The Tenderness of God

by Gillian T.W. Ahlgren

Overview

At moments in history, individuals have embodied the gospel message with creativity and passion. One such moment began when a returned veteran named Francis Bernardone found a whole new world in a desolate space just outside Assisi: a leper colony. Drawn to discover the incarnate God, and joined by a collaborator as able and determined as he, Francis and Clare of Assisi's desire to live authentically in gospel simplicity ushered in a revolutionary sensitivity to the presence of God within the human community.

Today, eight hundred years later, the first pope to take the name Francis invites us to engage the "revolution of tenderness" to which we are "summoned by the God who became flesh." The example of Pope Francis gives us a new and vivid sense of just how compelling radical sincerity and reverent encounter with others can be. Capitalizing on the legacy of Francis and Clare and the energy of a visionary pope who raises critical questions about how to be faithful to the gospel, The Tenderness of God invites readers into a rich conversation across time and space about how to recapture our humanity and nurture our God-given capacity to live meaningfully and joyfully in communion with others.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781506410524
Publisher:	1517 Media
Publication date:	01/01/2017
Pages:	180
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.50(d)

Table of Contents

Introduction xi

A Few Words about My Approach xv

1 Becoming a Pilgrim People: Journeying Together 1

2 Searching for Meaning: Disruption and the Need for Connection 13

3 Touched by Tenderness: Encountering God 31

4 The Revolution of Tenderness: Practicing Misericordia and Communia 93

5 Cultivating Tenderness: The Ground of Our Belonging 103

6 Manifesting Tenderness: The Invitation for Today 129

Epilogue: Let the Revolution Begin! 149

Bibliography 153

Index of Names and Places 159

Index of Subjects 163