I'm still reading Chesterton's biography St. Francis of Assisi, and this quote comes from a wonderful introduction to the world Francis lived in turned short history of western civilization that is the second chapter.
I think we can all relate to this quote from the many times we have a conversation with anyone in regards to faith or morality. Modern society today has developed almost a completely closed mind to anything the differs from popular opinion, even from what is reported in main stream media. The cult of cool, the fads of heresy that reign today are evidence of a closed mind. A mind that refuses to acknowledge different ways of critical thinking, different ways of believing.
It is this closed mind to anything other than what is being told to them, or what their peers believe that so extinguishes a soul's thirst for truth.
Chesterton immediately goes on to say something that I just love: "As a matter of individual belief, I should of course express it by saying that they are not sufficiently catholic to be Catholic."
So many conversion stories begin, and in so many different ways, when someone started to think differently. To think beyond what their prior life experience or previously held beliefs. To begin to think differently and broadly opens the doors to believe.
And so Chesterton delivers another zinger this time a perfect statement of the Catholic faith with it's inseparable relationship with reason.
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Not sufficiently catholic to be Catholic: love it!
ReplyDeleteYes! This is so great! I'm with Kendra- I love the "not sufficiently catholic to be Catholic" bit. :)
ReplyDeleteMy own conversion came about because I began to do some research in an attempt to teach my husband why his Catholic faith was wrong (because he certainly wasn't catechized well enough to tell me). I was winning all the debates (I was a protestant minister's kid, after all!) but he still wouldn't give in. I decided to find out what the Catholic church *really* taught so that I could explain why that was erroneous.
I started with Scott Hahn. And I've been Catholic now for coming-up-on-10-years! :) And YES- it was a broadening of the mind that did it. Great post!
This reminds me of his Ethics of Elfland chapter in Orthodoxy, my absolute favorite of the whole book. I was reading it allowed to my dad a few weeks ago and I actually cried. Three times. Aaanyway, it's too often taken for granted that the scientific-minded are the broad-minded ones, when it is actually close-minded to not be able to imagine things differently, to not open one's mind to belief!
ReplyDeleteI read his biographies Saint Francis and Saint Thomas Aquinas in succession, and for some reason came away with the impression that I liked Saint Thomas Aquinas even better. Which is sort of like saying that the only thing I like better than chocolate is More Chocolate! Will you read that one next?
And yet, the common thoughts of those against faith is that *we* are the ones who have not broadened ourselves enough! The reverse is so true and makes much more sense. All these Chesterton posts are making me love him and his zingers more than I already did!
ReplyDeleteI love your phrase "the fads of heresy." I didn't read in time to vote, but I certainly like your winning post!
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