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icedcoffeeandbookss's review
2.0
There's not much to say honestly. I took what was interesting to me and left the rest. Got this at the thrift store and idk why I thought it was gonna be something not religious
hem's review
4.0
A gentle gem, filled with great reminders about the inherent pain and beauty of life in community.
birdy1luv's review
4.0
Vanier has a deep soul that imagines and lives out the world as God would intend it to be. his writing can be a bit stream of consciousness, but there is a soulfulness that I find moving and inspiring. This last section on community as mission struck me today. Reminded me that the church does not exist only for itself but to be sent out for others.
lukenotjohn's review
4.0
When I received this book in the mail, having neglected to check the page count before I ordered it, I couldn't help but laugh at how tiny it was. A mere 52 pages, it really is a bit comical to hold it in your hands, and yet it still managed to pack a punch between its covers. I found myself underlining quite a bit of this and much of what he said resonated a lot with me. I wouldn't necessarily say that any of it was mindblowing or even felt very new (especially after reading his larger work, [b:Community And Growth|348824|Community And Growth|Jean Vanier|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1173970282s/348824.jpg|2512264], and lots of [a:Henri J.M. Nouwen|4837|Henri J.M. Nouwen|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1198543648p2/4837.jpg]), but it bore repeating.
One thing I found interesting, especially after reading a lot of liberation theology, is my discomfort with his use of the beatitudes and the notion of poverty. There is no doubt that people with severe mental and physical disabilities are to be counted among the oppressed of the world and in most cases are indeed poor, and I don't even disagree with his invitation for all to become spiritually poor to experience the Kingdom of God. However, it seemed as though his words could be used to obfuscate God's identification with the materially poor uniquely (beyond the more abstract spiritually poor) and the socio-political and economic implications that that has. Towards the end of the book, he sort of chastises "clubs" against racism, nuclear war, etc. as missing the point and failing to see the enemy within their own self. While I think that could potentially be really true and convicting, I was disappointed in his failure to recognize that now all antagonism is created equal (that of the oppressor towards the oppressed and vice versa) and without the outward action and advocacy of these "clubs" there would likely be very little actual change...something he himself doesn't necessarily need as a white man. With that said, if you can sort of excuse that element of the work, I do think the invitation into spiritual poverty is a really true and beautiful notion, and the book is still packed with helpful wisdom and insight on community living despite its size.
One thing I found interesting, especially after reading a lot of liberation theology, is my discomfort with his use of the beatitudes and the notion of poverty. There is no doubt that people with severe mental and physical disabilities are to be counted among the oppressed of the world and in most cases are indeed poor, and I don't even disagree with his invitation for all to become spiritually poor to experience the Kingdom of God. However, it seemed as though his words could be used to obfuscate God's identification with the materially poor uniquely (beyond the more abstract spiritually poor) and the socio-political and economic implications that that has. Towards the end of the book, he sort of chastises "clubs" against racism, nuclear war, etc. as missing the point and failing to see the enemy within their own self. While I think that could potentially be really true and convicting, I was disappointed in his failure to recognize that now all antagonism is created equal (that of the oppressor towards the oppressed and vice versa) and without the outward action and advocacy of these "clubs" there would likely be very little actual change...something he himself doesn't necessarily need as a white man. With that said, if you can sort of excuse that element of the work, I do think the invitation into spiritual poverty is a really true and beautiful notion, and the book is still packed with helpful wisdom and insight on community living despite its size.
piccoline's review
5.0
Urgent, passionate call to seek the strength to pursue community. Vanier is the founder of L'Arche, a network of communities centered around care for and forming community with developmentally disabled adults. These lectures, delivered at Harvard, are a concise introduction to the importance and transformative potential in turning away from the elevation of self and instead sacrificially devoting oneself to others.
Vanier was a mentor and inspiration to the Christian thinker Henri Nouwen, too. Nouwen eventually entered a L'Arche community.
This is profound stuff, deeply antithetical to the priorities espoused by America and by Capital. It is thus, also, deeply important.
Can any of us doubt the brokenness all around us right now? It's blaring from the TV and the computer screen each moment of every day. How can we begin to truly build community? There's much to consider here.
Vanier was a mentor and inspiration to the Christian thinker Henri Nouwen, too. Nouwen eventually entered a L'Arche community.
This is profound stuff, deeply antithetical to the priorities espoused by America and by Capital. It is thus, also, deeply important.
Can any of us doubt the brokenness all around us right now? It's blaring from the TV and the computer screen each moment of every day. How can we begin to truly build community? There's much to consider here.
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