The Return of Christian Humanism: Chesterton, Eliot, Tolkien, and the Romance of History

by Oser, Lee

• ISBN13: 9780826217752
• ISBN10: 0826217753
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2007-12-26
• Publisher: Univ of Missouri Pr

Summary

Oser argues that the Christian humanist occupies the "radical middle" between church and state, past and future, faith and reason. Writing at the interface of literature and religion, he challenges the assumption that Christian orthodoxy is incompatible with humanism, freedom, and democracy. He argues that contemporary academic culture has overlooked Christianityrs"s gifts to literature and civilization. Oser maintains that Christian humanism encourages a genuine diversity of thought based on reason, nature, and the accomplishments of artistic genius. He describes how the liberal humanism of Arnold gave way to the Christian humanism of Chesterton, then proposes the work of Tolkien as a litmus test for modern critics. And in pointing out a strong Augustinian strain in Eliot, Oser shows that he can best be understood in comparison with Chesterton and Tolkien. Along the way, he tackles such issues as the canon and the education of taste and takes on some of todayrs"s most prominent literary critics.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. ix
Acknowledgments	p. xi
Humanism and Culture
Between Two Worlds	p. 3
Three Christian Humanists
G. K. Chesterton	p. 21
T. S. Eliot	p. 36
J. R. R. Tolkien	p. 52
Gnostic Aestheticism
Antihumanism in Beckett and Others	p. 71
Artificial Taste	p. 85
The Radical Middle
Enter Reason and Nature	p. 105
An Imperfect Theory	p. 121
The Canon and Literary Form	p. 136
The Romance of History	p. 100
Works Cited	p. 167
Index	p. 179
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