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How the Church has Changed the World - Vol. I
25 essays originally published by Magnificat (December 2013 – December 2015) that will give you a new appreciation for the Church and her mission in the world.
You know the Church supports your sacramental life, but did you know…
- Who created the tradition of the Christmas manger?
- Who is the father of modern genetics?
- Who developed hospitals to continue the healing work of Christ?
- That the greatest dramatist of all time was Catholic?
- And more!
Professor Esolen's captivating style is as entertaining as it is eye-opening.
A great book to affirm that God guides his Church!
You know the Church supports your sacramental life, but did you know…
- Who created the tradition of the Christmas manger?
- Who is the father of modern genetics?
- Who developed hospitals to continue the healing work of Christ?
- That the greatest dramatist of all time was Catholic?
- And more!
Professor Esolen's captivating style is as entertaining as it is eye-opening.
A great book to affirm that God guides his Church!
Paperback
Published January 1, 2019
39 people are currently reading
150 people want to read
About the author
Anthony Esolen
60 books483 followersAnthony Esolen is the author of over twenty-five books and over 1,000 articles in both scholarly and general interest journals. A senior editor of Touchstone: A Journal of Mere Christianity, Esolen is known for his elegant essays on the faith and for his clear social commentaries. His articles appear regularly in Touchstone, Crisis, First Things, Public Discourse, The Catholic Thing, Chronicles, Inside the Vatican, and Magnificat, among others. An accomplished poet in his own right, Esolen is known for his widely acclaimed three-volume verse translation of Dante’s Divine Comedy (Modern Library). His Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child has been described as "a worthy successor to C.S. Lewis's The Abolition of Man." And its sequel, Life Under Compulsion, has been called "essential reading for parents, educators, and anyone who is concerned to rescue children from the tedious and vacuous thing childhood has become." His recent books of social commentary include Out of the Ashes: Rebuilding American Culture, Nostalgia: Going Home in a Homeless World, and the forthcoming, No Apologies: Why Civilization Depends upon the Strength of Men.
Anthony Esolen has been writing his own poetry for decades, but until recently most of his published poetry has appeared in his verse translations of the great poets, Dante, Tasso, and Lucretius. More than a hundred of his own poems have appeared in such venues as Fine Madness, The Plains Poetry Journal, and Modern Age. After studying and teaching great poetry for nearly thirty years, Professor Esolen set out to write a book-length unified poem of his own, a project which he hopes will show that serious and significant long poetic works can still be written in our time. The result of his effort is The Hundredfold: Songs for the Lord, a book-length single poem composed of 100 parts -- short lyrics, dramatic monologues, and hymns -- centered on the life of Christ. He is working now on a second such long poem, The Twelve-Gated City, a collection of 144 interrelated poems centered on the parable of the prodigal son.
The grandson of Italian immigrants to America, Anthony Esolen was born and raised in the coal-mining country of Northeastern Pennsylvania. He received his B.A. from Princeton University, and his Ph. D. from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he was a Morehead Fellow. He is the 2020 recipient of the CIRCE Institute's Russel Kirk Prize, awarded each year to a writer and scholar "in honor of a lifetime dedicated to the cultivation of wisdom and virtue." He is writer-in-residence at Magdalen College in Warner, NH.
For more from the mind and pen of Anthony Esolen, visit his online magazine called Word and Song, at https://anthonyesolen.substack.com
Anthony Esolen has been writing his own poetry for decades, but until recently most of his published poetry has appeared in his verse translations of the great poets, Dante, Tasso, and Lucretius. More than a hundred of his own poems have appeared in such venues as Fine Madness, The Plains Poetry Journal, and Modern Age. After studying and teaching great poetry for nearly thirty years, Professor Esolen set out to write a book-length unified poem of his own, a project which he hopes will show that serious and significant long poetic works can still be written in our time. The result of his effort is The Hundredfold: Songs for the Lord, a book-length single poem composed of 100 parts -- short lyrics, dramatic monologues, and hymns -- centered on the life of Christ. He is working now on a second such long poem, The Twelve-Gated City, a collection of 144 interrelated poems centered on the parable of the prodigal son.
The grandson of Italian immigrants to America, Anthony Esolen was born and raised in the coal-mining country of Northeastern Pennsylvania. He received his B.A. from Princeton University, and his Ph. D. from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he was a Morehead Fellow. He is the 2020 recipient of the CIRCE Institute's Russel Kirk Prize, awarded each year to a writer and scholar "in honor of a lifetime dedicated to the cultivation of wisdom and virtue." He is writer-in-residence at Magdalen College in Warner, NH.
For more from the mind and pen of Anthony Esolen, visit his online magazine called Word and Song, at https://anthonyesolen.substack.com
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 20, 2022
This summer I've been reading poolside, in bed and other random places as well as listening to books in the car. But with the kids home, I haven't had any quiet time to analyze and review my readings while my brain was fresh. And I've stumbled upon some excellent books that merit thought. So, now I've got 10 books piled by my computer to review (not ideal). Here's the thoughts I remember about each - quick and dirty...
I purchased this series on a whim through a Magnificat advertisement and was blown away by it. Wow!
It is a collection of essays that offer hope and meaning in a fallen world. In each chapter/essay, history professor Anthony Esolen explores a different moment in history that was profoundly impacted by one person's Roman Catholic faith. Educated and uplifting. Easy to pick up and put down during summer vacations and relaxation time. There were multiple profound sentences that bear pondering. Elegantly written, almost poetic. You could easily read a chapter with a glass of wine and then ponder life and God's goodness. Or you could read a couple chapters before bed and drift asleep thinking the world wasn't such a bad place, because redemption through faith is always a possibility.
I found myself being steeled to make sacrifices with love after reading this. It effectively reoriented the mind to see the world through the lens of catholic spirituality. It reframes life to include the all important end goal of heaven. To quote the author, time is the arena of man's heroic efforts.
It was also refreshing because these essays vividly illustrate the solid connection between faith/spirituality and the Catholic Church. It is NOT some vague ungrounded spirituality or 'goodness' displayed in these stories. It is unquestionably and uniquely the Catholic faith on display.
In professor fashion, there were references to biblical and historical people/situations that the author assumes everyone knows. I did know many, but not all. The stories had a "and now you know the rest of the story" feel to them, with the "rest of the story" only sometimes being revealed. If you have background knowledge, these brief stories become even more meaningful.
These essays were written for adult audiences. Be selective in which essays you share with children, if you wish to do so. I did note that one story (around page 47) references the rape of a woman who later commits suicide.
I'm currently reading the second book of collected essays and plan to read the entire series. This author and his books are an uplifting gift that our fallen world needs during this moment in time! It was a blessing in my life.
I purchased this series on a whim through a Magnificat advertisement and was blown away by it. Wow!
It is a collection of essays that offer hope and meaning in a fallen world. In each chapter/essay, history professor Anthony Esolen explores a different moment in history that was profoundly impacted by one person's Roman Catholic faith. Educated and uplifting. Easy to pick up and put down during summer vacations and relaxation time. There were multiple profound sentences that bear pondering. Elegantly written, almost poetic. You could easily read a chapter with a glass of wine and then ponder life and God's goodness. Or you could read a couple chapters before bed and drift asleep thinking the world wasn't such a bad place, because redemption through faith is always a possibility.
I found myself being steeled to make sacrifices with love after reading this. It effectively reoriented the mind to see the world through the lens of catholic spirituality. It reframes life to include the all important end goal of heaven. To quote the author, time is the arena of man's heroic efforts.
It was also refreshing because these essays vividly illustrate the solid connection between faith/spirituality and the Catholic Church. It is NOT some vague ungrounded spirituality or 'goodness' displayed in these stories. It is unquestionably and uniquely the Catholic faith on display.
In professor fashion, there were references to biblical and historical people/situations that the author assumes everyone knows. I did know many, but not all. The stories had a "and now you know the rest of the story" feel to them, with the "rest of the story" only sometimes being revealed. If you have background knowledge, these brief stories become even more meaningful.
These essays were written for adult audiences. Be selective in which essays you share with children, if you wish to do so. I did note that one story (around page 47) references the rape of a woman who later commits suicide.
I'm currently reading the second book of collected essays and plan to read the entire series. This author and his books are an uplifting gift that our fallen world needs during this moment in time! It was a blessing in my life.
January 18, 2020
Fine read
Not the best of Esolen. Enjoyable enough to finish. Reveals more of his faith than other works of his I’ve read.
Not the best of Esolen. Enjoyable enough to finish. Reveals more of his faith than other works of his I’ve read.
October 16, 2024
I've become a big fan of Anthony Esolen's essays from his daily posts at Word & Song. In particular the Word of the Week essay every Monday is always an engaging, wide-ranging reflection on the word from personal experience, far-flung sources, scientific or historical links, and, finally, etymology - the origin of the word itself.
When I came across this series of his monthly essays he'd originally written for Magnificat I was excited to see that the same captivating, wide-ranging style was used. Quite often I'd find myself thinking, "Oh this is definitely about this well known saint" only to find that I was reading about someone I'd never heard of. Although that "well known saint" might have been best friends with the subject of the piece.
Esolen ranges across time and around the world to show us the many ways that the love of Christ has been expressed by the Church through history. These make wonderful daily reading — if you can hold yourself down to one a day. I couldn't!
When I came across this series of his monthly essays he'd originally written for Magnificat I was excited to see that the same captivating, wide-ranging style was used. Quite often I'd find myself thinking, "Oh this is definitely about this well known saint" only to find that I was reading about someone I'd never heard of. Although that "well known saint" might have been best friends with the subject of the piece.
Esolen ranges across time and around the world to show us the many ways that the love of Christ has been expressed by the Church through history. These make wonderful daily reading — if you can hold yourself down to one a day. I couldn't!
November 13, 2024
Professor Anthony Esolen has published four Volumes of his periodical column for MAGNIFICAT devotional publication. HOW THE CHURCH HAS CHANGED THE WORLD, Volume I includes twenty-five essays that address the inspiring witness of priests, religious, and laity who have made a decisive impact both on the development of the world through various avenues including the arts and sciences, civilian life and government. It is a compilation of informative, inspirational works of mercy and ingenuity. I'm eager to attain the other three volumes.
December 17, 2022
This is a BEAUTIFUL book!
Esolen has written a number of short vignettes that each shine some light on a period of history. He doesn’t do this in chronological order so the effect is like flashes of lightning briefly illuminating different things. All in all, an easy and fascinating read.
Esolen has written a number of short vignettes that each shine some light on a period of history. He doesn’t do this in chronological order so the effect is like flashes of lightning briefly illuminating different things. All in all, an easy and fascinating read.
May 7, 2023
Enjoyed reading Esolen's essays.
February 1, 2021
You really need to read these essays individually, reading them one after the other makes it harder to appreciate the details. Esolen writes great narrative combined with the facts about how the Church has changed the world. I particularly liked the essay "Small Enough to Enter the Cathedral of God" that talked about the differences between modern architecture and classical architecture and how the latter is made for man. Esolen compares the womb and the church: "The Church cannot be more or other than what Mary was-the little womb wherein we shall find the Creator of all things. ...It is where they are baptized when they are speechless babes, where they receive the first taste of the bread of angels, where they are married, where they sing on Christmas Day and mourn on Good Friday and rejoice on Easter morning, where their bodies lie in the coffins, as their loved ones pray for their souls. It is the one place on earth that most prepares them for their place in the sight of God. It is the womb, vast and intimate at once, where by grace they will be made small again, and be born again, born into the eternal cathedral, whose length and height and depth are the unfathomable riches of God." This gives us a greater appreciation for how the drama of our lives in Christ are lived out in hope of the next life through the physical church building that we go to. It reminds us what we have missed so much during the days of lockdown and what the church building represents for our relationship with an eternal God.
August 9, 2019
I really enjoyed this set of essays. They are mostly saint stories through the ages. I think they would make good read alouds with my boys.
October 28, 2019
So happy they collected some of these essays, what a treat.
November 23, 2019
Great stories
A selection of short accounts from the history of the church that show the impact of the faith. I learned a lot.
A selection of short accounts from the history of the church that show the impact of the faith. I learned a lot.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews