they help their husbands.”

Even Chesterton knew that feminism had its pitfalls. Now, after three decades of its radical embracement, more women and men are seeing how it is destroying traditional values.

“If there were no God, there would be no atheists.”

Chesterton tells us that if atheists exist, it is because God still exists. If he never existed, then atheists have nothing to completely deny his existence.

“The riddles of God are more satisfying than the solutions of man.”

God works in wonders that are far from explaining. It takes a prolific faith to understand his wonders.

Happy Birthday GK Chesterton. Thank you for your timeless wisdom, wit, and even defense of the one holy, Catholic, and apostolic faith.