Lord of the World

Infobox Book
name = Lord of the World
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Robert Hugh Benson
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country = United States
language = English
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genre = Dystopian novel
publisher = Dodd, Mead and Company
release_date = 1908
english_release_date =
media_type = Print (Hardcover)
pages = 352 pp
isbn = NA
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"Lord of the World" is a 1908 apocalyptic novel by Robert Hugh Benson. It is sometimes deemed one of the first modern dystopias. However in purpose it is somewhat more similar to the recent "Left Behind" series, if radically different in theology. Michael D. O'Brien's Catholic apocalyptic series, "Children of the Last Days" follows a very similar theme as well.

Plot introduction

Essentially the novel imagines a socialist and humanist world where religion has been either suppressed or ignored. People have no history or hope so they often turn to euthanasia, which is legal. Further there is a "one-world" government that uses Esperanto for its language and ultimately becomes a servant of the anti-Christ. In brief: The Catholic church has been suppressed by the rest of the world, which has turned to a form of "self religion". The Pope has made an agreement with the Italian government: the Catholic church can have all of Rome, while all other churches in Italy are surrendered to the government. Ireland still remains staunchly Catholic, with small enclaves all over the world. Westminster Cathedral is the only church in London that is still Catholic. The rest have become Freemasonic temples. The plot then follows the tale of a priest who becomes pope, and a man (who is identical in looks to the priest) who becomes "Lord of the World".

Details

Where the novel is radically different from Evangelical Christian visions is that there is no Rapture and the only source of salvation is the Roman Catholic Church. Benson conceded other religions had parts of the truth, but he came to believe that only the Catholic Church had the full truth and the means of salvation. This coming to belief came from his conversion from Anglicanism to Catholicism.

His ideas give some sense of aspects of English Catholic thought during the pontificate of Pope Pius X, sharing similar views as Catholic authors, G. K. Chesterton and Hilaire Belloc.

References

*cite book | last=Bleiler | first=Everett | authorlink=Everett F. Bleiler | title=The Checklist of Fantastic Literature | location=Chicago | publisher=Shasta Publishers | pages=48 | date=1948

External links

* Cuddy, Dennis L., [http://www.newswithviews.com/Cuddy/dennis29.htm "Lord of the World"] , NewsWithViews.com
*" [http://www.staugustine.net/Lordoftheworld.html Lord of the World] ", St. Augustine Press, 2001. ISBN 1-890318-38-8
*" [http://www.authorama.com/book/lord-of-the-world.html Lord of the World] " complete text online at [http://www.authorama.com Authorama.com] - public domain books
*" [http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/14021 Lord of the World] " complete text from Project Gutenberg.