Your Life Is a Story: G.K. Chesterton and the Paradox of Freedom

by Brady Stiller, Dale Ahlquist (other)

What is the meaning of life? Do we create meaning or find it? Every person, implicitly or explicitly, has a conception of the meaning of life, which is intimately connected to our view of human freedom. How we answer these questions determines the course of our lives and our fulfillment.

Drawing from the great writer G.K. Chesterton, Brady Stiller identifies four dominant philosophical positions on meaning in our day—determinism, existentialism, skepticism, and nihilism—and evaluates their answers to these ultimate questions, and how they fall short. Evoking Chesterton’s notion of paradox, Stiller proposes a philosophical position more true to reality—namely, that the meaning of life is both objective and subjective at the same time. By viewing life as a story with both determined and undetermined aspects, we are equipped to coauthor our stories with the divine author, discovering our role in the grand drama of creation.

Genres: Philosophy

224 pages, Paperback

Published March 18, 2024

Reviews

[Paul Dubuc · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent and inspiring description of a Christian worldview based on the writings and ideas of G. K Chesterton. Chesterton's views, as described by Brady Stiller, artfully describe a worldview that is congruent with life as we experience it and is satisfying and hopeful in contrast with those of determinism, skepticism, existentialism and (finally) nihilism described as the end state of the other three when followed consistently. Chesterton's view embraces paradox and "affirms objectivity and subjectivity at their full strength at the same time, accounting for both polarities in such a way that they do not take away from each other." (p.205). Our lives can best be viewed as a story, rich in meaning and purpose, part of a larger story written by an Author who freely interacts with His characters in the context of freedom and love. Highly recommended especially for those of us who find Chesterton difficult to follow and want to read him more profitably.

[Christian Lingner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stiller does a nice job of framing Chesterton’s project as developing and defending a philosophy that preserved life’s “romantic” quality. In order to experience life as a “romantic story,” we need many things to be given (ie good and evil) but also to have an uncertain ending. This is precisely the Christian way of seeing things. We know up from down, morally, because God made the world in a particular way. We have been shown the narrow gate and goal. Yet we still have to follow our particular path to beatitude because he made each of us in particular—and the real question is whether we will get home.

[Daniel Carey · Rating 4 out of 5]

An incredible read and a great in-depth look into the Christian worldview promoted by acclaimed apologist, G.K. Chesterton and how that compares with the existential secular world views of determinism and subjectivism. More importantly, this work looks carefully into how the seeming paradox of the romantic story of Catholicism will provide the individual everlasting happiness where the secular worldviews which turn away from God and the adventure of our place in the Theo drama always fall short in the end. Highly recommended.

[Zak Schmoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title of this book pulled me in right away. The author explores how Chesterton viewed life as a story, and more specifically a romance. By romance, he doesn't only mean what we associate with romantic, but rather describing a life of inherent limits, thrills, and a sense of a good that ought to be defended. The first half of the book considers Chesterton's worldview through his writing, and then the second half shares how Chesterton interacted with four different worldviews: determinism, existentialism, skepticism, and, the ultimate sin, nihilism. Overall, this is a good overview of Chesterton's view of freedom and how we ought to live within God's story.

[Chuck Barber · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is much more a philosophy book than a theology book. I most enjoyed the second part, which is a survey of major philosophical categories with Chesterton’s critiques and the Christian response to each.

As a Reformed believer, I was interested in Chesterton’s rejection of Calvinism, particularly as relating to predestination. I would have liked to know how he understood the applicable “election” and “predestination” passages of Scripture. But those details were not provided.

[Maureen Eimers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I’ve read in a very long time

Chesterton is awesome, but I don’t enjoy reading his works directly. Stiller does a great job making Chesterton’s thoughts accessible. Dwelling on his view of life as a story promises to lead one to a deep appreciation for life and the ability to deal well with any tragedy.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first part of the book outlines Chesterton’s philosophy as an adventure or mystery that needs to be lived or unraveled. The story authored by God where we are the characters; and the paradox as central to Chesterton’s worldview.

Compares Chesterton’s worldview with Determinism , Skepticism, Existentialism, & Nihilism. Showing how GKC’s worldview was encompassing not w
either/or but and.

[Atlantis · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a lengthy analysis of the writings of G.K. Chesterton. If you want to know about Chesterton, just read him. I really tire of books that are full of big words, run-on sentences, written by scholars who should know better than to over-analyze a body of work by another person, and then sell it.

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[Shawn White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb!

[Allee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book because I love Chesterton, but it felt so repetitive. It should have been a long article, nor a full length book. The message got lost in repetition.

[John Haughom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a student of G. K. Chesterton, I looked forward to reading Brady Stillers book and I was not disappointed. We are all searching for the meaning and purpose in life, and the ultimate source of happiness. Certainly, this has been true of me. This inevitably led me to explore some of the greatest minds in the history of the Church including St. Thomas Aquinas, Hans Urs von Balthasar and most recently G. K. Chesterton. It has been a profoundly beautiful journey and it has dramatically enriched my Catholic faith. If you want to better understand Chesterton and how his ideas about life and faith relate to you, this is a wonderful book to read. I highly recommend it.