Within Orthodoxy, Chesterton details his journey to faith by showing how his childhood love of fairy tales led to his belief in God. His chapter titled “The Ethics of Elfland” challenges the ethics and philosophy of modern thinkers by going back to the fundamental principles found within nursery rhymes. The simple faith, logic, and supernatural forces within fairy tales model the real world, and it is through fairy tales that we can learn to interact with our world. Our faith in God should be like that of children to fairy tales: simple, trusting, and wonder-filled.
Chesterton says his reasoning for looking to fairy tales as a model for earth is that fairy tales look to the supernatural. He says, “Fairyland is nothing but the sunny country of common sense. It is not earth that judges heaven, but heaven that judges earth; so for me at least it was not earth that criticized elfland, but elfland that criticised the earth.” (44-45) As children, we learned about things through stories. It is through stories that we learned about morals and how to treat each other. I remember saying “Goodnight, moon!” before learning that the moon revolves around the earth. Before understanding the concept of sacrifice, I knew that the Giving Tree was a good friend. And, as Chesterton puts it, we heard the story of the beanstalk that reached the heavens before we knew what beans tasted like (45). Rather than the people of earth dictating the characteristics of Heaven, Heaven determines the things of earth.
Chesterton says our lives are comparable to fairy tales because of the way we continue in fellowship with God. Our salvation depends upon obedience to God and His commands. As 1 John 1:7 says, “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” We sin because we are human, and sin causes us to be separated from God. Our eternal state depends upon obedience to God and His word. Chesterton says this relationship of obedience and reward is similar to examples in fairy tales. Chesterton describes it as “incomprehensible happiness” resting upon an “incomprehensible condition” (51). Sleeping Beauty would not fall into the cursed sleep as long as she did not prick her finger on the sewing spindle. As long as something is not done, the happiness of man continues. As long as we refrain from sin, we continue in fellowship with God. Chesterton refers back to the Fall of Man when he writes, “An apple is eaten and the hope of God is gone.” (51) The fantastical elements of fairy tales are present even in the Garden of Eden, and it is a lack of obedience that caused Adam and Eve to be cast out.
Finally, Chesterton says that we should look to fairy tales in order to be in awe of the world around us. Chesterton points out that existence is not merely a surprise, but a pleasant one (50). When we realize that our world could just as easily be different, we should be motivated to be thankful for the world we have. As Chesterton puts it, fairy tales are founded on two convictions: the world is a startling place, and may have easily been quite different, and since it is so miraculous, we might as well submit to its parameters (54). Chesterton calls us to have the thankfulness of a child; just as a child is excited to hear any story, be it as simple as opening a door, we are to be in awe of the world around us. By looking at the world around him, Chesterton was able to see that everything has a purpose and that, “Life is not only a pleasure but a kind of eccentric privilege.” (56, 59) The world is marvelous not because of its own actions, but because of the actions of its Creator. And the Creator of the universe is still working within His creation. The repetition within nature does not show a dead world, but a live one (55). Chesterton theorizes that perhaps God expressly tells the sun to rise each and every morning. This fantastical concept of the movement of the sun seems outlandish, but also somehow comforting. The picture God of continuing to be involved in nature inspires me to look for His presence in the world around me.
Chesterton sums up his views of the world in 5 points (60): the first being that the world does not explain itself so magic is involved. For example, there are certain proteins that are present within our bodies for which scientists cannot find a origin. The presence of the proteins, and other unexplained things in nature, testify to something outside of nature. The second point Chesterton makes is that the magic has meaning and, therefore, someone to mean it. Magic suggests a magician, and the level of complexity and beauty in nature shows that the Creator has a personal interest in the creation. The personal interest in creation leads to Chesterton’s third point: the personal interest in Creation gives it value and purpose, a purpose that is beautiful. Chesterton’s fourth and fifth points are that we should be thankful for the world around us; and, finally, everything that was good is reminiscent of something and meant to be treasured.
The lessons Chesterton, and we, learned from fairy tales can be applied to our Christian walk. We can look at the world around us and see God’s hand within it. Perhaps Chesterton is getting at the idea of what Jesus was saying when he said we must have faith like little children (Mtt. 19:13-15; Mk. 10:13-16; Lk. 18:15-17). Children want to believe in things, and they have simple, trusting faith. Children are also attracted to good. We should be like children in our faith to God by approaching Him with hearts, minds, and souls that are ready and willing to learn and grow.
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