originally published 12/1/2011

In this Archive Feature from Volume 112 of the Journal, Ralph C. Wood discusses G. K. Chesterton’s sacramental imagination. Wood describes what sacraments do, and he views G. K. Chesterton’s imagination as especially fruitful in conveying grace and edification to his readers. He does this not merely by creating storied images of the true, good, and beautiful, but also by critically illustrating the false, evil, and ugly in our world. His voice was prophetic in that respect, calling out authorities for their moral failures. Wood describes Chesterton’s spiritual journey since his youth, especially his encounters with nihilism in particular schools of art and public figures and intellectuals. “Nightmare” is the way this nihilism is represented in Chesterton’s writings; for him, the world has a nightmarish quality to it. Finally, Wood comments on Chesterton’s novel, The Man Who Was Thursday, which evokes the complexity and frequently ambiguous appearance of good and evil.

19 minutes

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