The Everlasting Man (Parchment Books) - Softcover

Chesterton, Gilbert Keith

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1908388242 ISBN 13: 9781908388247

Publisher: Aziloth Books, 2011

Synopsis

'The Everlasting Man' is one of G. K. Chesterton's most respected works, a witty, imaginative and sincere attempt to justify the life of Jesus as a pivotal moment in the history of human spirituality. Dividing the book into two parts, Chesterton looks first at early 'cave men' and the ensuing development of pagan civilization, claiming that such societies effectively separated myth and philosophy. By contrast, in the second part of the book he demonstrates that, following the Crucifixion, these tendencies were successfully combined in the Christian religion. The result is a must-read ideological defence of Christianity, a book described by C. S. Lewis as among the most influential he had ever encountered.

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Review

What--if anything--is it that makes the human uniquely human? This, in part, is the question that G.K. Chesterton starts with in this classic exploration of human history. Responding to the evolutionary materialism of his contemporary (and antagonist) H.G. Wells, Chesterton in this work affirms human uniqueness and the unique message of the Christian faith. Writing in a time when social Darwinism was rampant, Chesterton instead argued that the idea that society has been steadily progressing from a state of primitivism and barbarity towards "civilization" is simply and flatly inaccurate. "Barbarism and civilization were not successive stages in the progress of the world", he affirms, with arguments drawn from the histories of both Egypt and Babylon.

As always with Chesterton, there is in this analysis something (as he said of Blake) "very plain and emphatic". He sees in Christianity a rare blending of philosophy and mythology, or reason and story, which satisfies both the mind and the heart. On both levels it rings true. As he puts it, "in answer to the historical query of why it was accepted, and is accepted, I answer for millions of others in my reply; because it fits the lock; because it is like life". Here, as so often in Chesterton, we sense a lived, awakened faith. All that he himself writes derives from a keen intellect guided by the heart's own knowledge. --Doug Thorpe

About the Author

Chesterton /f Gilbert /i Keith

Edition details

• Publisher: Aziloth Books
• Publication date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1908388242
• ISBN 13: 9781908388247
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 178