One of the best Christian books I've ever read. Read this book an it'll mess you up - and that's what he wants. Claiborne's perspective if fresh and thoughtful. I couldn't put the book down. ( )

http://www.wordandspirit.co.uk/blog/2... ( )

Highly recommended. ( )

Love him or hate him, you can't say that Shane Claiborne doesn't make you think. In "The Irresistible Revolution," Claiborne challenges the Church to think differently about poverty, materialism, and love. Part memoir, part manifesto, the book follows Claiborne from his Tennessee childhood to working with Mother Teresa to starting the Simple Way in Philidelphia. While I don't agree with all of his statements (a few times he considers "military intelligence" to be an oxymoron), Claiborne has definitely inspired me to think differently about how I can help make the world a better place. ( )

I should say going in that there is a lot - A LOT - I admire about Shane Chaiborne. I was listening the other day to a lecture on the Foundations of Western Civilization. The lecturer was speaking of philosophers of the mid antiquity era who felt that people spoke of one philosophy and did another. The draw of the early Christian church, according to him, was that its members actually did what they believed in. Claiborne is similar in this.

But no, I could not fully embrace this book. He is a definite inspiration (even though he would deny it). The problem is like many crusaders, he has no room for those who does not follow his path. His path is one of extreme Christian community, where property is given up to the community to use for the Church (big 'C') and one fights for the underpriveleged - those who have none. The books traces his life, showing his theology through the events that formed it. His time serving the poor in Calcutta with Mother Teresa. His time in college fighting for the homeless. It led him to the realization that a major problem is that some of us have lots and others have none. So the solution? Give is all away to your Christian community.

This is where my problem is. It is not that we should be ready to give up "our" belongings to help one another. In this we agree. But his call is more radical yet he tries to make it universal. His is a reaction to a society where the lines of communication and community are broken. He seeks to restore them by removing the barrier of materialism. But his rejection comes across less like a rejection of materialism and more like a sneer at people who do not agree. A laugh. Rather than effectively engage people and show what can be accomplished by a little, what can be done by helping people to open their clenching hands and letting go of materialism to embrace community, the book ends up being one note and flat - sell all. By limiting his interpretation to a few verses, he misses on the true joy of people using their different gifts - in business, in ministry, in public service, in anything - and sharing as they can. ( )