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Advent and Christmas Wisdom From G. K. Chesterton
As one of the few relatively recent Christian writers who are admired and quoted by Christians at all ends of the spectrum, G.K Chesterton was known as a remarkable and diverse but extremely influential English writer. His inexhaustible and wide ranging portfolio of works includes journalistic writing, poetry, biography, Christian, fantasy and detective genres. His style is distinctive and always marked by humility, consistency, irony, wit and wonder. Some of his most enduring books include The Everlasting Man, which led C.S. Lewis to become a Christian and The Napoleon of Notting Hill which inspired Michael Collins to lead a movement for Irish independence.
G.K. Chesterton is sometimes referred to as the most unjustly neglected writer of our time. One reason might be his versatility and the inability for modern thinkers, theologians, and commentators to pigeonhole him. We challenge you to enjoy his remarkable style, eloquence, and faith-based writing at this joyous time of the year.
In this edition of Advent and Christmas Wisdom, each day's reflection includes a selection from one of Chesterton's finest works, a suitable Scripture verse, an appropriate prayer, and an exercise. This addition to one of Liguori's best-selling series is truly a refreshing, prayerful preparation for the coming of Christ at Christmas.
G.K. Chesterton is sometimes referred to as the most unjustly neglected writer of our time. One reason might be his versatility and the inability for modern thinkers, theologians, and commentators to pigeonhole him. We challenge you to enjoy his remarkable style, eloquence, and faith-based writing at this joyous time of the year.
In this edition of Advent and Christmas Wisdom, each day's reflection includes a selection from one of Chesterton's finest works, a suitable Scripture verse, an appropriate prayer, and an exercise. This addition to one of Liguori's best-selling series is truly a refreshing, prayerful preparation for the coming of Christ at Christmas.
109 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2007
6 people are currently reading
240 people want to read
About the author
G.K. Chesterton
4,547 books5,717 followersGilbert Keith Chesterton was an English writer, philosopher, lay theologian, and literary and art critic.
He was educated at St. Paul’s, and went to art school at University College London. In 1900, he was asked to contribute a few magazine articles on art criticism, and went on to become one of the most prolific writers of all time. He wrote a hundred books, contributions to 200 more, hundreds of poems, including the epic Ballad of the White Horse, five plays, five novels, and some two hundred short stories, including a popular series featuring the priest-detective, Father Brown. In spite of his literary accomplishments, he considered himself primarily a journalist. He wrote over 4000 newspaper essays, including 30 years worth of weekly columns for the Illustrated London News, and 13 years of weekly columns for the Daily News. He also edited his own newspaper, G.K.’s Weekly.
Chesterton was equally at ease with literary and social criticism, history, politics, economics, philosophy, and theology.
He was educated at St. Paul’s, and went to art school at University College London. In 1900, he was asked to contribute a few magazine articles on art criticism, and went on to become one of the most prolific writers of all time. He wrote a hundred books, contributions to 200 more, hundreds of poems, including the epic Ballad of the White Horse, five plays, five novels, and some two hundred short stories, including a popular series featuring the priest-detective, Father Brown. In spite of his literary accomplishments, he considered himself primarily a journalist. He wrote over 4000 newspaper essays, including 30 years worth of weekly columns for the Illustrated London News, and 13 years of weekly columns for the Daily News. He also edited his own newspaper, G.K.’s Weekly.
Chesterton was equally at ease with literary and social criticism, history, politics, economics, philosophy, and theology.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
December 23, 2023
,,Omnipotence and impotence, or divinity and infancy, do definitely make a sort of epigram which a million repetitions cannot turn into a platitude. It is not unreasonable to call it unique. Bethlehem is emphatically a place where extremes meet.”
,,Christ was not only born on the level of the world, but even lower than the world... But in the riddle of Bethlehem it was heaven that was under the earth. There is in that alone the touch of a revolution, as of the world turned upside down. It would be vain to attempt to say anything adequate, or anything new, about the change which this conception of a deity born like an outcast or even an outlaw had upon the whole conception of law and its duties to the poor and outcast. It is profundly true to say that after that moment there could be no slaves...Individuals became important, in a sense in which no instruments can be important. A man could not be a means to an end, at any rate to any other man's end.”
,,Christ was not only born on the level of the world, but even lower than the world... But in the riddle of Bethlehem it was heaven that was under the earth. There is in that alone the touch of a revolution, as of the world turned upside down. It would be vain to attempt to say anything adequate, or anything new, about the change which this conception of a deity born like an outcast or even an outlaw had upon the whole conception of law and its duties to the poor and outcast. It is profundly true to say that after that moment there could be no slaves...Individuals became important, in a sense in which no instruments can be important. A man could not be a means to an end, at any rate to any other man's end.”
January 5, 2017
This was such a wonderful companion through Advent and the 12 days of Christmas!
January 5, 2023
A lovely addition to my Christmastime morning reading. (Finished this morning because today is the 12th day of Christmas!)
Loved the quotes from Chesterton and many of the prayers. Found the "suggested actions" somewhat less compelling. Also, I'm not RC so the last section - Formats for Nightly Prayer and Reading - was not as helpful to me as the main part of the book. But overall, if you're looking for a not-stressful way to make Advent and Christmastide more meaningful this book would be a good choice.
Loved the quotes from Chesterton and many of the prayers. Found the "suggested actions" somewhat less compelling. Also, I'm not RC so the last section - Formats for Nightly Prayer and Reading - was not as helpful to me as the main part of the book. But overall, if you're looking for a not-stressful way to make Advent and Christmastide more meaningful this book would be a good choice.
January 7, 2016
Just completed this again for this past years Advent and Christmas season, a great focus-changer for the season. I strongly recommend it.
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This was a wonderful companion for the Advent and Christmas 'season'. Along with the snippets of wisdom, the prayers, scripture and 'action' items were really applicable to our lives today. Learning to treasure life in a way away from media and consumerism is almost a discipline of our minds, hearts and souls, and Chesterton captures/teaches this well. It is hard to believe he was writing for an audience in the 1920's and 1930's.
The most critical element of this work, for me, was that it brought back anticipation, the 'expectant' reality of the season. We are preparing for the arrival of the Messiah, something that was/is being waited and hoped for with great expectations. Chesterton does a great job in getting the reader to remember the things we treasure most (sometimes a trinket, sometimes the people in our lives, etc.) and in the process, we remember how much we 'hope' for. It teaches about 'waiting with expectant hope' in a way I had not experienced before.
Hope & Anticipation - I wish and pray that more of us can approach 2014 with these attributes/elements - I know I will try to - thanks to this book.
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This was a wonderful companion for the Advent and Christmas 'season'. Along with the snippets of wisdom, the prayers, scripture and 'action' items were really applicable to our lives today. Learning to treasure life in a way away from media and consumerism is almost a discipline of our minds, hearts and souls, and Chesterton captures/teaches this well. It is hard to believe he was writing for an audience in the 1920's and 1930's.
The most critical element of this work, for me, was that it brought back anticipation, the 'expectant' reality of the season. We are preparing for the arrival of the Messiah, something that was/is being waited and hoped for with great expectations. Chesterton does a great job in getting the reader to remember the things we treasure most (sometimes a trinket, sometimes the people in our lives, etc.) and in the process, we remember how much we 'hope' for. It teaches about 'waiting with expectant hope' in a way I had not experienced before.
Hope & Anticipation - I wish and pray that more of us can approach 2014 with these attributes/elements - I know I will try to - thanks to this book.
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February 23, 2022
I read this as part of my Advent/ Christmas preparation and found it to be a wonderful book. Highly recommended for anyone looking for some spiritual reading during this blessed season.
May 26, 2024
I am looking forward to spending another Advent and Christmas season rereading this book again. A dear friend loaned me her copy so it was extra special reading all her notes and thoughts.
January 5, 2025
A good little book with well chosen excerpts and accompanying Scripture for the days leading up to Christmas and the 12 days leading to Epiphany. Some of the applications were a bit light or hokey, but generally, this was an encouraging and illuminating way to reflect on the Advent season. I look forward to reading the Chesterton Easter devotional, developed by the same publisher.
January 30, 2019
I liked the Chesterton quotes but found the accompanied prayers and "action" suggestions to be not very compelling. However, I could see this being really great for someone who needed a little something to focus on Advent. I just needed a little more "oomph" because my family has already integrated a lot of the suggestions that this book had.
January 7, 2021
This was ok.
January 7, 2022
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this over the Advent season. An excellent way to start every morning.
December 29, 2014
These were daily devotional readings picked from G.K. Chesterton's writings, followed by a related Scripture, a prayer, and an application idea.
I really enjoy Chesterton's writings, so perhaps my expectations for this were too high. While I like the idea, the execution was found lacking. I found the selections from Chesterton to be too brief to usually be meaningful. He has a tendency to write in ways that have elaborate build up of concepts, and when you splice out one paragraph it just lacks the same oomph. I found the topics to be rather random for Advent, and I guess overall it just didn't live up to what I wanted out of it. I wanted something to chew on and think about, but this tended to throw out snippets with a Christmas Scripture passage and I didn't find I was getting much out of it. There have to be other Advent readings out there that do a better job.
I really enjoy Chesterton's writings, so perhaps my expectations for this were too high. While I like the idea, the execution was found lacking. I found the selections from Chesterton to be too brief to usually be meaningful. He has a tendency to write in ways that have elaborate build up of concepts, and when you splice out one paragraph it just lacks the same oomph. I found the topics to be rather random for Advent, and I guess overall it just didn't live up to what I wanted out of it. I wanted something to chew on and think about, but this tended to throw out snippets with a Christmas Scripture passage and I didn't find I was getting much out of it. There have to be other Advent readings out there that do a better job.
December 4, 2017
Chesterton quotes, tremendous.
The title led me to believe this would primarily be his writings. Not so; each section began with his writings, followed by Scripture (solid obviously, but often improperly connected to the quotation), a prayer and an action.
In consideration of poverty, the action and prayer was to meditate on a time when you were more poor. Wouldn’t assistance to those who actually are now more poor be more fitting?
The book closes with a guide for using it with nightly prayers. The last prayer is the Marian Antiphon. Deeply Roman Catholic.
The title led me to believe this would primarily be his writings. Not so; each section began with his writings, followed by Scripture (solid obviously, but often improperly connected to the quotation), a prayer and an action.
In consideration of poverty, the action and prayer was to meditate on a time when you were more poor. Wouldn’t assistance to those who actually are now more poor be more fitting?
The book closes with a guide for using it with nightly prayers. The last prayer is the Marian Antiphon. Deeply Roman Catholic.
December 29, 2021
I was really looking forward to this book. I thought it would be a great way to end my year of GK Chesterton. But alas, it falls into the trap that many other posthumously-compiled devotionals: Chesterton didn't write a Christmas devotional, and trying to cut and paste bits from his other books to make one just doesn't work. And unfortunately, the editors' prayers and daily "Advent Actions" feel trite and meaningless.
It's not one I will be keeping on my shelves.
It's not one I will be keeping on my shelves.
December 26, 2017
This is the book we read every year during Advent and Christmas. Highly recommended!
Goes through Advent, then into the 12 days of Christmas. I'd recommend reading it in the morning, because there is an "Advent action" for you to be mindful of during the day.
One change.... read the scripture out of a Bible and don't use the sometimes weird translation they have. KJV or ESV is much better.
Goes through Advent, then into the 12 days of Christmas. I'd recommend reading it in the morning, because there is an "Advent action" for you to be mindful of during the day.
One change.... read the scripture out of a Bible and don't use the sometimes weird translation they have. KJV or ESV is much better.
January 3, 2021
I enjoyed reading this through this Advent & Christmas season! The quotes and reflections are a nice way to spend a little time in prayer & reflection each day during this season.
I will reread it next season.
I will reread it next season.
January 5, 2024
Beautiful book for meditation to use daily through the Advent and Christmas season. I also appreciate the inclusion of a format for night prayer and examination of conscience that can be used throughout the year.
December 30, 2017
This was lovely little Advent and Christmas devotional book based on the writings of G.K. Chesterton.
January 16, 2018
Love this book !!! Great for your Advent journey! <3
January 5, 2020
Pretty good content, really great Chesterton quotes, great concept but there is a lot of Roman Catholicism sprinkled here and there (as is expected) coupled with some squishy christianeese.
January 31, 2012
A well done little compilation devotional. I appreciated it a lot. It gave me a taste of some of Chesterton's journalistic writings, which can also be harder to get a hold of. A good combination of Chesterton, scripture, prayer, and action. Also, it is set up so that you can use it like a daily office.
I will probably take a break from it next Advent season, but come back to it another year.
I will probably take a break from it next Advent season, but come back to it another year.
January 6, 2016
I was very excited about reading Chesterton excerpts for Christmas preparation, since no one appreciates the joys of life more than he. Unfortunately, I found the selections seriously lacking in substance. There was not enough content to be meaningful and I found the practical suggestions unhelpful for my spiritual development. Chesterton cannot be read in snippets. Next time, I will go straight to his writings and skip the middleman.
December 31, 2012
I have always loved Chesterton- so I knew the quality of the book would be superb from the start. However, what caught me by surprise was how the book presented short and organized selections that easily fit into my busy life. This was a really inspirational book!
January 9, 2012
Love Chesterton, and the editors put this together really well. I looked forward to reading each night's passage, and am sorry the 12 days of Christmas are over!
December 31, 2012
This was my least favorite book in this series so far...I don't thin Chesterton and I are meant to be friends. At least not this year...
November 7, 2014
Nice little advent devotional with scripture, quotes from GKC, prayers, plus challenging actions. Good for journaling too.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews