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Lent and Easter Wisdom From G. K. Chesterton
"G. K. Chesterton is one of the few Christian thinkers admired and quoted equally by Christians of all types and even by non-Christians. Each daily reflection in this book--from Ash Wednesday through the Second Sunday of Easter--begins with thoughts from the finest writings of Chesterton on an appropriate theme and supported by Scripture, a prayer, and a suggested activity for spiritual growth."
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
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About the author
G.K. Chesterton
4,676 books5,868 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 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 4, 2018
Skip the compilation, just read straight Chesterton.
April 26, 2025
The best part of this book is the wisdom of G.K. Chesterton. The quotations are well-chosen and thought-provoking. The devotionals cover Lent, Passion Week, and the post-Easter week. Admittedly, some of the applications made by the editors seem a bit silly, but Chesterton's insights cover a multitude of flaws. It was a good way to guide my heart and mind during the Easter season.
April 24, 2017
The best Lenten guide I have ever done.
April 12, 2024
I really enjoyed this Lenten guide overall. I appreciated most all the Chesterton quotes chosen which is what lead me to pick up this book in the first place and I especially enjoyed the pairing of Scripture with the quotes. I found several of the applications helpful and easy to implement as well. I would use again, but it might miss the mark if taken in isolation without other Lenten resources and Bible reading plans in tow to prepare your heart for Easter.
April 20, 2025
Good, but not my favorite Lent reading ever. I do love Chesterton, though, but tbh he's better to read in whole rather than in quotations.
May 11, 2022
I’ve realized this style of devotional is not for me. I don’t like isolated quotes and Bible verses thrown together with action steps. Reading Malcolm Guite’s poetry or a theology book is a better Lenten practice for me.
The Chesterton quotes are good, but next time I will pick up a full Chesterton book and read them in context.
The Chesterton quotes are good, but next time I will pick up a full Chesterton book and read them in context.
May 15, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this devotional for Lent and Easter and plan to use it again. I especially liked the daily Lenten Actions and will continue to revisit them throughout the year as a tool to strengthen my faith and relationship with God.
April 10, 2023
Extremely short readings each day. If you want a quick lent devotional this is it. Not much depth.
April 2, 2024
I really liked that each day was short and bite sized. It felt a bit scattered to me though in the way it was compiled!
April 6, 2024
Didn’t live the compilation style, each day I felt like I wanted more of Chesterton’s own words!
April 30, 2012
We have used various books over the years for different seasons (Advent, Christmas, Passover, Lent, Easter, etc), and most of them have been moved to the "take this book to Half Price books" shelf because they were sappy or were just too long for a family reading. Happily, this is not one of those books. We found "The Center for the Study of C.S. Lewis and Friends" and their book for Advent and Christmas. We went through most of that book during Advent and Christmas and found it very worthwhile. So we took a chance on this book, and found it equally worthwhile.
The format of each day is a reading from a book or poem written by G.K. Chesterton, then a scripture reading, a brief prayer, then an action (Lenten or Easter, depending on the portion of the book.) It helps that I am familiar with and enjoy Chesterton's writings already, so the book reading prior to the scripture reading is always something I'm interested in.
I would recommend this book!
The format of each day is a reading from a book or poem written by G.K. Chesterton, then a scripture reading, a brief prayer, then an action (Lenten or Easter, depending on the portion of the book.) It helps that I am familiar with and enjoy Chesterton's writings already, so the book reading prior to the scripture reading is always something I'm interested in.
I would recommend this book!
April 9, 2013
lovely little devotional to ponder before, during and after Easter.
Each day starts with a quote from Chesterton, scripture, a prayer and then an action.
Some wonderful tidbits:
No one doubts that an ordinary man can get on with this world..but cane he hate it enough to change it, and yet love it enough to think it worth changing?
The cross cannot be defeated, for it is Defeat.
The refusal of God to explain His Design is itself a burning hint of His Design. The riddles of God are more satisfying than the solutions of man.
(upon finding the empty tomb) What they were looking at was the first day of a new creation, with a new heaven and a new earth; and in a semblance of the gardener God walked again in the garden, in the cool not of the evening, but of the dawn.
It is not bigotry to be certain we are right, but it is bigotry to be unalbe to imagine how we might possibly have gone wrong.
Each day starts with a quote from Chesterton, scripture, a prayer and then an action.
Some wonderful tidbits:
No one doubts that an ordinary man can get on with this world..but cane he hate it enough to change it, and yet love it enough to think it worth changing?
The cross cannot be defeated, for it is Defeat.
The refusal of God to explain His Design is itself a burning hint of His Design. The riddles of God are more satisfying than the solutions of man.
(upon finding the empty tomb) What they were looking at was the first day of a new creation, with a new heaven and a new earth; and in a semblance of the gardener God walked again in the garden, in the cool not of the evening, but of the dawn.
It is not bigotry to be certain we are right, but it is bigotry to be unalbe to imagine how we might possibly have gone wrong.
April 4, 2016
This was a great devotional book for the time of Lent and Easter. Chesterton is always fascinating, and his thoughts pertaining to the Passion and Resurrection are especially insightful. This book is structured with a Chesterton quote, related scripture, prayer, and Lenten action for each day. At times it was difficult to see the connection between the quote and the scripture, but as a whole it fulfilled its purpose of preparing my mind and heart for the Easter season. I would highly recommend it as a worthwhile daily read for Lent and Easter.
July 28, 2011
G.K. Chesterton is perhaps the most keen mind in the philosophy of common sense and its application to religious life. In this 54 day text one is confronted with an amazing logic, well selected Scripture, provoking prayers, and daily challenges to live, and live better at that.
If you are looking for an excellent text to encourage and motivate you to deeper spirituality, then this would be an excellent addition to your library.
If you are looking for an excellent text to encourage and motivate you to deeper spirituality, then this would be an excellent addition to your library.
May 15, 2010
A disappointing book. To use the name of G.K Chesterton is to set expectations very high, and this book fails to meet those expectations. The daily meditations are not my idea of learning from G.K. Chesterton. The matching of Chesterton with Scripture is well done, but there needed to be discussion about both the quote from Chesterton and the Scripture passage. I was not impressed.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews