The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Ragamuffin Gospel
Book Review: It's a good book
Summary: 4 Stars
I've met Brennan several times and read his books. He's rough around the edges, but isn't that the point? We're all rough around the edges - ragamuffins, every one. And yet God loves us anyway.Some people sin in public, some in private. If you don't believe in the concept of sin, you probably won't like this book. If you don't believe in God, you probably won't like this book. If you believe that you have to 'behave' in order for God to love you - well, I think that's why Brennan wrote this book.
It seems to me that Brennan isn't saying we shouldn't behave. Of course we should behave. But we don't have to behave in order for God to love us. If you have children, you know exactly what he means.
Book Review: Jumbled Theology
Summary: 1 Stars
I had high expectations for this book. I sincerely enjoyed reading the first few chapters, and I found it thought-provoking. But as the book progressed, I had serious doctrinal problems with Manning's interpretation of scripture.
While I agree that God's grace is incredible and unfailing to those who ask for it, the book never once says that you should stop sinning. Manning seems to write off a number of sins, even calling into question people who proudly stay away from sin ("Your halo is too tight!"). There is no call to holiness; there is no Jesus saying, "Go and sin no more." As far as Manning is concerned, we are all ragamuffins and we always will be, so whether you sin or don't sin, it's inconsequential so long as you realize you're a sinner. That is not the Gospel I know. Yes, we are sinners, saved by amazing Grace, but no, that doesn't give us license to keep sinning - even if God will continue to forgive us. Manning proved gravely problematic when he made absolutely no attempt to say that we must strive to be free from sin or to avoid it. The result was a mesh of doctrine with no clear-cut lines and very little distinction between right or wrong.
Book Review: Life changing,Indeed!
Summary: 5 Stars
I first read this over ten years ago and it blew me away. Still does. It's hard to keep a copy in the house, because I've probably given away 30 copies to friends and aquaintences. This book totally changed my concept on the gospel of grace. It's a joy to live in the freedom of being a "ragamuffin." All roads in this book point to Christ as the key to understanding and living in HIS light. Thanks Brennan for this extraordinary book.Book Review: Long On Subject - Short On Application
Summary: 3 Stars
I seem to fall somewhere in the middle between the follower and the naysayer in regards to the Ragamuffin Gospel. I would not say that the book changed my life, but I will say the grace of which Manning writes has so I never mind reading more reflections on it. I have read accusations of universalism and mysticism in his writing, but cannot see clear distinctions of either in Ragamuffin.
A novel angle (or rather new to me) that I took away from reading Ragamuffin is in relation to the concept of being "seized by the power of a great affection." At this point in the Christian world it seems I meet people who are either silly with emotion or passionlessly stoic. Learning more about Christ, the Gospel, and grace should fill us with great motivating passion. True understanding of these concepts removes despair despite our failure to achieve right living but it doesn't remove the desire to achieve it! If we are truly "seized" by the grace (great affection) of Christ it is by that "power" that our life is based and gets its meaning.
Galatians 2:20 says "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Clearly the gospel is for living in the here as well as in eternity. We are not "saved by grace" only to be "perfected by works".
Jerry Bridges has written..."So sanctification involves hard work and dependence
on Christ; what I call dependent effort. And it will always mean we are dissatisfied with our performance. For a growing Christian, desire will always outstrip performance or, at least, perceived performance. What is it then that will keep us going in the face of this tension between desire and performance? The answer is the gospel. It is the assurance in the gospel that we have indeed died to the guilt of sin and that there is no condemnation for us in Christ Jesus that will motivate us and keep us going even in the face of this tension"
I did not get a feel for this tension in Ragamuffin.
Book Review: Love and Grace
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of my favorite books of all time. It puts grace in perspective, when so often we as humans get caught up in trying to follow laws. God's grace is so often overlooked, but not in this book. Thanks Brennan.