Jean Vanier (1928–2019)

This book was based on a series of talks, and it shows. Even at 133 pages, it felt longer than necessary. There was repetition and that feeling that nothing was really being communicated.

The format was not edited to read like a regular book, so it feels almost like 'spoken word' poetry written down, with line breaks for every pause instead of commas.

While a few good things were said here and there, there were also a couple huge red flags, theology-wise.

One section talked about trusting your own heart and your deepest intuitions, stating, "Perhaps that is all that Jesus wants to tell you today: 'Trust in yourself and in your own heart.'" (47) Uh, no, that's completely unbiblical advice. The Bible says that the heart is deceitful above all things, and we should not trust our own understanding, but instead should trust in the Lord.

Another section told the story of the woman at the well, and insinuates that because Jesus didn't condemn the woman, He didn't condemn adultery. Again, this is unbiblical, not to mention illogical. There is a difference between the condemnation of a sin and a sinner. Adultery is wrong, according to the Bible, and God condemns it - but because He is so loving and merciful, He is willing to forgive us when we sin. This is not the same as saying that it just doesn't matter if we sin or not - which Vanier didn't claim, either, to be fair, but he left the subject somewhat open for interpretation, and not all readers are going to have a biblical understanding of this.… (more)

"The society we in the West inhabit is a strange place. We are oddly comfortable with truths that, on reflection, are deeply dissonant and even disturbing. For example, we seem quite comfortable with the knowledge that up to twenty thousand children die every day from preventable diseases. We miss the deep irony that we constantly seek peace by going to war. We develop policies and practices that welcome people with disabilities into our communities, offering them rights and responsibilities, and at precisely the same time we develop forms of genetic technology designed to prevent them from entering society in the first place." p 11 (from Introduction by John Swinton)

Because of the title of the book, I thought it was going to be more about physical violence (war, death penalty, etc.), but actually it's more about philosophical "violence" and equates slowing down and having patience with "peace."

It speaks mostly to the ways in which we either embrace or reject individuals with disabilities in our everyday lives.

It was an okay read, but too abstract/philosophical for my taste or understanding.

It is written by 3 authors, essentially: John Swinton writes the introduction and conclusion, while Jean Vanier and Stanley Hauerwas each write two chapters. This made the flow a little strange, because each one has a different voice.

I was concerned especially with Jean Vanier's theological views. He states at one point, "Catholics and Protestants, Hindus and Muslims.... they are all our brothers and sisters." (p 28) I didn't think he did a very great job distinguishing how humans are made in God's image, and yet not all humans have turned from sin and joined the family of God.

It had some good points, but I'm betting there's a better book somewhere on this same subject, especially since this one was published a decade ago.

One last quote I liked:

".... speed has produced technology, which then undercuts the viability of community. We see it in medicine today; the task is not to care for patients but to cure them. When caring turns into curing, we don't know what to do with patients when we can't cure them. What do we do with people who have diseases it seems they won't recover from? That's speed taking over." (p 50)… (more)

Jeanne Vanier is one of today's major spiritual writers; here he reflects, with great depth and perception, on the role of the Shepherd, recognition of personal weakness, our relationship with Jesus, and on the many different aspects of life and community which he has seen in his 25 years experience. His life and work with people who have a mental handicap is rooted in a deep spirituality and relationship with Jesus, and he presents a challenging and uncompromising call to all those with a concern to follow Christ.… (more)