lysianedalmaz

I had read this book years ago and I definitely did not appreciate it as much then. Upon a re-read, I am amazed by Chesterton's literary excellence and theological and philosophical depth. This book should be a must read for any Christian. Chesterton's words may especially strike contemporary skeptics, not because he offers an air-tight apologetic for Christianity but rather because he invites the reader on his own journey filled with questions and shows how he came to faith. His discussion of the paradoxes at the heart of Christianity, and how they pointed him toward Christianity's truth rather than away from it, resonates with my heart and mind, and I suspect would cause many people, Christians and skeptics, to think deeply. Chesterton's arguments in relation to sin and the fall are also excellent. I also was intrigued by his points (which I think Rob Bell borrows in Velvet Elvis) that the true open-minded free-thinker is not the one who denies miracles but rather is the one who accepts them. For the usual logic in denying miracles is either to deny the person (we know so-and-so is uneducated and so of course he thinks a miracle happened) or to deny the miracle (we know miracles can't happen); yet this is circular reasoning. Being open-minded is to be open to miracles, and if the evidence points to them (as it did for Chesterton and others), then being open-minded requires accepting them. Overall, this is a book that will not disappoint in spurring your mind to thought and your heart towards God.

2022-09-22 05:14