Back Cover Description for The Universe and Mr.

Chesterton

The Universe
Ever since the Bible opened with the phrase “In the beginning”—later echoed
in St. John’s Gospel—its readers have come to realize that the Christian
project of saving the world is inseparably linked with philosophy’s project
of understanding it. Philosophy ponders the beginnings, the “principles”
of our humanity, our knowledge and our universe. The link, however, with
Christianity is often lost sight of. This study of G.K. Chesterton suggests that
to fully understand him we must go back both to the beginnings of theology
and to the wellsprings of classical philosophy. True, Chesterton did not pen
treatises on metaphysics or ethics, but his life and words became eloquent
witnesses to the first principles of Western thought. That witness not only
invites us to take another serious look at the claims of Christianity, but also
brings to light the lessons of wisdom implicit in sense experience. Although
Chesterton’s stance put him at odds with much of modern philosophy, it also AND

Mr. Chesterton
put him face to face with a universe modern thought is wont to merely squint
at and scrutinize, but no longer to see. In the present book, Chesterton’s
genius is shown to lie far deeper than his undeniable wit, for it is nourished
by a way of looking at the universe that generates as much existential
impact as a religious conversion. In essence, it is robustly and profoundly
philosophical.

“The definitive study of Chesterton, the philosopher.”

Gilbert Magazine

“The Universe and Mr. Chesterton is an excellent introduction

to the thought of the most Thomistic journalist who ever
wrote… Paine shows why a man who never made a formal
study of the Doctor Angelicus could write, according to Etienne
Gilson, the best book ever written about him.”
The Review of Metaphysics

“A stimulating work of great eloquence which will be of keen

interest to the numerous fans of this author who ‘could not
speak about anything without speaking about everything’, but
also to anyone interested in simply acquainting themselves
with this colorful figure.”
Dialogue: Revue Canadienne de Philosophie
S C O T T R A N D A L L PA I N E