The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical

by Shane Claiborne

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1,631 ratings, 4.26 average rating, 365 reviews (more data...)

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1		1%

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published

February 1st 2006 by Zondervan

binding

Paperback, 368 pages

isbn

0310266300 (isbn13: 9780310266303)

description

Using unconventional examples from his own life, Shane Claiborne stirs up questions about the church and the world, and challenges readers to truly li...more

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01/11/08

lisa rated it:

Read in October, 2007

In the spirit of sweeping generalizations, youth pastors fall into two categories. The first is the middle aged man who excitedly pumps students up with pizza parties and all-night lock-ins. Then there are the too-cool-for-cool ones. The youth pastor at my church fell into the second category. He was one of those, "You think I'm cool, but I'm not. Because only, Jesus, man. Jesus is cool."

Shane Claiborne is one of those dudes, too.

In The Irresistible Revolution, ...more In the spirit of sweeping generalizations, youth pastors fall into two categories. The first is the middle aged man who excitedly pumps students up with pizza parties and all-night lock-ins. Then there are the too-cool-for-cool ones. The youth pastor at my church fell into the second category. He was one of those, "You think I'm cool, but I'm not. Because only, Jesus, man. Jesus is cool."

Shane Claiborne is one of those dudes, too.

In The Irresistible Revolution, he makes the very provocative case that the only possible life for a real Christian to follow is to sell all of one's possessions and work for the widow, the orphan, the poor, the oppressed. Unfortunately, his book screws it all up.

Don't get me wrong, Claiborne's message - and his life that seems to truly reflect that message - is powerful. Jesus said to care for those who need care, and Claiborne took the call to heart: working with Mother Theresa in Calcutta, advocating for the homeless in his city, building community with his poor neighbors.

However.

First, and this is the least of my complaints, Claiborne gives no practical advice to how to cross race and class lines in an intentional community, aside from "love each other." Well, having spent much time myself at an intentional community house, I can tell you that it's not that easy. And what about when you have to hold down a 9-to-5 in order to make rent, something he doesn't have to worry about?

Claiborne could have left out the chapters that aimed to legitimize all the things that go exactly against what he claims to stand for - namely, being a middle class Christian consumer who goes to church on Sundays, prays at the dinner table, and donates clothes to the Salvation Army. He could have said, when Zondervan and Jim Wallis apparently begged him relentlessly to write the damn thing, "Fine, I'll do it. But I'm not compromising the message, you're not putting my picture on the cover, and you're not going to package it to be the next cool book on the social justice conservative college student bookshelf."

Instead, no fewer than six pictures of Claiborne grace the cover - dreadlocked, grooming his vegetable garden, hanging out with "urban youth" in front of a graffiti-ed wall. Sarcasm aside: all good things. But they, along with the too-cool-for-mainstream-culture "duct-taped" "cardboard" cover and the "dude, man" rhetoric, are clearly just cogs in the consumerist machine.(less)

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06/04/08

Daniel rated it:

Read in June, 2008

I should begin by noting that I am an atheist, and as such do not frequently pick up Christian literature. I read this book at the recommendation of a friend.

The greatest appeal of this book to me is that it is about doing something rather than just believing in it. The notion of belief without action seems contradictory to me. If someone doesn't believe in something enough to act on it, or take risks for it, how much do they really believe it?

To me it seems that Shane's...more I should begin by noting that I am an atheist, and as such do not frequently pick up Christian literature. I read this book at the recommendation of a friend.

The greatest appeal of this book to me is that it is about doing something rather than just believing in it. The notion of belief without action seems contradictory to me. If someone doesn't believe in something enough to act on it, or take risks for it, how much do they really believe it?

To me it seems that Shane's message throughout the book, and his interpretation of Jesus' message is that it is not about what you've done, but about what you do. The consequences of this seem to be two-fold. First, it is never too late for a new start in life. This seems evident in all the "losers" that God works through. Second, no matter who you are or what you've done, it doesn't absolve you from responsibility. In each day, it is how we live out that day that matters. Will you live it selfishly, or for others?

I like how Shane addresses the notion of keeping ourselves at a safe distance away from issues. He advocates that we need to speak, eat, sleep, live, with "the poor" in order to understand their condition. In doing so the right course of action will become clear. This feels right to me, in that it doesn't seem right we can sit high up in our mansions and act as though we are advocates of the oppressed and downtrodden, while keeping as safe a distance as possible, perhaps never even seeing the people we are supposedly representing. There is only one minor caveat, in that this is both a difficult and scary thing to do.

I am drawn to this book in that it advocates a "third way," as does Jesus. Rather than living through oppression or submission, there is a third way of life where we stand up for ourselves and others, but at no one's expense. I just love the part where he offers cookies to the people on the plane. I think Shane is right in that the only way we can evoke change is by giving everything of ourselves, not to attack others we feel are wrong, but to advocate what we feel is right. This isn't about keeping our beliefs to ourselves and smothering them privately, but sharing our beliefs in a way that is constructive rather than destructive. Nevertheless, living and visibly sharing what you believe in is still probably seen as threatening by many, but I guess everybody would be well served by a reality check every now and then.

I would definitely recommend anyone to give this book a chance, not because the book is elegantly written, or because it is a "true" picture of what Christianity ought to be, but because it is about living a life in which you take risks, and really live for what you believe in, leaving fear and apathy far behind...(less)

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01/12/08

Dake rated it:

Read in May, 2007

at first, i liked this book. i actually reccommended it to a friend. ignoring the first forty-something pages full of prefaces, forwards, dedications, and author's notes (which really tried my patience. theres no point to that.), i thought that the author started off by making a good point. then all the crap came out. first, this guy has a big problem with authority. being someone who is a self-professed follower of Jesus, he should be more submissive to authority. and its not just police or the...more

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07/09/07

Mary Pitts rated it:

Read in July, 2007

recommends it for: Liberal Christians

I got through half this book. It got wacky. I gave it a couple more chapter. And then I gave up. This book is pretty liberal. I'm not. This author seems to think very highly of himself. He seems to think to be a true Christian you must give up any sort of business, live among the poor and blah blah blah. He thinks he's so open minded and new age, but he's actually REALLY close minded. What about the average Christian who is looking to be the best they can at showing Christ's love in the...more

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07/10/08

Jud Kossum rated it:

Read in July, 2008

The Irresistible Revolution is a book written from a place of love by someone who has put his love into action, and as such, I would recommend it to anyone who can read around its sometimes glaring flaws to find the challenging truths that make up the bulk of the book.

Claiborne writes with humor, kindness, and humility. He challenges the status quo of American Christianity, calling us to love the poor. He shines light on and brings into question beliefs and practices of both conser...more The Irresistible Revolution is a book written from a place of love by someone who has put his love into action, and as such, I would recommend it to anyone who can read around its sometimes glaring flaws to find the challenging truths that make up the bulk of the book.

Claiborne writes with humor, kindness, and humility. He challenges the status quo of American Christianity, calling us to love the poor. He shines light on and brings into question beliefs and practices of both conservative and liberal Christians. Above all, he challenges all of us to know the poor. He writes, "I had come to see that the great tragedy in the church is not that rich Christians do not care about the poor but that rich Christians do not know the poor." How else can we truly love them? Claiborne goes on to say, “I truly believe that when the poor meet the rich, riches will have no meaning. And when the rich meet the poor, we will see poverty come to an end.”

He calls us from the isolation and – ironically – crowd-focused mentality of the church we have built in America to an all-encompassing love.

The problems come when Claiborne misuses Scripture to make valid points. For example, in Chapter 12, he makes reference to 2 Samuel 7, in which David decides to build a temple for God – a “permanent residence,” so to speak – but God tells David that he is not the man to build a temple. Claiborne uses this passage to validate his point that God doesn’t want us constructing multimillion-dollar church buildings. “God just digs camping,” he writes, seeming to completely ignore the next part of the passage, in which God says that David’s son will build Him a temple (v. 12-13).

The point is valid and he could have simply relied on Acts 17:24 (God does not live in “temples built by hands”) – a verse he references in the same paragraph – to make it, not to mention the time he spends prior to this talking about the church’s misguided endeavors to draw crowds, from which the desire to build these “temples” grows.

These instances of scriptural manhandling are not numerous, but they stick out like the Crystal Cathedral and will probably lead many readers to completely dismiss Claiborne.

The end product, though, is a challenging, convicting work that needs to be read. Christians should read this book for Claiborne’s heart, even if his head is not always in the right place.(less)

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07/24/07

Meghan rated it:

Read in July, 2007

Shane Claiborne has a lot of interesting stories and valuable insights. It's a funny book; very Donald Miller-esque in tone. There were several parts where I had to cringe as Claiborne tended to border on self-righteousness from time to time, but I don't think that it distracted too much from the beautiful images he successfully presented of what it means to live in real Christian community, the way Jesus did and required ALL his followers to do as well.

The accounts of the time Clai...more

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08/27/08

Carrie Jo rated it:

Read in September, 2008

recommends it for: people

This book is not well-written, it smacks of idealism and self-righteousness from time to time, and it's not realistic to think everyone that reads it is going to become an "ordinary radical" or "new monastic." What I think the reader will find by reading it is humor and a desire to shut the mouth and stop throwing money at "causes" and actually DO something. You can bitch all you want about how he's idealistic and crazy and hates authority, but I don't think there...more

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05/23/07

Kiera rated it:

(review of other edition)

i'm about half-way through this book and i have mixed feelings. i think it is easy and enjoyable to read but there are times when the writing gets a bit too evangelical for me. shane claiborne is very persuasive in his writing and there have been points where i really believe in the power of collective existence. but then i have to tell myself the reality of the situation and i get a bit skeptical. maybe i'm just jaded. and maybe the second half of this book will really teach me something.
...more

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05/27/07

Joanna King rated it:

bookshelves: on-faith

Read in June, 2006

Everyone should read this book. Shane has such a beautiful perspective on the world. As I have often found myself frustrated and disenchanted with what I have seen in American Christianity, Shane reminds me that my God is a God of the small but beautiful things, who calls me to be part of his empire-toppling revolution of love. Shane calls particularly this generation into "small things with great love" and lives a profound example of that. One of the most encouraging things about ...more

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06/03/07

Tom rated it:

bookshelves: non-fiction

Read in October, 2007

Very inspiring, a book about getting back to the root of what it means to be a Christian, i.e. living with "the least of these" and fighting for peace and justice. However, the book is marred by its youth-pastor-esque voice of excitement and by Zondervan's over-marketing (just look at the fake duct tape on the cover).

Also, as a former resident in an intentional Christian community in a poor neighborhood, his stories of his own life are rosy and idealistic. Claiborne never m...more

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06/16/08

Naomi rated it:

Do you have a desire to follow the calling of God? Is there a deep yearning inside you that cannot be filled only with faith, but must have action as well? The Irresistible Revolution is a novel that searches for real and true Christians. From as far as Wall Street, to the ghettos of America, slums in Iraq and orphanages in Calcutta, the author Shane Claiborne takes the reader on a journey though the social injustices and ungodly principles of the world and the Christian church today. Convince...more Do you have a desire to follow the calling of God? Is there a deep yearning inside you that cannot be filled only with faith, but must have action as well? The Irresistible Revolution is a novel that searches for real and true Christians. From as far as Wall Street, to the ghettos of America, slums in Iraq and orphanages in Calcutta, the author Shane Claiborne takes the reader on a journey though the social injustices and ungodly principles of the world and the Christian church today. Convinced that the church is not doing enough, Claiborne spends his days fulfilling the commandment of Jesus; ‘Go into the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation’ (Mark 16:15). His great passion for Christ and dedicated study of our Lord brings him to the realisation that the world can be overcome with love for God by one small act of kindness at a time. Political scenarios and protests for human rights fill each page, covering relevant topics such as war in Iraq, poverty, mixing politics with religion, social injustice, terrorism and consumerism.
This account of one man’s experiences and vision for the world sets the readers heart on fire and urges them to share the word of God with great love, standing up for what’s right in the eyes of God. Claiborne outlines the “Irresistible Revolution” as a Jesus revolution that is slowly creeping over the world like a vine, growing more each day. We, as followers of Christ and as God’s ambassadors, must take action to further spread this message of love and hope! Are we supporting the greed and money making schemes of many companies and churches of this world? Or are we giving all that we have to the poor, demonstrating the extent of God’s love? Shane examines the world that we live in, unfolding a great spiritual sickness, but through the smog and pollution, a light shines true. God promises a place of warmth and love, but never safety. Although many Christians cling to security and comfort, Claiborne proclaims that Jesus is constantly getting him into trouble, daring him to take on new challenges and to fight against the powers and principalities of this world. After all, Jesus preaches that we should not be afraid of things that destroy the body, but of things that destroy the soul (Matt 10:28). Finishing on a triumphant note of love and mercy, this book encourages the followers of Christ to hear the call and continue the work of Christ, planting the hope of the Kingdom of God like the planting of a small mustard seed.
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03/29/08

Shiloh rated it:

Read in March, 2008

recommended to Shiloh by: Todd Anderson and Hannah Mailen

This was a really good book. There were quite a few things I couldn't completely agree with. I did not agree with public disgracing of the president, and his view on war. Almost everyone would rather have peace, and the idea of peaceful revolutions and laying down your life for it is a decision that has to be made by individuals and not the powers that be. I have read too many materials about the people in Iraq that are happy that we liberated them, and wonder why we didn't do it the first t...more This was a really good book. There were quite a few things I couldn't completely agree with. I did not agree with public disgracing of the president, and his view on war. Almost everyone would rather have peace, and the idea of peaceful revolutions and laying down your life for it is a decision that has to be made by individuals and not the powers that be. I have read too many materials about the people in Iraq that are happy that we liberated them, and wonder why we didn't do it the first time. (And if you don't believe there were WMD's I suggest you read Saddam's Secrets.) I have also read of the places where we have sat back and done nothing (ie Rwanda, Dar Fur) where the loss of life is staggering and we have had the power to put an end to it. Does he really think that we should have not been involved in WW2? Where would the world be? I realize that America is in damned if you do damned if you don't situation, and regardless what the choice is, it is never an easy decision. God bless those that have to make those decisions and be held responsible for them.

Also, on that point, had we not gone into Iraq, it would have been near impossible for him to go there to love on the Iraqi people. The war has opened the door for cross cultural relations, education for women, the gospel, development, trade, and relief work.

One other thing, cause I just have to put my opinion out there, I appreciate patriotism. Growing up I never felt that way, I was rather globally minded and felt that thinking that America was the best place on earth was a little ethnocentric, but I have been many places in the world, and I really love going to a country where they have flags everywhere and pictures of there king, president, whatever. I think people should be proud of where they live and their heritage and still be able to appreciate other lands, cultures and peoples. Every country has its faults and share of corruption, but I think people should be thankful and enjoy their heritage.

But no matter the difference, I enjoyed the book with the authors passion and simplicity of the gospel (which we often complicate). He put the responsibility of the poor in our laps, where it belongs. I won't go into all the good things, you will have to read that for yourself, but there were times the passion was so intense I was drawn into the presence of God. And I love a book that gives you a good kick in the pants and makes you hungry for God. I was quite jealous that he got to work with Mother Theresa and Rich Mullins.

Sorry this is so long, but I had to get those things off my chest, I could have gone on :0)(less)

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03/27/08

Mary Katherine McMullen rated it:

Read in March, 2008

recommends it for: anyone actually searching for and trying to live authentically

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

What seems radical in our post-modern world would not be considered to be radical in other periods of time; as such, the reality that Gen-Xers push forward the global Christian community into living a life of orthodox authenticity seems to be impossible. The tattooed, skate-boarding generation may have once been looked down upon for their alternative lifestyles of bonding together through inclusion of all people into what appeared to be unlawful cliques by the previous generations; however, what...more What seems radical in our post-modern world would not be considered to be radical in other periods of time; as such, the reality that Gen-Xers push forward the global Christian community into living a life of orthodox authenticity seems to be impossible. The tattooed, skate-boarding generation may have once been looked down upon for their alternative lifestyles of bonding together through inclusion of all people into what appeared to be unlawful cliques by the previous generations; however, what springs from these "cliques" is a desire for and an understanding of what community and communion with global humanity making Gen-Xers the voice of the body of Christ through their actions.

Claiborne's book exposes his quest for authenticity in the church to act upon what preaching and Bible study exposes. While membership in American megachurches continues to rise, the gospel message of care for all of humanity often ends as soon as it leaves the pulpit falling dead before it ever reaches many of the gathered congregation. Claiborne pushes for a return to the concept that the church is the body of Christ and not a structure of bricks and mortar that more often traps the gospel than disburses it. To this end, Claiborne spends his life living amongst and helping those that other people do not even appear to see.

Claiborne calls this a new form of monasticism. Through his study, he returned to the works of the desert fathers that feed generations before him and found that they not only fed him but prompted him to live as they lived. Combined with his belief that the church is not made of bricks but rather the people and environments around him, he sought to, not live a cloistered life, live among the people to hear their stories, feed them, house them, heal them, and teach them to do the same with other human beings and the environment. The new monasticism pushes forward a Biblically authentic Christianity, a return to orthodoxy (right belief) but more importantly a return to orthopraxis (right living and action) that the early desert fathers claimed for their lives.

New monasticism is not a call for the faithful to leave churches as many would assume (as I did before I read the book), but it is a call for the body of Christ's missing Gen-Xers to remain or return to the deadened brick churches with our knowledge of community and show them that the body of Christ is in everyone regardless of what we think or believe. Orthodox belief while incredibly important will not come to fruition through vocal preaching or insistent prayer for the world to change but will only come to fruition through the preaching and prayer of action illuminating the love our world cries out for, the love of God shown through his disciples. The internal love of God can only be spread to others through the actions of the disciples and not the words of people.

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03/03/08

shaun mccormick rated it:

bookshelves: christian

Read in January, 2007

If Donald Miller wasn't enough for you, then try a dose of Shane. A great book that tells some amazing stories of God's work through the ministries he is in, and does a good job at showing how some of the pitfalls of American Christianity can be overcome by changes in lifestyle.

However, the book ends up falling flat with over-hyped idealism without much meat. Rosy words and slick phrases abound in this book, as the writing is hyperemotional, self-told-story-driven, and often fails to...more

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05/27/08

Jonathan rated it:

bookshelves: christian-intellectuals, contemporary-america

Read in June, 2008

recommended to Jonathan by: Lindsey

An impressionistic review of an impressionistic book:

I finished Irresistible Revolution shortly after debating Gitmo with a friend from church. He argued that we should trust our executive branch to do the right thing, and that innocent casualties in a war are worth the expense. They aren't US citizens, after all.

This book would not change that friend's mind about anything. Indeed, I disagree with a lot of what Claiborne says. But I found the book oddly soothing after tha...more

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10/08/07

Marc added it

Read in August, 2007

recommends it for: anybody

Shane's view of Christianity is appealing, it is neither liberal or conservative. He takes Jesus' call to give away all your wealth and be a servant to the poor literally. I haven't and probably never will do so to the extent Shane has but hope to keep moving in that direction. Shane succeeds not only in inspiring others to live more like Jesus but also making it seem possible that enough people will try to really change the world. The Simple Way is about doing "small things with great lov...more

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07/18/08

Conner rated it:

This is not my super-favorite book ever, but I think it could be a worthwhile read if you were in that place where what you really want is a no-holds-barred juicy lecture. However, I am both a veteran recipient of lectures and a professional giver of lectures, and so I sort of found myself disecting this book more than it was meant to be disected. Yes. It's true. I even found myself throwing the book angrily onto the bed and saying, to no one in particular, "No logic! No logic at all!"...more

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12/12/08

Nathan rated it:

Read in November, 2008

I don't agree with Claiborne's "generous orthodoxy" stance, but it's impossible to argue with his simple commitment to living out the Gospel in everyday life. When I finished this book, I wanted to sell all my stuff and hang out with poor people...and that's the point. If Tolstoy and Francis of Assisi hold any appeal, this book will too, as it's basically their ideas, framed for modern, post-church Christians.

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03/02/08

Susan rated it:

Read in January, 2008

I had a hard time reading this book because of the writing, which left a lot to be desired. I'm sure it was not the author's intent, but at times he comes across as a bit self-righteous. I think his youth is evident in his writing; a lot of passion, idealism, and an appetite for revolution. ;-)
My basic thought was that this was more a book about the redistribution of wealth than it was a discourse on how to live for Jesus (I'd love to hear from him again when he reaches middle age!). Howeve...more

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12/22/07

Alexander rated it:

Read in January, 2008

recommended to Alexander by: Forced to read it by the GFU capstone, to their eternal shame

Ahh, the irresistible revolution of left-wing politics. Blech. I can't tell whether Shane is a follower of A) Barabbas, a messianic freedom-fighter (almost) executed by an oppressive empire for his solidarity with the poor, or B) Jesus.

Assuming it's B, I will pray for this brother in Christ-- I'll be praying that he can give up his individualism and attachment to stuff, and join a real monastery. That would involve committment, a vow of poverty, obedience to a superior, and a lot ...more

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quotes from this book

"For even if the whole world believed in resurrection, little would change until we began to practice it. We can believe in CPR, but people will remain dead until someone breathes new life into them. And we can tell the world that there is life after death, but the world really seems to be wondering if there is life before death." More quotes...