The Ragamuffin Gospel (by Brennan Manning)

Apparently 'The Ragamuffin Gospel' was first published in 1990 and is now considered a classic. But I had never previously heard of Brennan Manning. I started to read the book because I was given it... and continued because I was so impressed by the writing, and so very encouraged by the content.

The book is, as the final chapter says, 'unbalanced'. It focuses on God's unconditional love for mankind, and the saving power of Jesus. It tries to help Christians to understand what they mean when they use the oft-quoted phrase about 'saved by grace'.

Most importantly, the author points out that we're all 'ragamuffins'. He deliberately doesn't use the word 'sinners', perhaps because that flows all too easily off the tongue. Instead, the picture of a ragamuffin is used throughout. Someone like Oliver Twist, perhaps: with nothing of beauty, no reason for anyone to care for us, nothing in ourselves that merits attention.

Yet God loves us anyway, with the deep and passionate love of a father. We don't have to do anything to merit his grace. As Philip Yancey says in his book on the same subject: there's nothing we can do that will make God love us more, and nothing we can do that will make God love us less.

Does that mean we can do whatever we like, that our lifestyle doesn't matter? Of course not. Manning doesn't focus on our response, or Christian living, although there are many books which do. Certainly God has standards, and we're called to holiness. But we don't have to strive for it, or struggle in our own strength. We accept God's love, take hold of his hand, and then find ourselves motivated to follow his commands and guidance. Will we ever succeed? Of course not, but every little step in the right direction is worth taking.

All in all, I thought this an excellent book. It is very well-written with an interesting style, including relevant anecdotes now and again, and often inspiring. There weren't any brand new insights, to be sure. But for those struggling with the concept of works vs grace, or caught up in legalistic forms of Christianity, I recommend it most highly.

(Note: you can also read my slightly longer review of 'The Ragamuffin Gospel', written after re-reading this book in 2012)