The reason such absurdities as Chrisitianity and Faerie work is because of Paradox. Christianity as Chesterton displays is a great and wonderful paradox. That Christ was the the fiercest pessimist because the world needed to be changed and yet the greatest optomist to know it could be changed to what it ought to be. Just as a mother is willing to punish her child in hopes that he will change, knowing he cannot make that change on his own.
Knowing all this Paradox of Chestertons let us apply it to faerie. Christianity in its example and literary wealth is the history. It speaks of his great and terrible love and power. Faerie is the poetry of the Christian's heart. In faerie you can feel the terror and fear of the wrath of the lord, and yet you can also feel the unbridled joy and love of him. Christianity is the history, Faerie is the poetry. They are different facets of a view to him.
These facets Christianity and Faerie are however both incomplete. All facets are incomplete in this life. Because the greatest paradox of all is that we must die to live. As Chesterton states to seek life with vigor and treasure it, and yet give it up gladly without coveting more.
One of my favorite people in history is Joan of Arc. She was one such person, she chose a path to follow and went down it like a thunderbolt. She did more in life than many and she died doing that.
If you are lost in this post read Chesterton's Orthodoxy, a great read, and almost all of this post is from him. He says it better than I do.
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