I was never receptive to the tough-love approach, even though I’ve applauded it in print. It’s easy to approve of something when it’s not being done to you.
and it’s easy to apply it from the safety of a keyboard or pen and paper: read his introduction to Michael Card’s book, “A Fragile Stone: The Emotional Life of St. Peter” and note how ruthlessly he excoriates those among the elect who are dishonest about their sins. these were true words, to be sure, but ring with hypocrisy—something Brennan waited until the end of his life, when he had nothing else to lose, to be honest about.
