Editing G. K. Chesterton (section)

==Legacy==

James Parker, in ''[[The Atlantic]]'', gave a modern appraisal:

{{blockquote|In his vastness and mobility, Chesterton continues to elude definition: He was a Catholic convert and an oracular man of letters, a pneumatic cultural presence, an aphorist with the production rate of a pulp novelist. Poetry, criticism, fiction, biography, columns, public debate...Chesterton was a journalist; he was a metaphysician. He was a reactionary; he was a radical. He was a modernist, acutely alive to the rupture in consciousness that produced Eliot's "The Hollow Men"; he was an anti-modernist...a parochial Englishman and a post-Victorian gasbag; he was a mystic wedded to eternity. All of these cheerfully contradictory things are true...for the final, resolving fact that he was a genius. Touched once by the live wire of his thought, you don't forget it{{nbsp}}... His prose ... [is] supremely entertaining, the stately outlines of an older, heavier rhetoric punctually convulsed by what he once called (in reference to the Book of Job) "earthquake irony". He fulminates wittily; he cracks jokes like thunder. His message, a steady illumination beaming and clanging through every lens and facet of his creativity, was really very straightforward: get on your knees, modern man, and praise God.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Parker |first=James |date=April 2015 |title=A Most Unlikely Saint: The case for canonizing G. K. Chesterton, the bombastic man of letters and paradoxical militant for God |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/04/a-most-unlikely-saint/386243/ |url-status=live |journal=The Atlantic |issue=15 April Issue |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200517144242/https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/04/a-most-unlikely-saint/386243/ |archive-date=17 May 2020 |access-date=19 April 2020}}</ref>}}

===Possible sainthood===
The [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Northampton|Bishop Emeritus of Northampton]], [[Peter Doyle (bishop)|Peter Doyle]], in 2012 had opened a preliminary investigation into possibly launching a cause for [[beatification]] and then [[canonization]] (for possible sainthood), but eventually decided not to open the cause. The current Bishop of Northampton, [[David Oakley (bishop)|David Oakley]], has agreed to preach at a Mass during a Chesterton pilgrimage in England (the route goes through London and Beaconsfield, which are both connected to his life), and some have speculated he may be more favourable to the idea. If the cause is actually opened at the diocesan level (the Vatican must also give approval, that nothing stands in the way – the "''[[nihil obstat]]''"), then he could be given the title "[[Servant of God]]". It is not known if his alleged anti-Semitism (which would be considered a serious matter by the Church if it is true) may have played a role. His life and writings and views and what he did for others would be closely examined, in any case.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254932/a-pilgrimage-in-england-traces-gk-chesterton-s-path-in-hope-of-his-beatification | title=A pilgrimage in England traces G.&nbsp;K. Chesterton's path in hope of his beatification }}</ref>

===Literary===
Chesterton's socio-economic system of Distributism affected the sculptor [[Eric Gill]], who established a commune of Catholic artists at [[Ditchling]] in Sussex. The Ditchling group developed a journal called ''The Game'', in which they expressed many Chestertonian principles, particularly anti-industrialism and an advocacy of religious family life.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}} His novel ''[[The Man Who Was Thursday]]'' inspired the Irish Republican leader [[Michael Collins (Irish leader)|Michael Collins]] with the idea that "If you didn't seem to be hiding nobody hunted you out."<ref>Forester, Margery (2006). ''Michael Collins – The Lost Leader'', Gill & MacMillan, p. 35.</ref> Collins's favourite work of Chesterton was ''[[The Napoleon of Notting Hill]]'', and he was "almost fanatically attached to it", according to his friend [[William Darling (politician)|Sir William Darling]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mackay |first=James |title=Michael Collins: A Life |publisher=Mainstream Publishing |year=1996 |location=London, England |page=Chapter 2}}</ref> His [[Wikisource:Page:1909 Sep 18 gk chesterton002.jpg|column]] in ''[[The Illustrated London News]]'' on 18 September 1909 had a profound effect on [[Mahatma Gandhi]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gandhi |first=Rajmohan |title=Gandhi: The Man, His People, and the Empire |publisher=University of California Press |year=2007 |location=Los Angeles |pages=139–141}}</ref> [[P. N. Furbank]] asserts that Gandhi was "thunderstruck" when he read it,<ref>{{Citation |last=Furbank |first=P.&nbsp;N. |title=G.&nbsp;K. Chesterton: A Centenary Appraisal |year=1974 |editor-last=Sullivan |editor-first=John |contribution=Chesterton the Edwardian |publisher=Harper and Row}}</ref> while Martin Green notes that "Gandhi was so delighted with this that he told ''[[Indian Opinion]]'' to reprint it".<ref>{{Citation |last=Green |first=Martin B. |title=Gandhi: Voice of a New Age Revolution |page=266 |year=2009 |publisher=Axios}}</ref> Another convert was Canadian media theorist [[Marshall McLuhan]], who said that the book ''What's Wrong with the World'' (1910) changed his life in terms of ideas and religion.<ref>Marchand, Philip (1998). ''Marshall McLuhan: The Medium and the Messenger: A Biography''. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, pp. 28–30.</ref> The author [[Neil Gaiman]] stated that he grew up reading Chesterton in his school's library, and that ''The Napoleon of Notting Hill'' influenced his own book ''[[Neverwhere]]''. Gaiman based the character [[List of The Sandman characters#Fiddler's Green|Gilbert]] from the comic book ''[[The Sandman (comic book)|The Sandman]]'' on Chesterton,<ref>Bender, Hy (2000). ''The Sandman Companion: A Dreamer's Guide to the Award-Winning Comic Series'' DC Comics, {{ISBN|1-56389-644-3}}.</ref> and ''[[Good Omens]]'', the novel Gaiman co-wrote with [[Terry Pratchett]], is dedicated to Chesterton. The Argentine author and essayist [[Jorge Luis Borges]] cited Chesterton as influential on his fiction, telling interviewer [[Richard Burgin (writer)|Richard Burgin]] that "Chesterton knew how to make the most of a detective story".<ref>Burgin, Richard (1969). ''Conversations with Jorge Luis Borges''. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, p. 35.</ref>

===Education===
Chesterton's many references to education and human formation have inspired a variety of educators including the 69 schools of the Chesterton Schools Network,<ref>{{cite web|last=Kenney|first=Nora|url=https://www.city-journal.org/article/an-atmosphere-of-joy|title=An Atmosphere of Joy|work=City Journal|date=14 February 2024}}</ref> which includes the [[Chesterton Academy]] founded by [[Dale Ahlquist]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our Network Schools |url=https://chestertonschoolsnetwork.org/schools |access-date=23 December 2022 |publisher=Chesterton Schools Network}}</ref> and the Italian Scuola Libera G. K. Chesterton in San Benedetto del Tronto, Marche.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scuolachesterton.org/|title=Scuola &#124; Scuola Chesterton &#124; San Benedetto Del Tronto|website=Scuola Chesterton}}</ref> The publisher and educator [[Christopher Perrin]] (who completed his doctoral work on Chesterton) makes frequent reference to Chesterton in his work with [[Classical education movement|classical schools]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Teacher as Muse |url=https://greathearts.institute/the-teacher-as-muse/ |access-date=23 December 2022 |publisher=Virtue (from the Great Hearts Institute)}}</ref>

=== Namesakes ===
In 1974, [[Ian Boyd (academic)|Ian Boyd]], founded ''[[The Chesterton Review]]'', a scholarly journal devoted to Chesterton and his circle. The journal is published by the G.&nbsp;K. Chesterton Institute for Faith and Culture based in Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Chesterton Review |url=https://www.pdcnet.org/chesterton |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512121454/https://www.pdcnet.org/chesterton |archive-date=12 May 2021 |access-date=12 May 2021 |publisher=Philosophy Documentation Center}}</ref>

In 1996, [[Dale Ahlquist]] founded the American Chesterton Society to explore and promote Chesterton's writings.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Society of Gilbert Keith Chesterton – Apostolate of Common Sense |url=https://www.chesterton.org/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191226090641/https://www.chesterton.org/ |archive-date=26 December 2019 |access-date=13 November 2019}}</ref>

In 2008, a [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] high school, [[Chesterton Academy]], opened in the [[Minneapolis]] area. In the same year Scuola Libera Chesterton opened in [[San Benedetto del Tronto]], Italy.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Scuola Libera G.&nbsp;K. Chesterton|url=https://chestertonschoolsnetwork.org/directory/scuola-libera-gk-chesterton|access-date=8 July 2021|website=Chesterton Schools Network|date=16 April 2019 |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2012, a crater on the planet [[Mercury (planet)|Mercury]] was named Chesterton after the author.<ref>{{Citation |title=Chesterton |date=17 September 2012 |url=http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/15033?__fsk=-188654396 |work=Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130218052720/http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/15033?__fsk=-188654396 |place=United States |publisher=Geological Survey |access-date=18 September 2012 |archive-date=18 February 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2014, G.&nbsp;K. Chesterton Academy of Chicago, a [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] high school, opened in [[Highland Park, Illinois]].<ref>{{Citation |title=School built around G.&nbsp;K. Chesterton to open in Highland Park |date=19 March 2014 |url=http://highlandpark.suntimes.com/2014/03/19/school-built-around-g-k-chesterton-to-open-in-highland-park/  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140525233124/http://highlandpark.suntimes.com/2014/03/19/school-built-around-g-k-chesterton-to-open-in-highland-park/ |place=United States Chicago |publisher=highlandpark suntimes |access-date=25 May 2014 |archive-date=25 May 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

A fictionalised G.&nbsp;K. Chesterton is the central character in the ''Young Chesterton Chronicles'', a series of [[young adult fiction|young adult]] adventure novels by John McNichol,<ref>{{cite book |last1=McNichol |first1=John |title=The Tripods Attack!: The Young Chesterton Chronicles Book 1 |date=2017 |publisher=Hillside Education |isbn=978-0-9991706-0-1 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=McNichol |first1=John |title=The Emperor of North America: Volume 2 of Young Chesterton Chronicles |date=2021 |publisher=Hillside Education |isbn=978-1-7331383-4-5 |language=en}}</ref> and in the ''G K Chesterton Mystery series'', a series of detective novels by the Australian author [[Kel Richards]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Richards |first=Kel |url=https://archive.org/details/murderinmummysto00kelr |title=Murder in the Mummy's Tomb: A G.&nbsp;K. Chesterton Mystery |year=2002 |publisher=RiverOak Pub. |isbn=978-1589199637 |url-access=registration}}</ref>

Another fictional character named Gil Chesterton is a food and wine critic who works for KACL, the Seattle radio station featured in the American television series ''[[Frasier]]''.