من أوسكار وايلد إلى مورييل سبارك .. لماذا اعتنق الكثيرون الكاثوليكية في القرن العشرين

Why did Catholicism attract so many unexpected converts in Britain during the twentieth century? The twentieth century is understood as an era of growing and relentless secularism, however, between the 1890s and the 1960s Britain saw a marked shift towards Catholicism. In the first half of the century, Catholicism became an intellectual and spiritual fad attracting more than half a million adherents, including prominent artists, writers, and thinkers. What motivated these men and women to join the Church, and what difference did their conversion to Catholicism make in their lives? Melanie McDonagh examines the lives of these prominent converts through the lens of their faith. For a circle of literary decadents, such as Aubrey Beardsley and Oscar Wilde – who converted to Catholicism on his deathbed – and artists such as Gwen John and David Jones, philosopher Elizabeth Anscombe, and novelists such as G. K. Chesterton, Graham Greene, Evelyn Waugh, and Muriel Spark, Catholicism provided stability in turbulent times. McDonagh explores their lives and influences, reactions to their conversions, and the priests who brought them into their faith.