Barefoot Disciple
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'A theological travel book for Lent and well beyond. It powerfully synthesizes values and practices which are often disconnected.' --The Door
'Stories and concrete examples engage the reader's imagination and big theological ideas are articulated in a highly accessible way. A book for lent and well beyond.' --CRUX, March 2011
... profitable for adult Christian disciples wherever they are in their faith journey. --Franiciscan
'Stories and concrete examples engage the reader's imagination and big theological ideas are articulated in a highly accessible way. A book for lent and well beyond.' --CRUX, March 2011
... profitable for adult Christian disciples wherever they are in their faith journey. --Franiciscan
Product Description
This is the rediscovery of genuine, passionate humility as a healthy, life-giving and community-building virtue, capable of transforming our BSE (Blame Someone Else) society. In our celebrity-obsessed culture, humility is unfashionable and too often dismissed or confused with the cringing, false humility of Uriah Heep. Here the author shows that, when genuine humility is energised by real passion, fresh and exciting light is shone on the challenge of following Jesus Christ today and humility is rediscovered as a healthy, life-giving and community-building virtue. Stories and concrete examples as well as allusions to fiction, poetry and art engage the reader's imagination; and big theological ideas are articulated in a highly accessible way. The emphasis on learning from challenging experiences and on very practical application makes this a 'theology travel book', for Lent and well beyond. It powerfully synthesizes values and practices which are often disconnected.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The subject of Barefoot Disciple is humility - and what a tricky subject that is. Even to presume to talk about humility seems a little arrogant. And yet, in our very avoidance of the subject, in our dance of I-won't-presume-don't-look-at-me, we betray a deep misunderstanding of what humility really is. It is not the same thing as humiliation; in fact, it is something deeply to be desired. Stephen Cherry opens Barefoot Disciple with an interesting and challenging reflection on that very topic - and an assessment of just how important humility is. Yes, it's important enough to risk be called proud for daring to write a book about it!
How is it even possible for us to grow in humility? Cherry approaches that key question in a roundabout way, by first challenging some of our preconceptions about humility. There's a lot more to humility than meets the eye (how appropriate, right?) For one thing, he shows us that humility helps us to achieve more, because it helps us be resilient and try again after a setback: "it is precisely those with a humble attitude who will not be as damaged by failure as those arrogant enough to believe that they should expect to be successful at the first attempt."
The challenge, then, that he issues is for us to grow in humility. How is this possible, you might well ask? Certainly not by sheer willpower or direct effort: "For growth in humility does not come through a kind of sanctified self-help programme. Rather it comes from the realization that in the deepest, most important and fundamental matters we do not have the capacity to sort ourselves out. Growth in humility happens through a process not of instruction or education as such, but through openness and vulnerability."
Perhaps what I find most intriguing and exciting about Cherry's reflection on humility is his use of the adjective "passionate." At first, "passionate humility" seems like an oxymoron, but Cherry makes a convincing case that humility has depths and power to it that we too often disregard: "Passionate humility is humility with attitude, humility with edge. Passionate humility implies radical openness and costly vulnerability... This sort of humility is assertive and bold... Its concern is not to be modest but to be honest, not to be diffident but to be fully present, not to present the self but to put the self on the line for the kingdom of God."
Barefoot Disciple is a book that contains surprises - it doesn't tell you the same old things you expect to hear about humility, but instead guides the reader to look at a very important and too-often-disregarded virtue in a fresh way. A book like this could too easily be abstract, but because Cherry focuses on the practical, with real examples to illustrate his points, the book is very useful as well as interesting. Reading it won't make you humble, but it will help you find ways to open up your heart and your life to allow for the formation of that virtue.
How is it even possible for us to grow in humility? Cherry approaches that key question in a roundabout way, by first challenging some of our preconceptions about humility. There's a lot more to humility than meets the eye (how appropriate, right?) For one thing, he shows us that humility helps us to achieve more, because it helps us be resilient and try again after a setback: "it is precisely those with a humble attitude who will not be as damaged by failure as those arrogant enough to believe that they should expect to be successful at the first attempt."
The challenge, then, that he issues is for us to grow in humility. How is this possible, you might well ask? Certainly not by sheer willpower or direct effort: "For growth in humility does not come through a kind of sanctified self-help programme. Rather it comes from the realization that in the deepest, most important and fundamental matters we do not have the capacity to sort ourselves out. Growth in humility happens through a process not of instruction or education as such, but through openness and vulnerability."
Perhaps what I find most intriguing and exciting about Cherry's reflection on humility is his use of the adjective "passionate." At first, "passionate humility" seems like an oxymoron, but Cherry makes a convincing case that humility has depths and power to it that we too often disregard: "Passionate humility is humility with attitude, humility with edge. Passionate humility implies radical openness and costly vulnerability... This sort of humility is assertive and bold... Its concern is not to be modest but to be honest, not to be diffident but to be fully present, not to present the self but to put the self on the line for the kingdom of God."
Barefoot Disciple is a book that contains surprises - it doesn't tell you the same old things you expect to hear about humility, but instead guides the reader to look at a very important and too-often-disregarded virtue in a fresh way. A book like this could too easily be abstract, but because Cherry focuses on the practical, with real examples to illustrate his points, the book is very useful as well as interesting. Reading it won't make you humble, but it will help you find ways to open up your heart and your life to allow for the formation of that virtue.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
What a good book! Such a difficult topic to write about without sounding arrogant or self satisfied, and he manages to avoid both, with an admirable degree of honest self-reflection at the outset. He certainly got my sympathy on this in the first chapter. From there on I found it painful reading for several chapters, because while showing how easy it is to fall short, he certainly makes it clear how and why this happens, and one cannot help but cringe in reflection of one's own failures and failings. At least one begins to understand them better. There's an excellent chapter on grumbling - what is really going on when we grumble, and why it is so corrosive of our relationships, and so self-destructive. Ouch! I think this is really well done - no criticism of the reader or the reader's possible attitudes, just a gentle but firm analysis of what grumbling is and what happens when you do it. There is a lovely exploration of seeing the new - in people, places, cultures and ideas - beautifully connected to the awareness of who we are as people and how we pay attention and open ourselves to new possibilities, and how we change and enlarge ourselves in the process. I loved the stories he wove through the text of his own experiences - these were so helpful, and I resonated with so many of them. The luggage on the bus and the anxiety about losing it, and what a burden one lugs around with one worrying about all one's possessions. How painfully true. I thought this was a really excellent book and am so pleased to have found it, and feel I have grown just a little by being challenged and made to think about bits of myself I am not very proud of. Looking forward to his next book now!
38 of 43 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Whether you are of the Christian faith, another faith, or no faith at all this book has a great deal to teach about the achievement of real fulfillment in all aspects of modern-day life by learning to understand the need for, and meaning of, true humility. The author's energetic, engaging and compassionate style makes the book's message both compelling and accessible.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
barefoot
An interesting little book, a bit disjointed, but makes better sense reading it for the second time. It was very thought provoking especailly during lent
Published 2 months ago by jrc
easy to read thoughtful book
While Stephen Cherry's writing style is clear and easy to follow I did at times find it a little too smooth despite the challenging content, so that I have to re-read certain... Read more
Published 13 months ago by M. Wood
The way up is down
Humility is an elusive virtue. It only comes when our focus is outward and the self is forgotten. This makes it hard to seek but according to Cherry not impossible. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Ashley
Disappointing Read
As recommended reading for Lent I found this book very disappointing. Cherry's style is patronising and arrogant. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Mr S Taylor-Davies
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