Book Review #1

I promise to not become tedious or annoying. But one of my goals for 2007 is when I read a book I think is worth recommending, to write a quick blurb about it and at least explain why I think it is worth reading. If you choose to, great and if not, well, that too is an option.

Oh, and I won't do it with every book I read, that would expose just how little I read.

So, book number uno: The New Friars

Very good book. Intriguing principles and for the most part he does a great job of giving some historical perspective and sharing what these people are doing without automatically knighting them. This idea of taking a vow of some sort to live with the poor, to become marginalized, to reject so much of what Christianity today is striving for is both radical and challenging. I too often found myself questioning how somebody could do what they folks are doing and then I was disappointed with myself for it. Safe, easy, comfortable, I'm a big fan of those words.

Here's a few snippets which taken at face value may or may not do anything for you:
-Of the over 2.8 billion workers in the world, over half can't earn enough to move over the $2US/day poverty line
-"Everybody wants to change the world and nobody wants to change themselves." -Tolstoy
-"Sin is more expensive in poor communities."
-5 Reasons why the 20th Century was a disaster
1.Globalization of Poverty
2.Destruction of the Environment
3.Neglect and Exploitation of Children
4.Runaway Urbanization
5.Scale of Self-Destruction

I leave the stories of the book out, they alone are worth the time. If you are in a bookstore, I'd encourage you to simply read the 2-page afterword, I promise it will leave you unsettled.

Finally, I like the 5 values these new friars are living: incarnation, devotion, community, mission and marginalization--not sure enough of us are doing this.

If I could legally do it, I'd post the first paragraph of page 89--it is simply powerful.

Final Rating: On a scale of 1-10 (poo-divine)
8