Title: The Irresistible Revolution
Living as an ordinary radical
Author: Shane Claiborne
Publisher: Zondervan
Copyright: 2006
Review Score: 5.00 
Summary:
"Christianity," says author Shane Claiborne, "often has offered little to the world, other than the hope that things will be better in heaven." This statement appears on the first page of the book, and it's a big clue that Shane isn't spinning a newer, fresher version of the same old predictable Christian party line that everyone else repeats. In fact, the whole purpose of The Irresistible Revolution is to present a radical idea of what it means to be a Christian. Even more importantly, it's about how one man, without aggrandizing himself, chose to do something daring, heroic and good with his life. Instead of buying into the prescribed formula for Christian living, Shane challenges us to break free of the empty roles and rituals "the living dead" pledge allegiance to, and take the path of Love. He talks about how he was "suffocated by Christianity, but thirsty for God."
Say good-bye to Jesus message t-shirts, big expensive churches, and tele-evangelical pleas for followers and cash. Say hello to a man who speaks in love, acts in love, serves humanity in love. This book is a collection of Shane's autobiographical stories about his transformation from a cookie-cutter evangelical youth to a disciple who thinks outside the box and who isn't afraid to shine his light for the world. We are fortunate to be on the planet at the same time with one so aware and one so willing to walk the talk. If you only read one book this year, make it Irresistible Revolution, and allow the passion from Shane's mega big heart to move you to loving action.
Message of Love:
We cannot see God, but we can see his Love expressed in us and through us
Score: 5.00
"People always want to define you by what you do. I started saying "I'm not too concerned with what I'm going to do. I am more interested in who I am becoming. I want to be a lover of God and people."
What does it mean to love and how is love of God demonstrated? This is the fundamental question Shane explores and answers. Is it by passing out God-flyers on street corners, or is it by passing out bread to the homeless and poor and then teaching them how to make bread for themselves? In January 1997 Shane and five other like-minded cohorts moved into a little row house in Kensington, a poor neighborhood in Philadelphia, and formed The Simple Way. The Simple way is not just about managing poverty, but completely ending it.
"There are plenty of liberals who talk about poverty and injustice but rarely encounter the poor, living detached lives of socially responsible but comfortable consumption." To eradicate poverty it's essential to redefine the meaning of family and to become radically inclusive. There should be no difference between your relationship to someone who's connected to you by marriage, blood, religion or nationality and to someone who lives in the street or another country. Violence and disregard is born out of a narrow, rigid belief about family. Shane asks us to consider "what happens when people fall in love with each other across class lines?" There is nothing worth killing for, but there's something worth dying for -- and that is the love in our hearts that we have for each other.
Did you know that each day 35,000 children in the world starve to death? It's like a 911 event every single day or a tsunami that never ends. Poverty is not created by God. It's created by you and me because we don't see our brothers and sisters as ourselves. What's needed are concrete acts of love. No one can see God, but we can see each other, and God can live in and through us. Shane recommends "instead of waiting for God's special plan for your life, go find where God is doing work, and join in."
Inspiration:
Score: 5.00
"...as our seventy-year-old revolutionary Catholic nun, Sister Margaret, puts it, "We are trying to shout the Gospel with our lives."
This book spoke to me so loudly that I had to fight down the urge to get on a plane, fly down to Philadelphia, meet Shane Claiborne face-to-face and see what's happening at The Simple Way. Shane extends an open invitation to everyone. Then you'll have a direct experience of love by seeing it, hearing it, touching it, knowing it.
The Simple Way is about creating an accessible culture where it's easier for people to be good. It's about seeing suffering and re-imagining a world without it. Intead of just throwing money at beggars and homeless people, The Simple Way intends to re-create the system so there are no beggars and homeless people.
Practicality/Relevance:
Score: 5.00
"I learned more about God from the tears of homeless mothers than any systematic theology ever taught me."
We all witness suffering. What will you do to end it?
Organization/Readability:
Score: 5.00
"...beyond miracles, what has lasting significance is love. We can do all sorts of miracles, but if we have not love, it's nothing."
Olympic athletes make amazingly difficult physical acts look effortless and easy. Shane does the exact same thing with his writing. The Irresistible Revolution truly has it all, but it's the quality of effortlessness that I most admire. There's no hard-selling of Jesus or steps to follow, but somehow we want to come along for the ride and hear more about what Shane has to say. Like the Pied Piper, Shane wins us over by singing his song of life and telling his stories. He never lets us see how hard he works to craft and organize his writing in a superb way and to connect to us with friendship, intelligence and wit. By the way, Shane's many parenthetical "asides" will make you smile.
It doesn't matter if you're a person who prefers God without religion or if you're a Christian, Jew, Buddhist or Muslim -- this book will remind you to be the Love that is your Truth.
