Life's Great Questions
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ISBN-13
9780281075959-grouped
From £9.99
Jean Vanier is a philosopher, writer, religious and moral leader. In 2015 he was awarded the prestigious Templeton Prize. He is the founder of two major international community-based organizations, L’Arche, and Faith & Light, that exist for people with intellectual disabilities. The 135 L’Arche communities in 33 countries and 1,600 Faith & Light communities in 80 countries are living laboratories of human transformation. In and outside of these organizations, he has spent more than four decades as a deeply radical advocate for the poor and the weak in our society.
What is the nature of reality? What are we living for? How can we
love? There is no individual, across time and space, whose feet I would
rather sit at, exploring such questions, than Jean Vanier. And now, in
his ninth decade, he has written this beautiful, searching book in which
he takes us by the hand and walks us through these questions as he has
lived and embodied and grown into them in the course of an extraordinary
life. This book is a gift to us all, as is Jean Vanier himself.
Sentimentality is the great enemy of the good. In this lovely book of
hard-won wisdom, Vanier avoids sentimentality by listening to those
with mental disabilities. Their fears and courage shape Vanier’s soul
and this book may even serve to shape ours as well.
Jean Vanier is a “king of hearts” for our time. Read his beautiful book to
refresh your belief in the gentleness of God, in the goodness of all your
brothers and sisters, and in the beauty of yourself.
Life’s Great Questions is a rare treasure of ‘gold dust,’ liberally scattered
for life’s alert searchers. The reader is enlightened, encouraged, and
informed for ever day encounters with love, suffering, evil, goodness,
and much, much more.
If you long to know what one of the most interesting Christian disciples living today says, with authority, in the face of such questions, then you will love this book. Vanier urges his readers to engage with their own experiences of life, especially the shocking and paradoxical ones, and to find the meaning of life there. This is what Vanier has done himself, and it is the fruit of his experience that is the real joy of this book. As my reading of this book accompanied some days of pastoral visiting, I found myself referring to it again and again. From a remarkable life and a profound faith, here is wisdom for the lives we are living. I think that’s recommendation enough.
This book will delight many. Jean Vanier describes the book as having ‘been written with a Catholic bias’, but as being accessible to other denominations or religions. It certainly deserves to be widely read.
This is a profoundly reflective document. Vanier builds on the biblical invitation to “come and see” and , working through the L’Arche and other experiences, how to live with the exhortation “Do not fear”. It affirms his desire to be of service and help change the world.
His reflections on death are among the most simple that is to say profound. The mystery of compost should give us confidence to live experiences, to accept change, to risk loss and to be open to the movement of life. No flirting with words here; no room for misunderstandings.
About
In this major new work, the world-famous philosopher and humanitarian, Jean Vanier, encourages us to examine our faith and spirituality in order to work out our own answers to life's great questions.
‘What is the nature of reality? What are we living for? How can we love? Now, in his ninth decade, [the author] has written this beautiful, searching book in which he takes us by the hand and walks us through these questions as he has lived and embodied and grown into them in the course of an extraordinary life. This book is a gift to us all, as is Jean Vanier himself.
Krista Tippet, creator and host, On Being
‘Jean Vanier has, through all the years of his long life, stepped through the broken doors of the poor and found there community and joy. This book invites us to search for those doors and it assures us that, once we step through them, our restless search will end. We will be home.’
Ronald Rolheiser, from the Foreword
‘Jean Vanier is a “king of hearts” for our time. Read his beautiful book to refresh your belief in the gentleness of God, in the goodness of all your brothers and sisters, and in the beauty of yourself.’
Timothy P. Shriver, Ph.D., Chairman, Special Olympics International
‘What is the nature of reality? What are we living for? How can we love? Now, in his ninth decade, [the author] has written this beautiful, searching book in which he takes us by the hand and walks us through these questions as he has lived and embodied and grown into them in the course of an extraordinary life. This book is a gift to us all, as is Jean Vanier himself.
Krista Tippet, creator and host, On Being
‘Jean Vanier has, through all the years of his long life, stepped through the broken doors of the poor and found there community and joy. This book invites us to search for those doors and it assures us that, once we step through them, our restless search will end. We will be home.’
Ronald Rolheiser, from the Foreword
‘Jean Vanier is a “king of hearts” for our time. Read his beautiful book to refresh your belief in the gentleness of God, in the goodness of all your brothers and sisters, and in the beauty of yourself.’
Timothy P. Shriver, Ph.D., Chairman, Special Olympics International
Author
Jean Vanier is a philosopher, writer, religious and moral leader. In 2015 he was awarded the prestigious Templeton Prize. He is the founder of two major international community-based organizations, L’Arche, and Faith & Light, that exist for people with intellectual disabilities. The 135 L’Arche communities in 33 countries and 1,600 Faith & Light communities in 80 countries are living laboratories of human transformation. In and outside of these organizations, he has spent more than four decades as a deeply radical advocate for the poor and the weak in our society.
Reviews
What is the nature of reality? What are we living for? How can we
love? There is no individual, across time and space, whose feet I would
rather sit at, exploring such questions, than Jean Vanier. And now, in
his ninth decade, he has written this beautiful, searching book in which
he takes us by the hand and walks us through these questions as he has
lived and embodied and grown into them in the course of an extraordinary
life. This book is a gift to us all, as is Jean Vanier himself.
Sentimentality is the great enemy of the good. In this lovely book of
hard-won wisdom, Vanier avoids sentimentality by listening to those
with mental disabilities. Their fears and courage shape Vanier’s soul
and this book may even serve to shape ours as well.
Jean Vanier is a “king of hearts” for our time. Read his beautiful book to
refresh your belief in the gentleness of God, in the goodness of all your
brothers and sisters, and in the beauty of yourself.
Life’s Great Questions is a rare treasure of ‘gold dust,’ liberally scattered
for life’s alert searchers. The reader is enlightened, encouraged, and
informed for ever day encounters with love, suffering, evil, goodness,
and much, much more.
If you long to know what one of the most interesting Christian disciples living today says, with authority, in the face of such questions, then you will love this book. Vanier urges his readers to engage with their own experiences of life, especially the shocking and paradoxical ones, and to find the meaning of life there. This is what Vanier has done himself, and it is the fruit of his experience that is the real joy of this book. As my reading of this book accompanied some days of pastoral visiting, I found myself referring to it again and again. From a remarkable life and a profound faith, here is wisdom for the lives we are living. I think that’s recommendation enough.
This book will delight many. Jean Vanier describes the book as having ‘been written with a Catholic bias’, but as being accessible to other denominations or religions. It certainly deserves to be widely read.
This is a profoundly reflective document. Vanier builds on the biblical invitation to “come and see” and , working through the L’Arche and other experiences, how to live with the exhortation “Do not fear”. It affirms his desire to be of service and help change the world.
His reflections on death are among the most simple that is to say profound. The mystery of compost should give us confidence to live experiences, to accept change, to risk loss and to be open to the movement of life. No flirting with words here; no room for misunderstandings.
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‘What is the nature of reality? What are we living for? How can we love? Now, in his ninth decade, [the author] has written this beautiful, searching book in which he takes us by the hand and walks us through these questions as he has lived and embodied and grown into them in the course of an extraordinary life. This book is a gift to us all, as is Jean Vanier himself.
Krista Tippet, creator and host, On Being
‘Jean Vanier has, through all the years of his long life, stepped through the broken doors of the poor and found there community and joy. This book invites us to search for those doors and it assures us that, once we step through them, our restless search will end. We will be home.’
Ronald Rolheiser, from the Foreword
‘Jean Vanier is a “king of hearts” for our time. Read his beautiful book to refresh your belief in the gentleness of God, in the goodness of all your brothers and sisters, and in the beauty of yourself.’
Timothy P. Shriver, Ph.D., Chairman, Special Olympics International