Irresistible Reasoning and Thinking

I just finished Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne. (I'll try to remember to add some links tomorrow. It is late.)

I have to admit I knew this was going to be a tough read from the get go, but it was a good tough. Challenging like crazy, but good challenging. Made me think, and pray, and meditate. Now, before I flip through the book and quote some of the underlined or corner folded down pages, let me just say that this book brings me back to some college days thinking. There was lots of radical thinking going on it the late sixties and early seventies. Some of it was awful. Some of it was thoughtful. Some of it was mournful. Some of it was meaningful. Some of it was biblical.

Thinking, especially thinking critically, is a scary thing, sometimes. It is much more comfortable to just assume that the way we do things is the way they should be done. This kind of assumption often gets Americans in trouble when they travel overseas. (Been there. Done that.) It also can be very uncomfortable for church people, ministers included. We just assume everything we do is rooted in the Bible. Yet, a lot of what we do has less rootage in the Bible than in tradition, comfort, and familiarity. Any believer that thinks their church is tradition-free needs to re-think that position. There are churches that would go ballistic if the Oak, Cherry, or Walnut pulpit were replaced with a shiny Plexiglas model, and vice versa.

Personally, I do not believe that everything we do has to have a biblical root. Some Christians think that there should be no instruments in church, but a pitch pipe is okay. Others think the piano and pipe organ only. Others would say that if it plays music, bring it on. (Funny thing is, I like all those kinds of music). But I digress.

What Irresistible Revolution does is make you think. Sometimes, the thoughts are, “Oh yeah. I can see that.” Other times, the thoughts are, “Woe is me (and us) for I (we) am (are) undone. He makes a strong — very strong — argument for his position, but, (thankfully!) seasons it with grace.

There is much to glean from this book. It should get a wider readership among people my age (58). The young are reading it. (I ask a friend recently out of seminary if he had read it, and he said, “No, but I think I am the only person who hasn’t.” In his age group and circle, he may be.) It will scare a lot of folks in my age group. It will make others mad… real mad… really, really mad! But too many folks are way too comfortable, having not entertained a critical thought in years.

Do I agree with everything he says? No, but I don’t know anyone I agree with on every possible idea or topic. What is important is thinking, getting into the Bible, and praying it through. You may come to different conclusions. But you may find yourself changing as well.