Orthodoxy

[Excerpts from a paper I've written, so not perhaps not a proper review:]

Orthodoxy in its time was an account of the search for truth and meaning of one of the last century's great minds, to have him find the wildest philosophy of all being true, Christianity. It was a cry for what Chesterton called practical romanticism. To embrace the paradox without having to be caught in one of the outer extremes of either one of the stances. To not let homogeneity ruin creativity.
The philosophy might not be something astonishing, new, or original at all, but its journey is one that will startle not only people in modern times but also in post-modern times. Chesterton believed the Christian faith as summarized in the Apostles Creeds to be the “best root of energy and sound ethics”.
That being his main argument there are other issues he tries to discuss. One of them is the suicide of thought, or endless doubting.

One of the main arguments of the book is that pure rationalism and rational thought is not all there is and is certainly not the highest thing of all. The argument is built up out of the notion that true reason is lost in what Chesterton calls the Suicide of Thought. Doubting thought and reason itself, giving both the virtues and vices a free rein. It is not only the bad things that have run a bad course but also the good. They have been decoupled and isolated and have therefore gone mad. Truth by all means is a very uncompassionate truth, as compassion is very immoral if it is compassion at every expense. Reason is in line with the previously mentioned virtues it has gone wild. Doubting reason itself. Which makes it difficult to reason at all, if one can not even trust his thoughts. Chesterton states his position wittily:
“Thus when Mr. Wells says [...:], ‘All chairs are quite different,' he utters not merely a misstatement, but a contradiction in terms. If all chairs were quite different, you could not call them ‘all chairs.' “
(Chapter 3)
This is still true today. The basis and view of truth is something that is far more fluid, less fixed than it used to be. Truth is constructed, non-absolute and nothing can be known for sure. One person's truth is no better than another's.

This doubting however and broad sense of truth, is something that is immensely difficult to achieve. Truth by its very nature is very exclusive. If one says for example that truth is constructed and in no way objective or fixed, you are making a very exclusive, rigid statement. You can now not say that some sayings are more true than another, where this should actually be possible in the line of thinking that truth is not fixed. Basically you are saying if you do not agree with me, your view of truth is inferior to mine. Which is basically worth as much as simply claiming something to be true. The only difference is, is that there is no longer space for conversation because there is nothing left to discuss or think about, when it is all the same.

Orthodoxy is therefore although old a renewing way of looking at the world. For in it there is freedom to make mistakes, but at least you know that you went right or wrong about something. It gives the freedom to progress for you now know where to progress to, instead of busying yourself with what ideal needs to be met.
The unorthodox way in which Christianity has reconciled red and white without making them pink, but remaining the fiery and exuberant colour of both.

Algo que me é engraçado: Quando Nietzsche escreve, em seu «Assim Falava Zaratustra», quase quatrocentas páginas de pura abstração entendiante e pueril, ele é aclamado pelo público. Quando Chesterton faz o uso de metáforas e paradoxos de forma inteligente para basear seus argumentos, ele é tratado com escárnio.
Chesterton é um mestre da escrita. Sua capacidade de harmonizar uma alta densidade de informação com uma escrita divertida é o que vende esse livro pra mim.
«Ortodoxia» é o livro que iniciou minha experiência com Chesterton, que apesar de eu haver antes lido alguns artigos dele, não havia lido uma obra completa, o livro estava barato, e mesmo sabendo que deveria ler o «Hereges» antes, comprei-o. Sua escrita é magistral e sua capacidade de simplificar temas torna a leitura prazerosa. Recomendo para cristãos e para céticos que querem ter uma visão ampliada do cristianismo.
Essa review pode ter sigo meio corrida e prolixa, mas, nesse momento, estou me encaminhando para a festa de réveillon, onde irei agradecer a Deus por tudo que Ele me deu. Feliz 2022, meus amigos!

logging reread from august