G. K. Chesterton jako „Defensor Fidei”

Abstract

The paper by Roman Míčka called «G. K. Chesterton as a Defensor Fidei» tries to place Chesterton's work into the context of theological and apologetical thought and especially into the context of Christian spirituality in its first part. It tries to describe and reflect specifics of Chesterton's religious attitudes and experience of faith. Besides the accent on practical sense and virtuous life his spirituality is distinguished by great friendship to the world, toleration to controversial historic dramas of Christianity and acknowledgement of the value of sensual world. It is a spirituality of joy and sensuality, friendly attitude to enjoyment. By this Chesterton represents an «antimystical» and an «antiascetical» tradition in the context of Catholic Christianity. The second part of the paper is focused on Chesterton's book The Catholic Church and Conversion [1926] which is less known in the Czech background. The book is placed into the context of other Chesterton's apologetical works and the paper acceses and reflects fundamental ideas of the book, especially those refering to the character of Catholicism. There are accesed and reflected Chesterton's opinions concerning the position of Catholicism in the context of other Christian denominations and its future perspectives, Chesterton's conception of Catholic tradition and relation to religious truth, the question of Catholic accenting particular truths in specific historic contexts, when Chesterton presents Catholicism as an essence of reason and liberty. The end of the paper evaluates the historical meaning of G. K. Chesterton in the area of theological thought.