A non-Catholic reading (and enjoying) a book which extols Thomas Aquinas may seem to be a bit of a stretch. But when one realizes the book in question is St. Thomas Aquinas: The Dumb Ox by G.K. Chesterton, well then, the matter is cleared up. For though I am certainly not a Thomist, I still had an invigorating time re-reading GKC’s book with its warm affection for the fellow.
As my friends well know, I am a devoted admirer of Chesterton and his works are among the finest and most beloved in my library. He has had as profound an impact on my life as just about any writer (outside of those who were given the revelation of Scripture) that I can think of. But I do differ with Gilbert on several matters, including the uncharacteristically harsh (one could even say mean) conclusions he makes in this book about Martin Luther and the Puritans/Calvinists which for Chesterton generally means all Protestants.
But, I still had a capital time reading Chesterton’s St. Thomas Aquinas because reading GKC even when one disagrees with him is a sharpening experience. A great bonus too is that, even in this book, there was a great deal which I joyfully embraced.
The book, by the way, was the bi-monthly selection of the Omaha Chesterton Society, a delightful literary group which involves a nice blend of Catholics and evangelicals. It made for the perfect setting in which to discuss a book like St. Thomas Aquinas: The Dumb Ox with maximum value.
For locals who would like more information on the Omaha Chesterton Society, please zip me an e-mail at vitalsigns@vitalsignsministries.org Our next meeting is on Monday, October 10 where we will be discussing Chesterton’s The New Jerusalem.
