The G.K. Chesterton Institute for Faith and Culture has announced an event to present its latest publication, “An Earthly Story with a Heavenly Meaning—Father Ian Boyd’s Essays on G.K. Chesterton.” The book, published by CLUNY in Providence, Rhode Island, is scheduled for release in 2025. It compiles essays by Father Ian Boyd, an internationally recognized scholar and founder of the Institute. The collection is edited and introduced by Professor Dermot Quinn and includes a preface by Patrick Manning, Ph.D.
The event will take place on January 26 from 3 to 6 p.m. at the University Center Event Lounge.
Professor Quinn stated: “For nearly half a century, Father Ian Boyd was a commanding presence in the world of Chesterton scholarship. Founder and long-time editor of The Chesterton Review, he wrote with compelling authority not only on Chesterton and his circle but also on the tradition of sacramental writing that they represent. In these deeply scholarly yet also graceful essays, wide-ranging and incisive, we hear yet again the voice of a much-loved and widely admired priest and professor.”
A statement from the publisher reads: “The world needed to hear from Chesterton, and for half a century Ian Boyd made sure it did. An Earthly Story with a Heavenly Meaning enshrines that legacy and ensures its continued happy effects.” – CLUNY
Father Ian Boyd (1935–2024) was a Canadian priest with the Congregation of Saint Basil. He served as professor of English at St. Thomas More College at the University of Saskatchewan before joining Seton Hall University’s Department of English from 1999 to 2018. He lectured extensively on Sacramental Themes in Modern Literature and authored “The Novels of G.K. Chesterton” (1975). Father Boyd also founded the G.K. Chesterton Institute for Faith and Culture and served as editor of “The Chesterton Review” between 1974 and 2020.
The G.K. Chesterton Institute for Faith and Culture has been based at Seton Hall University for fifty years. Its work includes conferences, lectures, research, and publications focused on promoting G.K. Chesterton’s thought as well as exploring broader applications of his ideas today.
In reflecting on its mission, Father Ian Boyd said: “The Chesterton Institute has had a key role in the Chesterton revival around the world—he is being rediscovered and introduced to new generations. Our work, through our programs and projects, and our highly praised journal, The Chesterton Review is present in a larger world beyond our home—our outreach is global.”
