Heretics
by G.K. Chesterton
Considered to be one of the greatest Christian Apologists of the 20th century, G.K. Chesterton accomplishes a great triumph in this vein with his series of short essays entitled "Heretics." While published in 1905, his defenses against the criticisms of Christianity of his time are just as relevant in 2023. While it is difficult to summarize the many outstanding profundities of this book, one in particular that seems to be intertwined in all of them is the significance of the paradoxical nature of virtue itself. To attain perfect Christian virtue is as insurmountable a task as swallowing the earth whole, yet this fact is precisely the reason why men have, will, and should pursue them. "The truth is that there are no things for which men will make such herculean efforts as the things of which they know they are unworthy [...] For with the removal of all question of merit or payment, the soul is suddenly released for incredible voyages." Certainly, Chesterton's "Heretics" is a recommended read for almost anyone, although I will caution that it may require several readings to fully absorb. His language is at times challenging for the average reader, and the ideas are so densely concentrated on the pages that some familiarity with them upon a second reading may prove to be more fruitful than the first. As well, Chesterton makes many contemporary and historical references that present day readers may not be familiar with. It is helpful when reading this book to make use of an encyclopedia if one is not familiar with all of his references.
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