The Irresistible Revolution

'... but then came the religious right with evangelical faith going public, but not in the ways we had hoped. Christian concerns were reduced to only a few "moral issues" (most having to do with sex and the dominance of Christian language in the public square), and pacts were soon made with the economic and political agenda of America's far right. After thirty years, America became convinced that God was a Republican, and the enduring image of Christianity became the televangelist preacher.'

'... Shane Claiborne's Irresistible Revolution is the best evidence so far that a new generation of believers is waking up and catching on fire with the gospel.'

'... This book is a manifesto for a new generation of Christians who want to live their faith in this world and not just the next. Read it and your hopes will rise. God is again doing something new.

Taken from the forward (written by Jim Wallis) for The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne.

I am barely into this book and loving it so far (I started it a week ago but got sidetracked and am just getting back to it). I was afraid that it would be too 'young' for me, too idealistic for someone my age to relate to, that my mindset is too practical these days for yet again another 'revolutionary' approach to life. I was wrong. This book so far epitomizes my own beliefs and how I believe Christianity should look to the world. The book came to my attention by a young man in our congregation who plans on going into the ministry and preached two sermons at our contemporary service in the past few months. On both occasions he referenced material from this book and the last time, it prompted another order being sent off to Amazon.

At this point, between Shane Claiborne and the other founding members of The Simple Way, along with the young man in our church and my niece, Morgan, who is studying in Israel right now, my hopes for the future are lifted. I am impressed with them all and how they choose to live their lives... not so much shouting Christianity at people as just being authentic in living out their faith.

I will do my best to post a full review when I've finished reading it. If any of you are familiar with the book, I would like to hear your thoughts on it.