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How can we make the gospel central to our lives?
For decades, Stanley Hauerwas has been provoking Christians with his insistence that if they would only follow their Master, it would impact all areas of life, from the personal to the societal.
The lanky Texan, whom Time magazine dubbed “America’s theologian” for his zinging insights into today’s ethical questions, says Christians should stop bemoaning their loss of cultural and political power and instead welcome their status as outsiders and embrace the radical alternative Jesus has had in mind for them all along.
These accessible readings selected from Hauerwas’s seminal books will introduce a timely, prophetic voice to another generation of followers of Jesus tired of religion as usual.
View Table of ContentsThis is an uncomfortable book. But it has the ring of truth as being faithful to the one who went to the cross and bids us die. Charles E. Moore captures the message of Hauerwas across the years, and articulates an alternate path to quiet discouragement or political captivity. He skillfully edits the readings to make this a seamless composition. … I love these Plough Spiritual Guides. Each one I've read calls me into both an encounter with Christ, and to the life of following him. This one is no exception. If you are discouraged with the state of the contemporary church, pick this up. It will both challenge your heart and capture your imagination.
In his lifechanging book, Jesus Changes Everything, theologian Stanley Hauerwas shows us the difference between those who are “admirers” of Jesus and true “disciples” and how that applies to life in our world today where politics and power make the average Christian feel like an outsider. Mr. Hauerwas writes in a down-to-earth way that anyone can identify with and take something away from. I found something in every chapter that I wanted to write down and use as motivation in my Christian journey. With short chapters, and common sense advice, this is a great book for study groups or devotional reading. I received an advance copy of this book from Plough Publishing and am happily leaving this five-star review.
This is the first book that I have read about writings by theologian Stanley Hauerwas and I must say, it was pleasantly surprising. Not only did it open my eyes to new viewpoints about living the Christian life, but I found his works to be enlightening. I was most struck by the concept presented regarding the difference between being a disciple versus being an admirer of Jesus. As a believer for 50 plus years, I had never even considered this before. I always assumed the two were melded together but Hauerwas gives a different picture. Of course believers admire Jesus and long to be his disciples, but to truly be a disciple of Christ, one must allow every aspect of their being to be permeated by the person of Christ while at the same time loving and supporting his or her community. This was a quick read and I would like to thank Plough publishing for providing me with an advanced reader copy. I would recommend this book to anyone desiring to understand how to live more like Christ.
Even Hauerwas’s biggest fans haven’t seen all of these pieces, and certainly not together in one succinct, portable (and handsome) little volume. If you haven’t read much Hauerwas, this is a great starting point, drawing from many of his most serious and widely-discussed books. It is accessible and brief and powerful.
This book changes everything. Stanley Hauerwas in "Jesus Changes Everything," edited by Charles E. Moore, is able to shed light on the powerful, yet simple, truths of true discipleship. The book is divided into chapters which illuminate Jesus' teachings on discipleship and His kingdom, which is not of this world. Some specific topics include "Our Daily Bread" which focuses on Jesus' admonition to pray only for daily bread. "On Judas' Side" challenges our societal attitudes about money and our relationships with the poor. "Sowing Seeds of Peace" expounds Jesus' teaching of forgiving those who hurt us and the importance of cultivating peace... to forgive as we have been forgiven. As I read, I was challenged to remove myself from the kingdom of this world, the arrogant and self-serving culture to really embrace the principles of Jesus' teaching. Hauerwas is a dynamic teacher who commands attention from his audience. I highly recommend this book. It cannot but change how you see, remove the world's blindness, and make you understand the freedom that comes with living true Christian principles. I'm rereading it. I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
A wonderful collection of updated essays on a variety of topics. It’s like a distilled Hauerwas Reader for anyone interested in tracking Hauerwas’ thinking. As such, this book fills a significant gap in Hauerwas’ work: an engaging and easy to read primer for his work and thought. I will recommend this as where to start from now on. Excellent work by both Stanley Hauerwas and Charles E. Moore. Highly recommend!
Jesus Changes Everything A New World Made Possible by Stanley Hauerwas Those of us not knowledgeable about the intricacies of theological differences, from ancient times to the present, must be thankful for those thinking so hard about Christians’ responses to Christ’s reconciliation for the world. Informed by theological scholarship, Stanley Hauerwas is clear. Following Jesus Christ has great cost, and he does not believe that making the world right relies on individualism or social justice but on a model that is hard to grasp. His words pierce. If we as individuals choose to love, we risk praising our own goodness. Any group movement, from Christian nationalism to secular progressivism will result in pride and its effects, including violence. He calls us to a community of “The Church” that rejects what he calls a benign faith. It does not privilege individualism, the nuclear family, personal identity, or romantic marriage. Disciples of Jesus must reject the trappings of power, be it political, economic, or even religious. He asserts that love is not the central message of Christian community, but discipleship. God’s story, he says, is what transforms us to be capable of love, and offering love and acceptance to a person who is as yet untransformed by Jesus Christ does not show love. “One can now be a ‘Christian’ without having to become Jesus’ disciple.” His statement does not contain the word “nominal,” suggesting a deep divide. The Beatitudes, he says, are not about a better society but are “imaginative examples of life in the kingdom of God” because God’s plan has already worked for reconciliation in the world. This requires a particular kind of community that must learn to rely not only on God but on each other to keep all members faithful to this belief. St. Augustine’s words “Love and do what you will” are not compatible with The Church’s model. It must exist apart, not entangled in the world with its wrongness. Violence and suffering, money and sharing, corruption and a new order must be evaluated in the right way to do the work of reconciliation. His message suggests that there is one way to follow Jesus Christ, and it is the one that Hauerwas believes looks only to the person of Jesus Christ. Yet, he does not clearly identify or explain the core attributes in the person of Jesus Christ with whom we must totally adhere as Christians. He praises Calvin’s statement that being wealthy and redeemed also necessitates being poor in our hearts. But he does not mention Calvin’s theocracy that allowed burning of a perceived heretic, even though Hauerwas describes the model community of The Church as one that will suffer persecution, must be willing to die, but must never kill. Many who come to a variety of churches are searching for acceptance and strength. How do these searchers and those Christians who welcome them connect with the model community of The Church? “Love one another” takes many forms in definition and action. Christ’s voice remains in shared worship, solitary confinement, marriage, and any other circumstance. Yet, it seems that for Hauerwas, The Church’s right reason in response to a suffering world is more important than the compassion that Christ demonstrated throughout his ministry. I recommend the book for thinking and discussion about these hard questions, preferably with a theologian.
I'm new to reading Stanley Hauerwas, although I've seen his work mentioned multiple times in the past. I was given a free copy to review by Plough and was excited to read the book. The book is divided into a series of 25 very short chapters containing a Bible verse or short passage at the beginning and then Hauerwas's reflections on the passage. I believe that the books is a collection of thoughts and material from his other writings. Tish Harrison Warren wrote the Introduction which is followed by a short essay by Charles E. Moore entitled "Who is Stanley Hauerwas?" which provides context on Hauerwas's thoughts and approach. I found the book to be very readable and liked the fact that I could read it in small bites. One could use it as a devotional or a short study. Some of the reflections resonated strongly with me, naming and describing, rip tides in Christianity in the West that I've sensed but haven't been able to identify. There were other reflections that reminded me of who Jesus is and his calling on those who seek to live in the church. There were others that I had trouble digesting as I wasn't sure I was able or perhaps willing to go as far as Hauerwas's conclusions but his thoughts did get me to start thinking about whether I've missed what he is seeing or whether there might be other conclusions to be drawn than he did. Either way I found myself going away and reflecting on what I had read. I think one of the key takeaways, for me, was Hauerwas's conviction that Jesus is about truth, the church is to reflect Jesus's church, not just as a moral ethic or ideal, but to actually reflect Jesus's life to the world and that reflection will result in suffering and persecution as the church holds to truth in a dishonest world. Hauerwas believes that our current western church has some ways to go in holding to Jesus's truth but it is really our only option if we take Jesus at his word. I appreciated Hauerwas's humility and willingness to admit that he didn't always know exactly what a cruciform life would look like but throughout the book it was clear he believed we have to respond to Jesus's call for the church to reflect Jesus's way in a world that insists on other ways. I felt this book was well worth the read and I plan to go back and review the many passages I've highlighted.
For the curious, this collection is a fantastic place to start. Stanley is a provocative writer with substance underneath it - as I was reading this collection, I found myself often nodding my head as I was reminded time and again that following Jesus is supposed to come at a cost and shake things up. Here's hoping this collection introduces him to an entirely new generation.
A wonderful collection of updated essays on a variety of topics. It’s like a mini Hauerwas Reader for anyone interested in tracking Hauerwas’ thinking. As such, this book fills a significant gap in Hauerwas’ work: an engaging and easy to reader primer for his work and thought. I will recommend this as where to start from now on.
I've been reading Stanley Hauerwas for over twenty years. His writings are worth wrestling with. But warning! They might just pull you out of joint. This book is an excellent entry point for anyone seeking to familiarize themselves with the provocative, witty, and incisive perspectives of a man who, to his own surprise, became a "famous" American theologian.
As I read, I was challenged to remove myself from the kingdom of this world, the arrogant and self-serving culture, to embrace the principles of Jesus' teaching. Hauerwas is a dynamic teacher who commands attention from his audience. This book changes how you see, and makes you understand the freedom that comes with living true Christian principles. I'm rereading it.
1. Come, Follow Me
2. Far from Shore
3. The Kingdom in Person
4. Becoming Part of Christ’s Story
5. Love Is Not Enough
6. God’s Possible Impossibility
7. Kingdom Promises
8. Be Perfect
9. Subversive Righteousness
10. God’s New Language
11. Living Truthfully
12. A Community of Charity
13. Family and the Church
14. What about Wealth?
15. Living on Dishonest Wealth
16. Our Daily Bread
17. On Judas’s Side?
18. Habits of Peace
19. No Sword but the Cross
20. A Dangerous Business
21. God’s Imagination
22. The First Task of the Church
23. Jesus Is King
24. Christian Politics
25. The Difference Christ Makes
