• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Size of Chesterton’s Catholicism

David W. Fagerberg

English writer G. K. Chesterton was widely known not only for his newspaper columns, novels, poetry, plays, and detective stories, but also for his theological and Catholic apologetic works. This celebration of Chesterton’s passion for his faith builds on his own words to reveal the Catholic paradox he was so fond of exploring. David W. Fagerberg draws on Chesterton’s theological writings—avoiding secondary sources so that the reader can encounter his thought as directly as possible—to show how Chesterton championed an accessible Catholicism of great robustness.

David W. Fagerberg is associate professor of theology and director of the Notre Dame Center for Liturgy at the University of Notre Dame. He is the author of Theologia Prima: What Is Liturgical Theology? (2003).

Reviews

“Among the countless books on the great GKC, this gracefully written essay deserves a place of distinction . . . A notable achievement that deserves a wide readership.” — First Things

“David Fagerberg, who teaches religion at Concordia College, writes that Gilbert Keith Chesterton ‘countered his ideological opponents with tenacity, zeal, eagerness, enjoyment, conviction, an incisive wit, and a complete lack of personal animosity.’ His study of Chesterton as an apologist gathers passages from Chesterton’s works and shows how they illustrate the ‘capaciousness of Catholic paradox which he was so fond of exploring.’ ” — Theology Digest

“This is an interesting and enjoyable book. In addition to Fagerberg’s lively writing style, his outline is logical and well developed. Fagerberg clearly enjoys introducing Chesterton’s words, and he presents a superb analysis of his hero’s position on Catholicism. Those interested in G.K. Chesterton, Roman Catholicism in early 20th-century England, the dynamics of conversion, and religious apologetics will enjoy this book.” — Church History

“Fagerberg has written a hauntingly good book.” — New Oxford Review