Evangelist Canon J. John expressed his hope that more people today will follow the example of Gilbert Keith Chesterton, a famous writer and speaker, who used his talent and platform to defend Christianity.
In his article on CBN News, John said that he considers Chesterton "as one of the great defenders of the Christian faith in the twentieth century." He then pointed out three things that he admired about the writer.
First, Chesterton's courage to challenge atheism, agnosticism and liberal Christianity at the time when it was difficult to be a traditional Christian while having disbelief in religion and progressive belief was considered trendy.
"He consistently reminded the people of God, Christ and their need for redemption," John added.
Next, using his creativity to contend with the world on Christianity. Chesterton wrote various topics in different genres but his Christian faith was reflected in all his writings.
"The result was a multifaceted attack on unbelief: so, for example, those able to resist Chesterton's arguments in prose often found themselves challenged by his poetry," the evangelist emphasized.
Finally, using his charm in his arguments. John said that Chesterton wrote with wit and humor and argued with much grace against "the most hostile of thinkers." He even made some enemies out of his passion to defend the Christian faith.
The prolific writer studied art and took literature classes in London but was not able to earn a degree. However, because of his talent in producing articles on any topic, he became a columnist for journals until he passed away in 1936.
He came to know the LORD through his wife, Frances, and would later become a firm defender of traditional Christianity, debating with other popular personalities at the time, including H.G. Wells, George Bernard Shaw and Bertrand Russell. His fame eventually led him to also deliver radio talks in the 1930s.
His works include 80 books, 200 short stories, hundreds of poems, some plays and 4,000 articles. But his books defending Christianity, detective novels and poetry are creations which John considers as Chesterton's "three enduring achievements."
His books, "Orthodoxy" and "The Everlasting Man," contain his defense of the Christian faith which became instrumental for many to be led to Christ, including C.S. Lewis.
Despite his accomplishments, Chesterton was also observed to be "flawed."
"So while he saw the threat of Hitler he was less critical of Mussolini, he had a naïve nostalgia for the Middle Ages and, perhaps most troubling today, wrote things that can be considered anti-Semitic. Nevertheless, as the Christian poet T.S. Eliot said, Chesterton 'was importantly and consistently on the side of the angels,'" John stated.
With the increasing opposition against the Gospel and mechanisms to control its spread, the evangelist noted the relevance of individuals exemplified by the late writer.
"We could certainly benefit from having men and women like Chesterton today, who can defend the Christian faith with courage, creativity and charm," he declared.
J. John is an English minister, author, public speaker and social activist. He is also the director of Philo Trust, an organization that focuses on evangelism.
