Defiant Joy: The Remarkable Life and Impact of G.K. Chesterton

Without any sense of hyperbole, I think it is fair to say it is an absolute tragedy that most Christians don’t know much about G.K. Chesterton. Chesterton was considered one of the leading literary figures of his age, the man who re-popularised Charles Dickens with his landmark book on him, the man C.S Lewis credits as having a huge impact on his own journey to faith, and a man described by fierce opponent George Bernard Shaw as a “towering genius.”

Chesterton was a leading authority in the literary world, writing breathtaking poetry and prose with ridiculous ease, and was also a leading Christian apologist in the early part of the 20th century - he provided an intelligent Christian response to an age dominated by pessimism and nihilism. Kevin Belmonte’s biography on Chesterton entitled: “Defiant Joy: The Remarkable Life & Impact of G.K. Chesterton” seeks to introduce readers to a man that history seems to have tragically sidelined.

Chesterton, like many geniuses, did not really bother with formal education but wrote himself at a prodigious rate, at one stage releasing almost two books a year. He also wrote constantly for newspapers and magazines in his role as a journalist. In between all of this Chesterton saw it as his mission to fight against the prevailing philosophy of the age which was dominated by an overwhelming sense of meaninglessness - which Chesterton termed 'thought suicide'.

After enduring a very dark period of his own in his youth, Chesterton embarked on a spiritual journey that gradually brought him into Christianity. After that Chesterton lived his life with the most remarkable joy and zest, and became famous for the religious debates he engaged in with other leading literary philosophers such as George Bernard Shaw. Chesterton was a physically big and overweight man, and became a loved figure in London, renowned for his ‘large’ and joyful presence. Even during debates he would greet any personal jibes by his competitors with an infectious laughter that won him many friends. Chesterton also sought never to allow personal animosity to build up between his opponents and himself, and became close friends with figures such as Shaw and H.G. Wells, even if their worldviews differed sharply.

I would recommend Belmonte’s book to you, just because I think it is so important the world rediscovers Chesterton, but sadly, I don’t think this is a particularly good biography. After covering Chesterton’s fascinating early life, Belmonte shifts his focus to Chesterton’s books and we learn almost nothing about him personally from then on. While this was wonderful in terms of opening doors for me into Chesterton’s writings (and definitely made me want to read even more of him), I would have loved to find out more what made the great man tick. Belmonte uses a lot of quotes, including many from Chesterton himself, which enables you to see just why his writing gained so much fame, but also results in the book losing flow. At the end of the day, I would have greatly appreciated hearing more of the stories behind the man who was Chesterton.

Chesterton was (and through his writings still is) a tremendous gift to the Christianity, and I would highly, highly recommend getting to know him better. Belmonte’s book is a good place to start, but unfortunately won’t give you the kind of comprehensive introduction that is so important. For an even briefer, yet excellent introduction to Chesterton, try Phillip Yancey’s ‘Soul Survivor,’ which includes a whole chapter on the man.

Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places

Eugene Peterson is most famous for his Message translation, but it would be truly sad if that was the only ‘book’ of his you ever read. Peterson's remarkable insights into life and Scripture, and his combination of poetry, prose, passion and personal honesty shines through every single one of the numerous books he has authored, from his very first way back in 1980 (A Long History of Obedience). Furthermore, Peterson’s books are set to the background of an extensive pastoral and academic experience. Now that he is finally retired from the pastorate and from academic life, Peterson is able to focus on his ‘Opus’ - a collection of five books that deal with different aspects of spiritual theology. The first of these five is the book under review today, ‘Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places: A Conversation in Spiritual Theology.’

In this particular book we see the very best of Eugene Peterson as he incisively analyses culture - both within and without the church - and relates this as only he can to the larger Biblical story. Peterson protests with his unique eloquence the fact that theology is so often little more than "depersonalized information about God, " while Christian spirituality is "impersonally functional," served up with cliches, slogans, and programs. Peterson believes that spiritual theology should offer far more than these pious cliches as it "represents the attention that the church community gives to keeping what we think about God (theology) in organic connection with the way we live with God (spirituality)."

Peterson shapes his thinking in this book along Trinitarian lines, as in between an introductory chapter and a concluding epilogue, he uses just three long chapters in which he explores the role of Christ in creation, history, and community. Peterson uses his considerable gifts as a scholar to draw our attention to the sensual, concrete realities behind biblical texts from Genesis to Revelation. Peterson uses these nuanced and clever readings to frame the three areas where he sees Christ at 'play': the beauty of creation, the tragedy of history and the beloved, bewildering community of the church. "The single most important thing to understand in spiritual theology is that it is not about theology... it is a cultivated disposition to live theology," Peterson convincingly argues.

Don’t make the mistake of being intimidated by this book because it seems complex. Yes, you will have to concentrate more than in your average novel, but at the same time Peterson’s soulful yet earthy narrative style will keep your attention, in fact, he might just make your soul sing. You are sure to benefit greatly from the rich, generous and wise “conversation” Peterson offers in this book. Highly recommended.

A Short History of Christianity

Over the 2,000 years since his death, Jesus’ followers have carved a significant space for themselves into human history, but many of us are quite unaware of the real details of this story beyond a rather vague awareness of events like the Crusades, or the Spanish Inquisition. And quite often our knowledge is actually misinformation, formed as it is from references in movies, books or conversations, and not any detailed study of our own.

The journalist and scholar Stephen Tomkins is determined to change this with his ‘A Short History of Christianity.’ This book takes readers on a whirlwind tour of the history of Jesus’ followers. Tomkins follows the key stages of Christian history as it developed, describing the events, people, movements and controversies behind it all. For those who find history boring, know that Tomkins writes with wit and humour, and his style will certain help you engage with the topic, while at the same time educating you with many fascinating facts and details.

We are told that we should learn from our history so as not to repeat mistakes, which is why every Jesus follower should seek to learn as much as possible from those who have gone before. We should embrace and learn from their victories and good moments, as well as seeking to avoid the pitfalls of their mistakes. And mistakes there are aplenty - as Tomkins makes clear in his introduction, he is not going to sugarcoat the past for our benefit, so many of the stories he tells you about Jesus’ followers will sadden and even disgust you. If you don’t know much about the darker side of the history of Christians, then prepare to be shocked! Yet, whatever you do, don’t hide your head in the sand - rather chose to learn from these mistakes, and be grateful to the God of Grace who chooses to continue to work through us no matter what.

Tomkins arranges his material chronologically in roughly 100-year increments, and succeeds in giving his readers an excellent overall survey. However, it is inevitable that such a fast-paced breathless excursion through history’s corridors leaves some events feeling a little a sketchy, while others are completely ignored. Tomkins cannot detail every major character or issue, and other historians would probably argue with some of those he does choose to highlight. Nevertheless, the point of this book is not to provide an exhaustive history, but rather a broad overview for those who have hardly encountered any Christian history at all, and in this respect Tomkins does a fine job.

This penetrating, energetic ‘Short History of Christianity’ will delight and entertain you, while also broadening your understanding and perspective. Highly recommended.

Tutu: The Authorised Portrait

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu has been in the news a lot lately after the celebrations for his 80th birthday were marred by the ANC government’s refusal to grant his good friend the Dalai Lama an entry visa into South Africa to join in the festivities. ‘The Arch’ also trended on social networks for his angry rebuttal of the government for their handling of this affair. As sad as the entire situation was, it was somehow appropriate that on Tutu’s 80th birthday he was denouncing an unjust decision by the powers that be, because that is exactly what he has spent most of his life doing.

As ‘Tutu: The Authorised Portrait’ makes powerfully clear, Desmond Tutu dedicated his entire life to fighting all forms of oppression and advocating social justice and peaceful reconciliation. This beautiful looking book has already been labelled as a ‘coffee table special’, but frankly, this would be a terrible waste. This is a book that deserves to be read and even re-read because it is a treasure trove of stories, interviews, pictures and interviews that grant fascinating insight into the life, spirituality and courage of a quite remarkable man. The title claims the book is a ‘portrait’ of the Archbishop and this claim is totally justified. It includes a biography by the legendary freedom-fighting journalist Allister Sparks, but then adds in over forty interviews conducted by Tutu’s daughter Reverend Mpho Tutu with close family, friends, colleagues, comrades and critics. With a tremendous collection of pictures thrown in and previously unpublished artefacts from Tutu’s private files, it really does feel as if a clear and striking portrait of the man has been painted.

Perhaps the best part of the book is that it does equal justice to Tutu’s role as a ‘man of God’ and his involvement in politics. During the apartheid years, many Christians claimed that politics and theology should never mix, but Tutu fought this perception with every fibre of his being. Tutu’s faith was the reason he fought so hard for a non-racial society, and it is the reason he has continued to challenge the present democratically elected government whenever he has felt they have stepped out of line. As Nelson Mandela himself describes: “Sometimes strident, often tender, never afraid, and seldom without humor, Desmond Tutu’s voice will always be the voice of the voiceless.”

This book comes highly recommended! It is only available in hard cover at the moment, and is a little pricey but well worth buying.

Praying With Jesus: A Year of Daily Prayers and Reflections

Eugene Peterson is one of the most prolific and best-loved Christian authors writing today. He is perhaps best known for ‘The Message,’ but has authored numerous other books mainly in the area of Christian spirituality. Peterson is renowned as a scholar and language expert, but also writes extraordinarily well. I remember hearing him say in an interview that he often spends days reworking just one paragraph to get it exactly right. Through the strength and beauty of his words, Peterson is able to open doors for his readers into deeper understandings of God, discipleship and Scripture.

This book is not one of his better known ones, but really should be. It is classic Peterson – beautifully written and deeply profound and because of its nature and style would make a perfect Christmas gift – hence the reason for including the review now. As the title implies, it is a year’s worth of daily readings – both prayers and reflections – on the words of Jesus.

Peterson works his way through the Gospels of Matthew and John, and encourages his readers to remove themselves from the hurly-burly hectic pace of daily life and to read, listen and pray “with the natural, comforting rhythms of Jesus’ own teachings.”

Peterson reminds us that when we read Jesus’ words we are not looking for information as much as companionship and our aim should be to become shaped and molded by what we encounter. Peterson encourages us read with Jesus in a way that “shapes the heart at the same time it informs the intellect, sucking out the marrow-nourishment from the bone-words.”

Thus, the aim of these devotional readings and prayers is to help slow us down – to discipline ourselves to quietly sit at the feet of Jesus and just soak in His Spirit and Nature. And as we learn to pray regularly and frequently as Jesus himself did, it is through this attentive apprenticeship (or discipleship) that we can discover new depths of relationship with God and others. As Peterson himself says, we can discover "a world in which repetitions deepen into intimacies and a long silence is as eloquent as a sonnet."

I have read my way through this little book twice (separated by a year) to aid in my personal devotions, and really cannot recommend it highly enough. It is jam-packed with wisdom to the point that I actually got more out of it the second time round than the first. It would make a fantastic Christmas gift, but be sure to buy yourself a copy at the same time since you will gain personally so much from it (and no, I am not paid to say that!).

Looking For A Good Devotional Book For the New Year?

“If you love liturgy, this book is for you. If you don’t know what liturgy is, this book is also for you.” (From the introduction).

It is important to understand a few things about this book. Firstly, this is NOT the original Cranmer-authored Book of Common Prayer - you can tell that just from reading the title carefully. Nor is it a modern attempt to replace or rephrase Cranmer’s version, but instead is a separate project entirely with the stated intention of introducing all sorts of people to the sheer power and beauty that prayerfully-crafted and Scripturally-inspired liturgy can play in worship.

Secondly, ‘Common Prayer’ is the result of a collaborative project between Shane Claiborne, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, and Enuma Okoro. All three are well known for their focus on missional living, intentional community and relating to the poor and are significant figures in the ‘new monasticism’ movement. This means you can see their subversive, peace-loving, Kingdom-living fingerprints all over the place - and I love it!

In the wonderful introduction to the book, the authors try to make us aware that liturgy is not just for certain, more traditional segments of the church but can be a life-giving, Spirit-filling discipline for Christians of every background. The focus is on ordinary Christians who live amidst the challenges that everyday life throws at us, and here the prayers are written with great insight and practical wisdom.

Contained in the book are a series of short (one page for the most part) liturgies for morning prayer that include standard texts, prayers, interesting information on church holy days and people, and even a song selection (melody lines and chords are in the back of the book) – one for every day of the year. In addition to this, there are sections containing a week-long cycle of midday and evening prayers, and another section of occasional prayers (for blessing a house, prayers for a workplace, baby dedication, and two that really struck me - A Litany to Honor Women and Death of Someone Killed in the Neighborhood).

As mentioned earlier, the book has an ‘ordinary radical’ focus – this is a phrase coined by Claiborne in his earlier work ‘The Irresistible Revolution,’ which contains a strong challenge of caring for those living in society’s margins. Thus, throughout the book you will find a generous sprinkling of references to the underprivileged, the outcast, and the innocent victims of injustice.

There has been some criticism of ‘Common Prayer’ for failing to annotate its prayers to provide a richer understanding of where they came from, but asides from that this is a beautiful book that makes liturgy (quite literally) sing. I would highly, highly recommend this resource to anyone and everyone (individuals and communities) who desire a deeper and more meaningful prayer life.

Steve Jobs - The Exclusive Biography

Steve Jobs was no saint. This will not surprise those who have already heard of his legendary temper tantrums and sometimes cruel treatment of family, friends and employees. Walter Isaacson’s recently released authorised biography “Steve Jobs” is a brutally honest portrayal of a man who was a deeply conflicted and enigmatic character. Jobs deserves all the acclaim he received after his recent death aged 56 because he was undoubtedly a visionary who revolutionised the world with the breath-taking beauty and seamless purpose of his digital products. Yet, at the same time, he bristled with arrogance, selfishness and was filled with contradictions of many different hues.

Isaacson’s in-depth portrayal of Jobs shows this to be true from his earliest days, when realising how much more intelligent he was than his adoptive parents, he would relentlessly force his will upon them. Jobs genuinely loved his parents, but still selfishly pushed them into untenable situations - such as taking a mortgage on a house they could not afford just so he could attend a different school.

Further character contradictions abound. Jobs was a Zen Buddhist who eschewed material possessions yet was worth $256 million by his mid-twenties and produced products that most people don’t realise they cannot live without until they have them. He struggled with the fact he had been given up for adoption, feeling abandoned by his biological parents, but then did exactly the same thing to a daughter born out of wedlock, refusing to admit paternity for years. Jobs also was a fan of fad diets, alternating between vegetarianism, veganism and fruitarism. Early on he believed his diet so expunged unhealthy toxins from his body that he had no need to shower regularly (a conviction friends and colleagues did not share).

In his early years Jobs stiffed his best friend and co-founder of Apple, Steve Wozniak out of a commission, and later ruthlessly stole ideas, refused to share credit on others, humiliated staff members in public, fired people on whims and would go ballistic in restaurants if he did not like the food. Yet he was also sensitive when criticised and was known to burst into tears in meetings, especially during his first incarnation as head of Apple. Jobs would get his way by sheer force of will, shouting and screaming at people, but at the same time he got them to do the best work of their lives. “I was hard on people sometimes, probably harder than I need to be,” he admitted. “But somebody’s got to do it.”

Jobs quickly became renowned for his ‘reality distortion field’. He never accepted anything was impossible, and those who worked with and alongside him testify how in his presence they also came to believe this to be true. Jobs refused to accept imperfection and would agonise for days over the shape, feel and style of the electronic plugs for his Macs, never mind the actual machines. His perfectionism, vision and ability to know what people wanted before they did meant he transformed two companies - Apple and Pixar - into world leaders in their respective fields. Jobs was behind products like the ‘Toy Story’ franchise, Mac computers, iPods, iPhones, iPads and the iCloud.

Isaacson’s biography of this flawed genius is compelling precisely because it is so honest. Jobs lived with a black-and-white paradigm in which people were either ‘heroes’ or ‘s--ts,’ and work was either ‘insanely good’ or ‘total s--t’. It is fitting then that this extensive look at his life is equally brutal with the truth. While Jobs comes across as a repugnant character at times, there is also something deeply stirring about a man who believed in the possibility that beauty and technology together could change the world. One of his earliest girlfriends described him best when she said he was an enlightened being who could also be cruel. Despite all this, his passing left a huge hole in the lives of those who knew him, with Jobs being described as a mentor, friend and inspiration.

Isaacson’s biography is a fascinating effort - not only for delving into the psychology of a man capable of such remarkable contrasts, but also for its insights into the history-making Information age. It is within this context we see how Jobs - a gifted and supernaturally driven man - actually did change human history, yet at the same time he struggled to carry out normal human relationships. Yes, Steve Jobs was certainly no saint. His character was riven with flaws, but his relentless drive and passion for beauty and technology to find a convergence point saw him become an indispensable part of the digital revolution. In the end, Isaacson’s concluding assessment seems to be spot on: “Was he smart? Not, not exceptionally. Instead, he was a genius.”