"The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical" by Shane Claiborne

ISBN# 978-0-310-26630-3

This will be the last of my posts on this book...I have put it off long enough and I don't want to take advantage (more so than I already have!) of the person who lent me the book and asked for my opinion on it! :)

Anyhow, here goes:

Let me begin with a few quotes and some commentary...then I'll go ahead and say a few words regarding my final impression of this book:

"I remember when one of my colleagues said, "Shane, I am not a Christian anymore...I gave up Christianity in order to follow Jesus." Somehow, I knew what he meant." (pg. 71)

I don't know nor can I begin to even fathom why anyone who follows Christ would be ashamed of the title "Christian." To be known as a Christian is to identify yourself as a servant of Jesus who is the risen Christ. To be known as a Christian is to bear the name of our Lord and Savior...so to say one has given up Christianity to follow Jesus is inexcusably silly. Rather than witty it is foolish to make such a comment. Like it or not...we who follow Jesus, who acknowledge Him as our Lord, are Christians.

"I began to understand what it meant when the curtain of the temple was torn open and Jesus died on the cross. Not only was God redeeming that which was profane but God was setting all that was sacred free. Now God dwelled not behind the veil in the temple but in the eyes of the dying and the poor, in the ordinary and the mundane, in things like bread and wine, or chai and samosas. And wherever two or three of us come together in community, God is there among us." (pg. 80)

A phrase like this one above sounds all humble and caring, but it makes a mockery of what the Word of God actually says! And if we as Christians do not live our lives by what the Bible teaches then how do we dare to call ourselves by that name? If the Bible is not our authority...then what is? Understand this, everyone has an authority for the way they live their lives. And if there are those among us who claim to believe in Christ yet reject the only testimony we have regarding the Lord, then that leaves our own opinions as the source of authority. Hmmm...I think I'll keep on relying on the Bible, which is, after all, "living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)

Aside from misusing Bible passages to fit into his own view of the world and his own personal opinions of what it means to be spiritual, Claiborne here makes blanket statements with no clarification. Sure, it sounds great to say God now dwells in the eyes of the poor and the dying...but what does the Word say? What if these poor and dying are not Christians? If we truly care for them, should we not feed them the only food that will save their souls while feeding their stomachs? Which is ultimately more important? And do not think here I am speaking out against feeding the poor...it's just that if we do it out of a sense of doing "good" but let them go on in spiritual darkness we have done nothing good at all! We may have made ourselves feel good but we have fed walking corpses unless we share the Gospel with them!

"In our culture of "seeker sensitivity" and radical inclusivity, the great temptation is to compromise the cost of discipleship in order to draw a larger crowd. With the most sincere hearts, we do not want to see anyone walk away from Jesus because of the discomfort of his cross, so we clip the claws on the Lion a little, we clean up a bit the bloody Passion we are called to follow. I think this is why the disciples react as they do. They protest in awe, "Who then can be saved?" ("Why must you make it so hard? We need some rich folks here, Jesus, we're trying to build a movement.") And yet Jesus lets him walk away." (pg. 104)

Ok...there is, granted, a lot of truth to some of what Claiborne has to say here; and indeed, the seeker sensitive attitude of some in the church is disgraceful for what they are willing to excuse in order to not offend anyone, but just as some in the church are guilty of clipping the claws of the Lion in order to not lose people...the other extreme is the one in which Claiborne hangs out, the "emergent" ones who are willing to deny doctrinal Truths in order to not offend anyone. The ones who cry out "love is all you need" but fail to explain why love is needed and don't even bother to bring anyone to the One true Lover!

Well I dont' want this to turn into a "Shane Claiborne is a bad man" type of review because after reading his book I think I might actually like this guy. He even reminds me somewhat of someone I know! But he would also drive me bonkers with his constant misuse of Scripture! :)

Overall, I think Mr. Caliborne has a good heart and wants to do the right thing. But leftist legalism is still legalism! This book is all about orthopraxy (right living) as a means of sanctification and is therefore a works oriented tradition as much as the "seeker sensitive" churches it rants against! And when orthopraxy is embraced while orthodoxy (right doctrine) is denied you end up with living rightly for the wrong reasons. And it's a sad reality that good people will end up in hell. People doing righteous deeds will one day be told by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords that He does not know them. Why is that? Maybe because orthopraxy must flow out of orthodoxy....or it is nothing but works. See the book of James if you don't believe me!

So my final impression?

Read the book if you are a Christian who is not on fire for the Lord. Read it and be challenged by all means...because it does bring up some good points. But don't make the mistake of thinking the answers provided are necessarily the right ones. For that, turn to your Bible. The Bible will challenge you even more than "Irresistible Revolution" ever will anyhow.