Joseph Writes an Essay based on Orthodoxy

I have discovered G.K. Chesterton from Father Dwight Longenecker's website. However, it took me two years to actually find out more about him.

I am using his works as a major part of our reading list for our Catholic literature. So far, my 16 year old son is in awe with his works.

Read his essay below:

The work of Gilbert Chesterton titled, Orthodoxy, is an interesting read. He describes himself, in his teenage years as an atheist at one point to an agnostic in another. His moral compass really started ticking after he started asking question after questions. It seemed as though Christianity was being attacked in all aspects. One accuser might claim that the Christian Church forgives too easily, while another would accuse the Church for being too strict and not forgiving. This put him in a state where he simply did not believe that something can be one thing but also the complete opposite at the same time.

A sudden thought struck him and he was enlightened to say that what if the Church was the one that was normal and the only ones criticizing her are the maniacs. Picture this: Jesus walks in a town filled with different ethnicities of people and spends one night with them then leaves the next morning. When a person asks a short man what Jesus looked like, the short man might reply, “He was rather tall” while a tall man vice versa. A dark skinned person then would say, “He was rather blonde” while a fair skinned person would recall him to be darker. These are just a few of the things that might occur in descriptions of things. It’s very easy to derive one teaching, by yourself, and interpret either what you want to get out of it, or mistake it to mean something else.

Human race is not perfect. We are filled with flaws so we use science and technology to fix it. The imperfection doesn’t just stay within the physical boundaries, but also on the intellectual side. When a person is appointed to the important position to spread the word of God, misconceptions may arise. Being an imperfect race, there are members of the Church who were and might still be corrupt. People use the flaws of someone held in high esteem to justify their judgment on any aspect. For example,Martin Luther blamed the Church and nailed his 95 Thesis s resulting in the branching out of many different denominations. Had Martin Luther humbled himself, he would’ve not only prevented the branching out to different churches in his era, but able to strengthen the faith of the Catholic Church by putting his trust in her.

Chesterton emphasizes many times how individuals have their own way of thinking. Prone to misunderstanding, mankind needs something that is consistent as a foundation to follow. The Church appointed by God will never change; it is only the ones that carry out her mission. The Word of God doesn’t change; it is only the ones that try to interpret it. The tradition of the Church never changes; it is only the ones who practice it. Ultimately, God does not change; it is rather only the ones who believe in him.