The Cost of Compassion

by Tim Costello

Who’s in favour of compassion?
Pretty much everybody, actually. Left or right, religious or not, nobody seems to have a bad word to say about compassion.
So why do we have so much trouble addressing the conflict, inequality, and suffering in our world?
Ranging from the streets of St Kilda to the slums of Delhi, from Plato to Nietzsche, the Dalai Lama to Peter Singer, and from Seinfeld to the Good Samaritan, Tim Costello appeals to our common humanity – and takes an unflinching look at how costly compassion can be.

Re:CONSIDERING invites you to look at what’s familiar from an unfamiliar angle. To consider how we consider things – and how to do it better.

Genres: Christian

74 pages, Paperback

Published August 14, 2020

Reviews

[Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tim Costello thinks about kindness, giving and compassion and asks 5 big questions: Is it natural? Practical? Necessary? Possible? Who is compassion for? (Luke 10; 25-37) At under short 70 pages the “re-thinking” series doesn’t always have all the answers, but helps us see the topic with fresh eyes. Tim covers faith, politics, philosophy and ethics in easy to understand interesting way. At approx $8 is great value read.

[Benjamin Razey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Costello’s The Cost of Compassion analyses the heart of compassion in our world today. He raised a number of helpful insights and, notably, speaks with conviction and confidence, drawing on his own experiences. The book raises a number of challenges for both believers and unbelievers alike, without necessarily providing any concrete solutions. The book finishes on a high, challenging the heroic self-conception many in the west have developed, and leaving readers with the question of how they will respond.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

completion note: All the more relevant in a pandemic.

★★★★☆ | 4.00 stars | RTC