The Works of G. K. Chesterton from Ignatius Press

 

Articles about Chesterton

  • Chesterton and Orthodoxy An Ignatius Insight Podcast with Dale Ahlquist and Carl E. Olson

    Chesterton and Orthodoxy

    An Ignatius Insight Podcast with Dale Ahlquist and Carl E. Olson

    The editor of Ignatius Insight and the President of the American Chesterton Society talk about the 100th anniversary of G. K. Chesterton's great book, Orthodoxy, the upcoming 27th Annual Chesterton Conference, and... (read more)

  • Seeing With the Eyes of G.K. Chesterton An Interview with Dale Ahlquist

    Seeing With the Eyes of G.K. Chesterton

    An Interview with Dale Ahlquist

    "You first began reading Chesterton when you were an Evangelical Protestant. How did you discover his work and what was your initial impression of his writing and thought?" Dale Ahlquist: I had a brother-in-law who was a famous Jesus Rock singer back in the 1970's. His name was Larry Norman. He was the one who first recommended... (read more)

  • Recovering The Lost Art of Common Sense An Excerpt from Common Sense 101: Lessons From G.K. Chesterton, by Dale Ahlquist

    Recovering The Lost Art of Common Sense

    An Excerpt from Common Sense 101: Lessons From G.K. Chesterton, by Dale Ahlquist

    The most famous thing Chesterton said is something he didn't say. He is always quoted as saying that when a man stops believing in God he doesn't believe in nothing, he believes in anything. It is a great line, and it is well worth quoting, and I have no doubt that Chesterton would agree with it and would be pleased to hear it quoted. But it's just not what he said. What he said was, "The first effect of not believing in God, is that you lose your common sense."... (read more)

  • Chesterton and the

    Chesterton and the "Paradoxy" of Orthodoxy

    by Carl E. Olson

    This year marks the 100th anniversary of the publication of G.K. Chesterton's Orthodoxy, widely regarded as one of the most important and unique works of Christian apologetics written in modern times. I first read it in 1993 as an Evangelical Protestant; it played a significant role in my journey to the Catholic Church... (read more)

  • The Attraction of Orthodoxy from Literary Converts: Spiritual Inspiration In An Age of Unbelief

    The Attraction of Orthodoxy

    from Literary Converts: Spiritual Inspiration In An Age of Unbelief

    In 1908 Chesterton produced one of his most influential books. Orthodoxy, published on 25 September, was written in response to a reviewer of his earlier book, Heretics, who had complained that Chesterton had condemned the theology and philosophy of others without clearly stating his own.... (read more)

  • Chesterton and Saint Francis from Literary Giants, Literary Catholics, by Joseph Pearce

    Chesterton and Saint Francis

    from Literary Giants, Literary Catholics, by Joseph Pearce

    Chesterton enjoyed a lifelong friendship with Saint Francis of Assisi. As a small boy, long before he had an inkling of the nature of Catholicism, Chesterton was read a story by his parents about a man who gave up all his possessions, even the clothes he was wearing on his back, to follow Christ in holy poverty.... (read more)

  • Chesterton and the Delight of Truth by Fr. James V. Schall, SJ

    Chesterton and the Delight of Truth

    by Fr. James V. Schall, SJ

    This essay might be about the "splendor" of truth rather than about its "delight," but John Paul II famously claimed the "splendor" for himself—Veritatis Splendor. Chesterton simply rejoices in truth, but not just for the sake of his own rejoicing, but because there is something to rejoice about.... (read more)

  • The Life and Theme of G.K. Chesterton An Introduction to The Autobiography of G.K. Chesterton, by Rev. Randall Paine

    The Life and Theme of G.K. Chesterton

    An Introduction to The Autobiography of G.K. Chesterton, by Rev. Randall Paine

    The prospect of a humble man setting out to write an autobiography suggests an enterprise blighted with potential frustrations–for both author and reader. Being humble, the author will hardly regard himself as sterling material for a book. The reader, already poising the book in his lap, obviously disagrees.... (read more)

  • Hot Water and Fresh Air: On Chesterton and His Foes by Janet E. Smith

    Hot Water and Fresh Air: On Chesterton and His Foes

    by Janet E. Smith

    When the accounting comes and we all are asked to report why we are grateful to Father Joseph Fessio, the list will be long. Not least among the gifts he has given us is his project of putting the complete works of G.K. Chesterton back into print.... (read more)

  • ChesterBelloc by Dr. Ralph McInerny

    ChesterBelloc

    by Dr. Ralph McInerny

    Chesterton died relatively young, with his authorial boots on, whereas Belloc lived on to enormous old age. There are several evocations of him in the diaries of Evelyn Waugh. "He has grown a splendid white beard and in his cloak, which with his hat he wore indoors and always, he seemed an archimandrite."... (read more)

  • G.K. Chesterton: Common Sense Apostle & Cigar Smoking Mystic by Dale Ahlquist

    G.K. Chesterton: Common Sense Apostle & Cigar Smoking Mystic

    by Dale Ahlquist

    There comes a time in the life of any artist, any writer or poet, when he reaches the end of his abilities, when he finds himself wrestling all night with an angel. It is the moment when he tries to think the thought which thought cannot think, to visualize the invisible and describe the indescribable.... (read more)

  • Chesterton, Sports, and Politics An Interview with Fr. James V. Schall, SJ

    Chesterton, Sports, and Politics

    An Interview with Fr. James V. Schall, SJ

    "You've written numerous essays on G. K. Chesterton. What is your debt to Chesterton and why does he continue to be so relevant today?" Fr. Schall: Back in June, I gave a paper at the annual conference of the American Chesterton Society at the University of St. Thomas, in St. Paul. It was called "Chesterton: The Real Heretic," and will be published later in Logos.... (read more)

  • Is Heresy Heretical? by Fr. James V. Schall, SJ

    Is Heresy Heretical?

    by Fr. James V. Schall, SJ

    This year, 2005, is the 100th anniversary of the publication of G. K. Chesterton's famous book, Heretics. The "heretics" were people, if you recall, who finally convinced Chesterton that the Church was right, because the logic of the heretical position, when spelled out, was intellectually untenable.... (read more)

  • G.K. Chesterton, the Poet The Introduction to Volume X: Collected Poetry (Part III) of G.K. Chesterton: Collected Works, by Denis J. Conlon

    G.K. Chesterton, the Poet

    The Introduction to Volume X: Collected Poetry (Part III) of G.K. Chesterton: Collected Works, by Denis J. Conlon

    Speaking on January 11, 1934, to the Distributist League at Gatti's Restaurant in London Gilbert Chesterton summed up what he called his moral, mental and spiritual condition in an impromptu triolet: "My writing is bad, / And my speaking is worse;"... (read more)