A study in influence – In defence of G.K. Chesterton inspiring C.S. Lewis even more

Abstract

Few Christian 20th century writers have had more influence than C.S. Lewis (1898–1963). One exception is G.K. Chesterton (1874–1936) who in so many ways also was an inspiration for Lewis, his thought and vision, imagination, choice of audience, topics and themes.

As will be obvious, this article does not pretend to be a scholarly work. It is an attempted homage by a reader of both authors. Still, it may inspire, or at least provoke, true scholars to dig deeper.

The article starts with an overview of the clear and obvious. Fortunately, we know which books by Chesterton Lewis owned, and his notes in them.

However, he may have been inspired in more ways. What did Lewis himself say about this – and was he correct? As I show he was in error in Surprised by Joy about when first reading Chesterton. There may be other occasions he misremembered or did not directly mention what he had read.

What else by Chesterton may have influenced him? I believe it is more than he let on, from weekly essays to radio broadcasts. As Father Brown stated in The Song of the Flying Fish, a thing can sometimes be too close to be seen. It is easy to underestimate Chesterton as a cultural force, a power of vision and wisdom, humility and humor. And he left a hole when he wasn’t there anymore.

The absence of Chesterton may have inspired Lewis to take up the gauntlet he left in 1936. It may also have inspired his choice of audience. Even if Lewis was an academic and late in life professor, most of his writings were on a popular level. He made a point of talking and writing for the common people.

This leads to an attempted adventure in a land of the not so clear and obvious. It also opens for a large volume of Chesterton to be investigated, even a research program. A Terra Incognita with interesting areas to explore, but so difficult to map, that it is tempting to compensate with dragons in the margins. Hopefully other explorers will take up swords to slay them.