The G.K. Chesterton Institute for Faith and Culture has announced a new date for the presentation of its latest publication, “An Earthly Story with a Heavenly Meaning—Father Ian Boyd’s Essays on G.K. Chesterton.” The event is now scheduled for Monday, March 16, 2026, at 3 p.m., and will take place at the University Center Event Lounge.
The book is a collection of essays by Father Ian Boyd, an internationally recognized scholar and founder of the Institute. The volume is edited and introduced by Professor Dermot Quinn and includes a preface by Patrick Manning, Ph.D. It honors Father Boyd’s contributions to Chesterton scholarship and marks the 50th anniversary of both the Chesterton Institute and its journal, The Chesterton Review. Seton Hall University provided support for this project.
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.”
The publisher commented: “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 known as a Canadian priest with the Congregation of Saint Basil. He taught English at St. Thomas More College at the University of Saskatchewan before joining Seton Hall University’s Department of English from 1999 to 2018. His academic work focused on Sacramental Themes in Modern Literature. He authored “The Novels of G.K. Chesterton” in 1975, founded the G.K. Chesterton Institute for Faith and Culture, served as president, and edited The Chesterton Review from 1974 to 2020.
For fifty years, the G.K. Chesterton Institute for Faith and Culture at Seton Hall University has promoted G.K. Chesterton’s thought through conferences, lectures, research, writing projects, and its journal. According to Father Ian Boyd: “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.”
