A week ago my wife bought me a graduation present for $1.25. Now typically I am the cheap one of the family but this was a very well spent $1.25. She bought me the book The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical by Shane Claiborne (Zondervan 2006). WOW! It has been so long since a book has challenged and convicted me in the way that Shane is able to. He and a group of friends are the founders of the The Simple Way (www.thesimpleway.org) in Philly - an experiment in Christian community, justice, and solidarity with the poor. I can't remember ever reading about someone who took Jesus so seriously as does Shane. His divine calling and his call to the church are shaped by living amidst the people on the margins, those Jesus came to live with and join ranks with. He offers a clear alternative to the "American civil religion" siding in favor with the radical nature of the kingdom of God. It is unbelievably challenging! And yet I wonder how much more radical he is than Jesus. I must confess I do not so easily see the radical nature of Jesus' teachings as I do Shane's. The religion of comfort, safety, and complacency so permeates American churches (including my own) and American Christians (including me) that it is difficult to imagine taking the steps that Shane has taken to put Jesus into practice.
I am about 2/3 through the book and would highly recommend (with strong cautions for the faint of heart and mind) to engage his book with an open mind knowing ahead of time it will convict you and challenge you.
Blessings...
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