Uncommon Sense - The Official Podcast of the Society of Gilbert Keith Chesterton
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Uncommon Sense - The Official Podcast of the Society of Gilbert Keith Chesterton
The Podcast of the Society of Gilbert Keith Chesterton, where we talk about everything under the sun with a Chestertonian perspective, as well as the writings and legacy of G.K. Chesterton himself. The podcast is hosted by Grettelyn Darkey and Joe Grabowski. Want to give us feedback? Email podcast@c...
Recent Episodes
558 episodes
The Idea That Makes America More Like a Church Than a Nation
This episode is a re-air.
For Independence Day, Grettelyn Darkey and Joe Grabowski set conversation aside and let G.K. Chesterton speak. This s...
Five Myths You Probably Believe About G.K. Chesterton, Debunked
Everyone thinks they know G.K. Chesterton: the beer-loving, pipe-smoking, gluttonous genius who tossed off masterpieces without breaking a sweat. Joe...
How Chesterton Saw Big Business and Big Government Becoming Allies Before Anyone Else Did
G.K. Chesterton published The Outline of Sanity in 1926—a blueprint for a third way between capitalism and socialism, grounded in widespread property...
How One Line from G.K. Chesterton's The Everlasting Man Sent an Artist Around the World
G.K. Chesterton wrote that there are two ways of getting home—stay there, or walk around the entire world until you arrive from the other direction. F...
What G.K. Chesterton Might Have Said about America's Consecration to the Sacred Heart
G.K. Chesterton wrote in 1926 that "the heart of Christendom is a heart" and in this episode, Joe and Grettelyn discover that this single line unlocks...
How G.K. Chesterton Saw Through False Progress, Freud, and the Screen Age — and Why the World Is Still Catching Up
Two of G.K. Chesterton's most unexpectedly prophetic essays take center stage in this issue of Gilbert Magazine: "An Architect's Nightmare," a 1928 pi...
What G.K. Chesterton Knew About Technology That Took Science 15 Years to Prove
G.K. Chesterton once observed that after learning to do a great many clever things, the next great task would be learning not to do them. That line, f...
The Edwardian Socrates: G.K. Chesterton as Philosopher
Landon Loftin, editor of Chesterton and the Philosophers and a speaker at this summer's Chesterton Conference, joins Joe Grabowski to discuss the firs...
How Frances Chesterton Found Her Way to Rome
One hundred years ago, Frances Chesterton quietly entered the Catholic Church on All Saints Day—the feast she chose for herself. In this episode, Gret...
What Hangs Straight on a Crooked Wall: Chesterton's Marian Poetry
In honor of May, Our Lady's Month, Joe and Gretalyn each bring a favorite Marian poem by G.K. Chesterton to share with the other—without any advance c...
Celebrating Chesterton's Vision of Sanity at the 2026 Conference
Gretelyn Darkey and Joe Grabowski invite listeners to join them this June at the 2026 Chesterton Society Conference in Ave Maria, Florida. This year's...
The Man Who Carried a Swordstick and a Pen: Holly Gyger Lee on Writing Chesterton for Young Readers
GK Chesterton was many things—journalist, philosopher, poet, and debater—but what does his life look like through the eyes of a young reader? In this...
What Bilbo and Boethius Taught Chesterton About Adventure
What does it mean to be inconvenienced? Chesterton has a paradoxical answer. Joe Grabowski and Grettelyn Darkey unpack one of Chesterton's most belove...
Chesterton on Almsgiving, Art, and American Idiom
In this episode, Grettelyn Darkey and Joe Grabowski walk through three newly unearthed Chesterton essays from the latest issue of Gilbert Magazine—exp...
Reclaiming Joy in a Mechanical World w/ Filmmaker Nick Bash
Joe Grabowski sits down with Nick Bash, a Biola University alum who studied filmmaking alongside the Rhetoric Honors Great Books Program, to discuss h...
The Poetic Genius of G.K. Chesterton's "The Donkey"
In this episode, Joe talks about one of Chesterton's most famous, but still too little studied, poems, "The Donkey." Learn a bit more about the poem t...
"The Ireland That We Dreamed Of"
Happy Saint Patrick's day! In this episode, Joe talks about some of Chesterton's insights upon and sympathies with the Irish, particularly their faith...
A Thing Worth Doing is Worth Doing Badly?
In this episode, Joe talks about a (in)famous Chesterton quotation, often misunderstood, sometimes misapplied. He digs into its origins and context(s)...
Preparing for a Patriotic Year, with G.K. Chesterton
In this episode, Joe talks about how Chesterton can help us mark the year of America's semiquincentennial and previews some future chats about the sub...
A Special Invitation for Lent!
Happy Mardi Gras! In this episode, Joe extends a special invitation to join the Society this Lent to approach the paradox of suffering in the Christia...
Of Groundhogs and Grace
Recorded February 2, in this episode Joe reflects on the day's special occasion. Yes, that one. Which is to say both. Or, all three. Hear his musings...
The Snow and the Silence
Have you ever noticed how quiet it is after a snowstorm? The silence reminds us of the noise we so easily tune out the rest of the time. But what abou...
Chesterton on the Meaning of a New Year
Joe reads a brief essay from G.K. Chesterton about the meaning of a New Year.
Happy New Year!
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Merry Christmas! A Special Message from the Society
No new episode this week, but please see this special Christmas message from Joe Grabowski.
Visit https://give.chesterton.org/EOY2025 to make a...
Chesterton, Christmas, and Nostalgia
Joe and Grettelyn speak about nostalgia, what it means, why Christmas is an occasion for feeling it, and what Chesterton says that might shed some lig...
RE-AIRING: Saint Nicholas, Santa, & Father Christmas!
FROM THE ARCHIVES: (Originally aired 12-3-2024)
Grettelyn and Joe speak with their colleague, Tyler Blanski, about Saint Nicholas, why Father Ch...
RE-AIRING: Is Christmas Pagan? (No, it isn't)
FROM THE ARCHIVES: (Originally aired 12-10-2024)
Grettelyn and Joe speak about some of the myths and misconceptions surrounding Christmas, and h...
Special #GivingTuesday Message from Stacey Bowman
Stacey Bowman, VP Advancement for the Society of G.K. Chesterton, with a special message for Giving Tuesday 2025. Donate today at https://give.chester...
RE-AIRING: G.K. Chesterton, Charles Dickens, and Christmas
[RE-AIRING]
It's a Chestertonian Christmas Carol! Joe Grabowski joins the show to lead us down the path of G.K. Chesterton's take on Charles Dic...
Gifts of Gratitude - Advent with G.K. Chesterton
In this episode, Joe and Jen talk about the upcoming Advent reflection series from the Society of G.K. Chesterton, "Gifts of Gratitude." #advent #chri...
Building Catholic Culture, with Emily Stimpson Chapman
In this episode, Grettelyn interviews Emily Stimpson Chapman about faith, hospitality, community and the Catholic worldview. #theologyofhome #theology...
RE-AIRING: Belloc's "The Four Men" with Deacon Nathan Allen
[RE-UPLOAD] No new upload this week, but enjoy this re-airing from last year, appropriate for the season: Belloc and the Four Men!
In this episo...
Chesterton and Cardinal Newman
In this episode, Joe talks about the newest Doctor of the Church, Saint John Henry Cardinal Newman, and some of the connections between his thought an...
Funerals are for the Living? Our Halloween episode!
Can you tell it's Joe's favorite time of year? Join him and Grettelyn as they discuss All Hallows', funerals, the customs of the poor, and more! We di...
Hurry, the Early Bird, and the Earlier Worm - Chesterton on Modern Journalism
Joe talks about the hurry and haste of modern life, especially modern journalism, with some insights from G.K. Chesterton - and a couple cardiologists...
Chesterton on Studying History: Hastings & "The Heart of History"
Joe and Grettelyn talk about finding "the heart in history," and how Chesterton can help us get excited to learn even about obscure things of the past...
SPECIAL RE-AIRING: G.K. Chesterton's Marian Poetry
[RE-AIRING] Celebrating the memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary, Joe and Grettelyn look at some of Chesterton's Marian poems celebrating the "Queen of...
The Big Guy and the Little Flower: Chesterton and Saint Therese of Lisieux
Joe and Grettelyn talk about Saint Therese of Lisieux, also known as "The Little Flower," on the eve of her feast day, and the many things she and Che...
Chesterton and the (Pumpkin) Spice of Life
Grettelyn is back! In this episode, she and Joe talk about the passing of seasons in life, the messages God and nature are trying to communicate, and...
A *New* Autobiography of Chesterton? Dale Ahlquist explains.
Joe interviews Dale about his brand new book, I Also Had My Hour: An Alternative Autobiography of G. K. Chesterton.
Buy a copy today! https://ww...