INTERVIEW: Stephen Poxon

Stephen Poxon, writer, editor and compiler of many popular devotional works, discusses his latest book, A Pleasant Year with Father Brown: 365 daily readings in the company of the G.K. Chesterton’s priest-detective …

For the uninitiated, who is Father Brown, and how did his character come into being?

Father Brown is a fictional Roman Catholic priest and amateur detective created by the English novelist G.K. Chesterton. Father Brown relies upon his deep understanding of human nature to help solve crimes. G.K. Chesterton based him on the Reverend Monsignor John O’Connor, a parish priest in Bradford, Yorkshire, England, who was largely responsible for Chesterton’s conversion to Catholicism in 1922.

How many incarnations of Father Brown have there been over the years, and which have been the most well-renowned?

To the best of my knowledge, nine actors have played the role of Father Brown in films or TV adaptations, most notably Kenneth More and Sir Alec Guinness. Mark Williams is the current incumbent of the role, and is very popular indeed. Andrew Sachs (probably best known for playing Manuel in ‘Fawlty Towers’) has been the voice of Father Brown in radio adaptations of Chesterton’s works.

Father Brown is often spoken of as G.K.Chesterton’s most cherished literary creation, how much of Chesterton do you think there is in Father Brown?

Undoubtedly, G.K. Chesterton’s deep faith as a Roman Catholic is a strong theme. Likewise, Chesterton’s forensic intelligence, which so often comes through in Father Brown’s crime-solving adventures.

A Pleasant Year with Father Brown collects 365 episodes from the life of the fictional detective, how should readers approach your new book?

This is essentially a devotional book. Although it features stories from Father Brown, each one is linked to a prayer and a Bible verse. The spiritual and moral points made in each story are meant for consideration and contemplation. It is intended to be used as an accompaniment to prayer and personal reflection.

Are there any particular episodes from Father Brown that speak to you in a profound spiritual sense?

I’m not entirely sure which story this is from - ‘The Blue Cross’, I think – but there is a lovely moment in one of the TV episodes that has always spoken to me. Father Brown interrupts someone in the act of stealing a precious religious artefact from his church, and encourages the thief to repent of his actions by replacing the item in question. Father Brown then goes on to talk about the forgiveness that God offers to those who confess their sins and turn away from them. I’ve always liked the gentleness and honesty with which Father Brown deals with the offender. He is more concerned for him and his soul than he is for the precious artefact.

What can literature and film tell us about our lives and our faith that we can’t always glean from our day to day experience?

Undoubtedly, we can see ‘our best selves’ in characters such as Father Brown – the people we aspire to be. Fictional characters are often unencumbered by the flaws we all carry, which enables them to be encouraging role models. This can be deeply inspiring.

 

Stephen Poxon is a writer, editor and compiler of devotional works, whose other ‘Through the Year’ books include as subjects Catherine Booth, William Booth, John Wesley, Charles Wesley, and John Newton.

A Pleasant Year with Father Brown is available now in paperback and as an eBook from dltbooks.com.