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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
This book will make you feel uncomfortable, but in a good way. It's sad when I read reviews by other readers who find his message too liberal. It's much easier to dismiss what Shane is doing as radical or liberal, instead of reflecting inward and loving people. Reading this book, I got the impression that Shane cares deeply for people, in particular, those marginalized. There is nothing liberal about that, it's what Christians are commanded to do. I submit the reason that some readers think Shane comes across as elitist, is because it's much easier to criticize someone's motives instead of changing our comfortable lifestyles.
How am I loving people? Am I doing enough? These are the questions I was asking myself at the end of the book. Negative reviews of a book like this just show how truly misguided the church is. :(
How am I loving people? Am I doing enough? These are the questions I was asking myself at the end of the book. Negative reviews of a book like this just show how truly misguided the church is. :(
This is a wonderfully written interpretation of Christianity by a "radical" Shane Claiborne. Claiborne puts forth his conversion to what he believes Christianity truly is- he's radical in that he's going "back to the roots" of Christianity, to Jesus' life. I have never been quite so inspired to turn away from American consumerism, the christian coalition, devotion to one party, and "legal" violence. Claiborne brings to light all of these things in Jesus words. One of my favorite examples he gives of Jesus strength and humility is his explanation of Jesus entry into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. The fact that the Savior chose not a war horse, nor some triumphal entry speaks to what it really means to be a follower of Christ- to love rather than to conquer.
Claiborne lives with the poor, the sick, the homeless. Like Mother Teresa and Dorothy Day, he dedicates his life to seeing the Jesus in the "least of these". He served with mother Teresa in Calcutta for a summer, went to Baghdad to serve victims of war, and now is the founder of the Simple Way. There, he inspires others to give up their materialism, give what excess they have to those in need, love the sinners and outcasts as Christ did, and provide for the needs of everyone rather than the wants of the few. He has inspired me to become a better christian by not giving money to the poor but giving my love, my friendship, my possessions, my time. It's easy to write a check to a faceless population of poverty, but that's not what Christ did. Christ didn't set up organizations so the rich could drop off what they don't need and the poor could pick it up. Rather he loved them, cared for them, and realized their true worth in the Kingdom of God.
Claiborne lives with the poor, the sick, the homeless. Like Mother Teresa and Dorothy Day, he dedicates his life to seeing the Jesus in the "least of these". He served with mother Teresa in Calcutta for a summer, went to Baghdad to serve victims of war, and now is the founder of the Simple Way. There, he inspires others to give up their materialism, give what excess they have to those in need, love the sinners and outcasts as Christ did, and provide for the needs of everyone rather than the wants of the few. He has inspired me to become a better christian by not giving money to the poor but giving my love, my friendship, my possessions, my time. It's easy to write a check to a faceless population of poverty, but that's not what Christ did. Christ didn't set up organizations so the rich could drop off what they don't need and the poor could pick it up. Rather he loved them, cared for them, and realized their true worth in the Kingdom of God.
A ridiculously good book that motivates the reader to look at the heart of christianity from a new perspective. A++.
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
A year or so ago my friend recommended this book to me. I came to this page and read the 5 star and 1 star reviews, and because of the 1 star reviews wrote it off as one-sided and an attempt to convert people to a new way of thinking.
Many of the 1 star reviews mentioned that they believe the author thinks the ONLY way to live out your faith is how he does. I'm not interested in someone getting my attention just to persuade me I'm wrong. A few weeks ago Shane was in town so I went with some friends to hear him speak. He addressed the idea that not everybody is called to being an ordinary radical in the same way. One young man said that after reading the book he and his wife moved into innercity housing, like the author, and was trying to create community. The response was "love your wife." He then said "you don't have to move out of the suburbs to create community."
After he continued talking about the need for ordinary radicals everywhere in all different walks and circumstances of life, I decided then and there to read the book.
Having just finished it, I decided to leave my own review. This book is moving and inspiring and opens your eyes to the reality of the world. He addresses MANY different kinds of injustices and how he and his friends have responded to them, but instead of just calling the reader to imitate that and do the exact same thing, I believe the point of it is to spark the imagination of the reader to consider their gifts, passions, resources, skills, and situations and how to best respond to the injustices of their daily life in a way that is glorifying to our Lord.
Many of the 1 star reviews mentioned that they believe the author thinks the ONLY way to live out your faith is how he does. I'm not interested in someone getting my attention just to persuade me I'm wrong. A few weeks ago Shane was in town so I went with some friends to hear him speak. He addressed the idea that not everybody is called to being an ordinary radical in the same way. One young man said that after reading the book he and his wife moved into innercity housing, like the author, and was trying to create community. The response was "love your wife." He then said "you don't have to move out of the suburbs to create community."
After he continued talking about the need for ordinary radicals everywhere in all different walks and circumstances of life, I decided then and there to read the book.
Having just finished it, I decided to leave my own review. This book is moving and inspiring and opens your eyes to the reality of the world. He addresses MANY different kinds of injustices and how he and his friends have responded to them, but instead of just calling the reader to imitate that and do the exact same thing, I believe the point of it is to spark the imagination of the reader to consider their gifts, passions, resources, skills, and situations and how to best respond to the injustices of their daily life in a way that is glorifying to our Lord.
This was both an excellent and simultaneously difficult read; excellent in the sense of containing a wealth of story and wit, born out of lived experiences; difficult for those same reasons, as it issues and functions as a call on its readers to examine the actions they both do and do not take, and the respective individual and collective consequences of those decisions. This book drips with gospel, which convicts and demands response; having heard, one cannot forget or pass over that call so easily or painlessly in their daily life.
Wow...I can't imagine how different the world would be if Christians actually lived like the Gospel tells them to. This book makes me want to drop everything and be an ordinary radical. The question is now, do I have the faith and courage to do it?
Shane Claiborne writes well, and finds a good balance between humor and seriousness. I found this book challenging in the best of ways.