I'm a big fan of Tony Campolo's speaking and Shane Claiborne's writing, so was looking forward to this book, which is effectively a conversation between them covering a vast range of topics including Hell, Islam, Environmentalism, Women, Economics, Homosexuality and much more. The conversational style keeps the book moving at a fast pace. If you have read books by either author before, some of the material will feel familiar, but it remains challenging and thought-provoking.
The title of the book refers to an attempt by the authors and others to find an alternative to the tired and maligned phrase 'evangelical', with a particular focus on the teaching of Jesus (hence the red letters), especially the Sermon on the Mount. I found it particularly interesting when they looked at the differences between the older Red Letter Christians such as Campolo, Ron Sider and Jim Wallis, and the younger generation (Shane Claiborne, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove), and how the emphasis of the former is on direct involvement with politics, whereas the latter are attempting to create a new society in the shell of the old, to provide a glimpse of a new world.
As you would expect in a Tony Campolo book, there are some great stories and challenging quotes from Kierkegaard, and as I often find when reading Shane Claiborne, there were many moments when I found myself thinking 'that's all very good, but is everyone called to do that?' in a way designed to excuse myself from having to radically change my life!
All in all, highly recommended to anyone looking for a challenge. It's very easy to read and it could lead to some serious action and a change of lifestyle!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Red-Letter-Christianity-Living-Matter/dp/1444745387/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357494859&sr=8-1
No comments:
Post a Comment