BOOK REVIEW: IRRESISTIBLE REVOLUTION BY SHANE CLAIBORNE (2006)

Shane Claiborne’s Irresistible Revolution is a must for every Christian who wants to be a true follower of Jesus. It is not a book for those who want to settle for a mediocre life. Nor is it for those who want to be extraordinary. Instead, as the subtitle of the book says, it is about “living as an ordinary radical” for Jesus.

No doubt there is a yearning in the church today for a Christian life that shines not just on Sunday but every day of the week. We want to bear witness to the gospel in our everyday life. But we struggle to work out how this can be done. We long to have a sense of community. We run programs that attempt to reach out to our neighbourhood. But often we see relatively little success. Perhaps we are not living out the authentic Christian life? Perhaps what the world sees in us is not exactly what we see in the Gospels?

In Irresistible Revolution we see what an authentic Christian community looks like – one that models Jesus’ incarnational life. We read stories of Christians living among the ghettos in America. We find followers of Jesus dressing the wounds of lepers in Asia. We see Christian communities in impoverished neighbourhoods. We find Christ’s love shine in the “abandoned places of the empire” (as Claiborne puts it), where there are oppression and economic hardships.

Irresistible Revolution is a remarkably well-written and down-to-earth book. Its style appeals especially to young people, but others will find its stories captivating and its message wonderfully refreshing.

Apart from moving stories and adventures in Calcutta, war zones in Iraq, and poor suburbs in America, Claiborne shares accounts of non-violent civil disobedience in solidarity with the poor. Most of the time these accounts are able to earn the reader’s approval because they seem to have happened in the contexts of unjust systems. The reader may recall the fact that Jesus broke the Sabbath to heal the sick. But some readers may prefer a closer examination of certain specific Scriptures, where civil disobedience seems to be discouraged.

Having said that, the book is filled with exceptional insights. Claiborne has the amazing ability to read Scriptures in new light. His insights challenge the traditional way of “doing church”. They are seasoned with love and humility. They will cause discomfort, but can transform us to be better disciples of Jesus.

Here are some quotes from the book: “At first I went on missions trips to ‘take the good news’ to poor people. Then I discovered that they were the ones who brought the good news to me.” (p. 18) “May the whispers of hope reach the ears of hope-hungry people in the shadows of our world.” (p. 314) “What if a fragile world is more attracted to God’s vision of interdependence and sacrificial sharing than to the mirage of independence and materialism?” (p. 21)

Towards the end of the book one may question whether Claiborne is somewhat biased in his selection of Scriptures. But on the whole we are indebted to his insights into biblical truths. Indeed few can question his heart for the gospel and the authentic biblical Christianity he seeks to live out.

Irresistible Revolution is a book not to be missed. Read it and get ready to be changed.

Reviewed by Siu Fung Wu