26 January 2018

Where are the men with Chests?

The image of the man without a chest was used by CS Lewis in his Abolition of Man.  The chest, tradition, is the mediator between our mere animal nature and our logical functions. “We make men without chests and expect from them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst."  We remove the organ, he added, and demand the function.  We create geldings and bid them go forth and be fruitful.

Fr Rutler quoted Lewis in a recent article over at Crisis in which he opines, inter alia, the state of the Church, its hierarchy filled, it would seem, by chestless prelates.  In his opinion, the men without chests have become ubiquitous, and right at the very time when we would need them most.  Go and read the article, it is well written and worth the time.

In answer to the question, where are the men with chests- they are not obvious, but I have met a few here and there.  These days one tends to find them in quiet, out of the way places, doing thankless labour.  They don't get the press of their louder and more flamboyant partners.

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