The Everlasting Man

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Summary: The Holy Curmudgeon of the Catholic Church
Review: I've reread this book after ten years and found it just as astonishing a work as I did the first time around. Chesterton is a consummate apologist, combining a sincere reverence for his subject matter with a devastating sense of humour and a true generalist's erudition. He has a wonderful ability of taking accepted secular dogmas, turning them completely on their heads, and in the process making Catholic dogmas, rejected for their lack of congruence with modernism, look sensible and enlightened. This polemical mastery is one of the enduring qualities of "The Everlasting Man".

Although much of the first part of the book may seem dated (it consists mostly of a friendly attack on H.G. Wells anti-Christian "Outline of History") Chesterton's points are still well taken. Many of his musings on evolution can be put to use today against the adherents of creationism as well as the scientifically arrogant. Although he takes 50 pages to say it (he IS a bit of a windbag, but his blustery style and curmudgeonly wit makes it enjoyable all the while), his point about the anthropology of his day is that it is inherently incapable of explaining the irreconcilable chasm between man and the critters he may have materially evolved from. And this difference is constituted by Mind, or by man's soul, as manifested primarily (for Chesterton) in art and religion. One could add science. His illustrations on this point are hilarious. He draws the silly images of cows writing sonatas, sheep practising an elaborate form of ancestor worship, and dogs in solemn procession wearing canine mitres and swinging censors smouldering with dog-appealing scents. All to show the gap that separates us from the animals.

When he moves to specifically Christian apologetics, Chesterton presents a theory of history that, though it bears an obvious resemblance to Augustine's philosophy of history, is remarkably unique and dramatically compelling. The chapter on the war of the gods and demons will assure that you never again think of the Punic Wars in the same way. It also puts to rest much nonsensical multi-culturalist cant.

And indeed this constant struggle, in history, between two supernatural forces permeates Chesterton's sense of history; another similarity to Augustine. However, he is not by any means a Manichean. He is constantly pointing out the marvels of the salvation story and falls prostrate in stricken awe at the very idea of the Incarnation being a fact.

And this is the point of the book; namely, to reinvigorate the awesomeness of that Idea and, more importantly, that Fact, by trying to tell it anew, and by asserting and demonstrating that nothing in modernity or before has ever been able to contradict it, nor to dissuade the millions who have pinned their hope and derived their inspiration from it.

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Summary: One of the most helpfull books for my spiritual journey
Review: In my opinion, this is Chesterton's best non-fiction work. It isn't quite philosophy, and it isn't exactly theology. It is a unique type of apologetical writting; more like a conversation. Here we have the author, a ver well educated man, expounding truth, mixed with a little bit of his opinions, and alot of wit. Chesterton makes those who oppose Christianity look stupid. He also alerts the Christians who by choice are ignorante, by telling them to grow up.

This book helped me to grapple with some of the most important questions I could ask about my faith. I was also shown Christ in a new perspective.

I recommend this to anyone looking for an apologetic work with zest. This book will challenge and stretch your mind.

Rating:
Summary: One of the most helpfull books for my spiritual journey
Review: In my opinion, this is Chesterton's best non-fiction work. It isn't quite philosophy, and it isn't exactly theology. It is a unique type of apologetical writting; more like a conversation. Here we have the author, a ver well educated man, expounding truth, mixed with a little bit of his opinions, and alot of wit. Chesterton makes those who oppose Christianity look stupid. He also alerts the Christians who by choice are ignorante, by telling them to grow up.

This book helped me to grapple with some of the most important questions I could ask about my faith. I was also shown Christ in a new perspective.

I recommend this to anyone looking for an apologetic work with zest. This book will challenge and stretch your mind.

Rating:
Summary: Christianity's place in history
Review: In this work by a great author of the early twentieth century, the story of Christ is examined closely, and his place in history evaluated. Chesterton argues that the Christian myth is different from other myths, most obviously because he declares it is true, but also for other reasons which he details throughout this work. In a painfully brief (as he himself admits) summary of the history of 'historic' mankind, Chesterton evaluates the evolution of pagan thought and outlines what, in his mind, prepared the world for the coming of the Son of Man.

Chesterton's case is very strong. His thesis, essentially, is that the Christian "myth" is unfit to be held side by side with other myths, both because it is more believable and because it is more fantastic. With his daunting command of words and argument, Chesterton presents the case that Christianity is different because it is true, and for that reason it has not passed, as other systems of belief have.

This book is most notable for the impact it had on CS Lewis, a great admirer of Chesterton. Lewis owed much of his belief, even part of his conversion, to Chesterton's work, and this one in particular. Fans of CS Lewis will enjoy this book, though they should be forewarned that it is not a case strictly for Christianity. Chesterton was a Catholic, and he does not stop with arguing for Christianity, but rather continues by arguing for the Catholic faith as well. I think he could have reached a broader audience by remaining aloof from denominational dispute, and for that reason I gave it four stars. Still, this is an excellent, thought-provoking work worthy of any student of Christian apology's attention.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant
Review: Just to repeat the praise that's been heaped on the book above - it's all quite true!

Some points, though; if you wish to read a sophisticated book on the anthropology of ancient cultures and models of their development up into the modern period then this is not the book for you. Go off and learn ten languages and do field work in Asia after graduating with your PhD. This is an _honestly_ popular book, a rare thing in these anti-science days of Dawkins and Creationism. As has been noted, Chesterton sets himself against Wells' Outline of History, and destroys it not with greater erudition, as there was never much to begin with in Wells' work, nor with a scientifically constructed anthropology, which would have been out of date a week after publishing the book anyhow, but by HUMOUR! Read it for that; laugh at the counter history he draws out, smile, and come to your own opinions.

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Summary: One of C.S.Lewis's top ten books
Review: Lewis says: The case for Christianity is well given by Chesterton in The Everlasting Man.

You can read it on my Chesterton site.

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Summary: One of the best books I ever Read
Review: Now I know why C.S. Lewis loved this book so much. Sometimes the book is hard to read but other than that is great for the Christian Apologetic. It is a great feeling to know that G.K. Chesterton converted to the Catholic Church shortly after C.S.Lewis died. C.S. Lewis also, in my opinion, would have converted to the Catholic Church given more time(Considering his belief in Purgatory and other Catholic beliefs), they are both one of the greatest christian minds in History. Read C.S. Lewis "letter to Malcolm" and the "Abolition of Man", and "The problem of Evil" to see other great Christian apologetics.

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Summary: Must read for an understanding of Christian perspective
Review: The Everlasting Man should be read by anyone who would like an understanding of the Christian worldview. The central point here is that the Incarnation is the central event of human history; it allows us to joyously celebrate the good of creation and nature, as God has blessed matter with His very being. For Chesterton, true, vigorous Christianity is simultaneously incarnational (embodied) and spiritual, historical and eternal.

This book also displays Chesterton as a clever stylist with a penchant for aphorism and the unexpected turn of phrase. His wit and clarity are a model for English prose.

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Summary: A Classic Apologetic
Review: There seems to be many mistakes about chronology of Chesterton and Lewis. Chesterton died before C.S. Lewis's books really hit the scene. Chesterton 's writings were profoundly influential on Lewis as well- and The Everlasting Man is no exception. This is the definitive work of what might be called "The Old Apologetics" and as such it demands our attention. Chesterton's apologetic runs mostly not in an exegetical trail but in historical and literary ones and forces thinkers outside the field of theology and religion to pay heed to the exacting (and immensely consoling claims) of both Christ and his Church. It is through literary technigue that Chesterton is able to engage us in the topsy-turyvydom of Christ as a Child in the Cave and engages us in history to really confront our unspoken prejudice that the Roman Catholic Church did whatever was in its interest for power and greed. Chesterton asks us- If the Church was so interested in power why did it cast aside the Empire during the reign of Julain the Apostate and other Arians-the very political entity that had thrust the Church into the mainstream was refused a voice in determining its doctrines. So much for the theory that the bishops were just power hungry mongrels.
The later chapters dealing with Christian history are especially adept at understanding the intellectual pendulum swings that accompany heresy. One quote should suffice in bringing to our attention teh gifted prose and insight which we all attribute to this great bombast of faith:Here he is speakign of the apparent historical "deaths of the faith"
"There are people who say they wish Christianity to remain as a spirit. They mean, very literally, that they wish it to remain a ghost. But it is not going to remain a ghost. What follows this process of an apparent death is not the lingering of the shade; it is the ressurection of the body. These people are quite prepared to shed pious tears and reverential tears over the Sepulchre of the Son of Man; what they are not prepared for is the Son of God walking once more upon this hills of morning. These people, and indeed most people, were indeed by this time quite accostumed to the idea that the old Christian candle-light would fade into the the light of common day. To many of them it did quite honestly appear like that pale yellow flame of when it is left burning in daylight. It was all the more unexpected, and therefore all the more unmistakable, that the seven-branched candle-stick suddently towered to heaven like a miraculous tree and flamed until the sun turned pale. But other ages have seen teh day conquer the candle-light and then the candle-light conquer the day."
Surely this is the prose of one of the most gifted and unfortunately ignored writers of the past century. Chesterton has been called by some "A Master without a Materpiece" but after reading this book one wonders whether some Masterpieces could equal this Master's "Significant Work"

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Summary: Rambling man ...
Review: This book made almost no impression on me: a month later, I could barely remember having read it. The reason for the underwhelming impression is the loose structure of the book. Chesterton rambles all over the map, being pulled first one way and then the other by any association between topics that occurs to him. He is also given to broad, sweeping generalizations that often seem to stem from a desire for dramatic overstatement. The best analogy I can make is that reading this book is like listening to a voluble dinner guest who peppers his speech with pungent allusions to history, art, and religion, but who doesn't know when it is time to go home. The next day you can scarcely remember anything he said; all you remember is that he talked a lot.

I was particularly appalled, after working my way through the main part of the book, to get to the end and find two Appendices in which Chesterton in effect tells the reader that he did a poor writing job. (Appendix I: "On re-reading these pages I feel that I have tried in many places and with many words, to say something that might be said in one word."; Appendix II: "... in some cases I find that my own loose fashion of allusion is rather misleading about my own meaning.") If Chesterton had had any respect for his readers, he would have rolled up his sleeves and done the hard work of improving the text, instead of just tacking on a few Appendices. But no, Chesterton had evidently reached a point in his career where he no longer worried about his readers, who were supposed to be grateful for any crumbs that fell from his pen. If an author has no interest in writing a book, why should I have an interest in reading it?