The tenderness of God
Subtitle: reclaiming our humanity
By: Gillian T.W. Ahlgren
Publisher: Fortress Press
Published: 2017
Place of publication: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Language: eng
Number of pages: 168
ISBN-13: 9781506410524
Subjects: Caring; Religious aspects; Humanity; Tenderness (Psychology)
Description: 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.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 153-157) and indexes.
Table of contents: title: A few words about my approach --; title: Becoming a pilgrim people : journeying together --; title: Searching for meaning : disruption and the need for connection --; title: Touched by tenderness : encountering God --; title: The revolution of tenderness : practicing Misericordia and Communio --; title: Cultivating tenderness : the ground of our belonging --; title: Manifesting tenderness : the invitation for today --; title: Epilogue: Let the revolution begin!