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Finding peace
By Jean Vanier. 2003
Peace is not just the work of governments or armies or diplomats, Jean Vanier argues, but the task of each…
one of us. We can all become makers of peace. He shows that ordinary people, unknown and unrecognized, are transforming our world little by little. 2003.Becoming human (CBC Massey lectures)
By Jean Vanier. 1998
Jean Vanier shares his vision for creating a common good that radically changes our communities, our relationships, and ourselves. He…
proposes that by opening ourselves to others, those we perceive as weak, different, or inferior, we can achieve true personal and societal freedom. 1998.Becoming Human (The CBC Massey Lectures)
By Jean Vanier. 2008
Acclaimed as a man "who inspires the world" (Maclean's) and a "nation builder" (Globe and Mail), Jean Vanier has made…
a difference in the lives of countless people -- including those with disabilities and the many young people who have been moved by his life's work. Becoming Human is a modern classic that continues to resonate among the generations. In a world of competition, where the strong dominate the weak, Vanier calls on each one of us to open ourselves to those we perceive as different or inferior. This, he says, is the key to true personal and societal freedom. This 10th anniversary edition includes a new introduction by the author.Made for Happiness: Discovering the Meaning of Life with Aristotle
By Jean Vanier. 2017
This bestselling work is an uplifting and practical look at philosophy and how it can be applied in our everyday…
lives from the author of the international bestseller, Becoming Human.In Made for Happiness, Jean Vanier examines the basis for modern moral philosophy and its role in our lives today. Having discovered through his work with the intellectually disabled the degree to which our society is divided, and our values misplaced, Vanier invites us to read with fresh eyes theories of happiness written 2,400 years ago.The book follows the links between psychology, spirituality, and morality: psychology helps us face our fears and limitations; spirituality gives us strength; and morality helps us to choose the best actions, those that will make us happier, and thus more human. The combination of these paths to knowledge and wisdom gives meaning to our lives and allows us to make the best use of our freedom on our way to happiness.Finding Peace
By Jean Vanier. 2003
One of our deepest human desires and needs is to live in peace. We all yearn for peace, but what…
is it exactly? How do we find it, and how can we bring peace to our lives and our communities? Jean Vanier reflects on recent world events, identifying the sources of conflict and fear within and among individuals, communities, and nations that thwart us in our quest for peace. Peace is not just the work of governments or armies or diplomats, he argues, but the task of each one of us. We can all become makers of peace. We can do our part. And though it's easy to be a love of peace and much more difficult to be a worker for peace, Vanier shows us that ordinary people, unknown and unrecognized, are transforming our world little by little, finding peace in our neighbourhoods and lighting the way to change.Made for happiness: discovering the meaning of life with Aristotle
By Kathryn Spink, Jean Vanier. 2001
What is the meaning of happiness? Is the quest for happiness the true purpose of our lives? Jean Vanier considers…
these questions by examining Aristotle's best-known works in order to map a possible road to happiness. Vanier focuses on Aristotle's belief that a desire for happiness is an innate human drive and involves a virtuous intellectual and spiritual quest. 2001.Living Gently in a Violent World: The Prophetic Witness of Weakness (Resources For Reconciliation)
By Stanley Hauerwas, Jean Vanier. 2018
How are Christians to live in a violent and wounded world? Rather than contending for privilege by wielding power and…
authority, we can witness prophetically from a position of weakness. The church has much to learn from an often-overlooked community—those with disabilities. In this fascinating book, theologian Stanley Hauerwas collaborates with Jean Vanier, founder of the worldwide L'Arche communities. For many years, Hauerwas has reflected on the lives of people with disability, the political significance of community, and how the experience of disability addresses the weaknesses and failures of liberal society. And L'Arche provides a unique model of inclusive community that is underpinned by a deep spirituality and theology. Together, Vanier and Hauerwas carefully explore the contours of a countercultural community that embodies a different way of being and witnesses to a new order—one marked by radical forms of gentleness, peacemaking, and faithfulness. The authors' explorations shed light on what it means to be human and how we are to live. The robust voice of Hauerwas and the gentle words of Vanier offer a synergy of ideas that, if listened to carefully, will lead the church to a fresh practicing of peace, love and friendship. This invigorating conversation is for everyday Christians who desire to live faithfully in a world that is violent and broken. This expanded edition now includes a study guide for individual reflection or group discussion.A Cry Is Heard: My Path To Peace
By Jean Vanier, Francois-Xavier Maigre. 2018
Part Autobiography, part memoir, part call to action to walk a path to unity and peace, this new book by…
L'Arche founder Jean Vanier is profoundly inspiring and filled with hope. Vanier's account of his life revolves around "encountering difference and working constantly to build bridges and not walls: this is the path of peace." Indeed, says Vanier, "A path to unity, fellowship and peace is possible." True freedom grows from loving others and letting ourselves be loved-with all our weaknesses and all our gifts. In meeting those on the margins, we heal our own hearts and are able to work for a transformation of societies.Jean Vanier: Logician of the Heart (People of God)
By Michael Higgins. 2016
Jean Vanier, Winner of the 2015 Templeton Prize and numerous other international and prestigious honors, Jean Vanier lives a radical…
poverty of surrender in a time of fanatical acquisitiveness, economic disparity, and mounting bellicosity among nations. He is a philosopher of the heart, icon of wholeness, and justice activist. Through such key notions as trust, community, relationship, and humility, Vanier has built up a network of service and nurturing growth spanning the globe: the L'Arche Movement. He has advocated for peace in a world that treasures its violence, written extensively about the very meaning of human personhood, and championed sensitivity to the diverse spiritual traditions that make up our world. His remarkable life has included rich friendships with Blessed Mother Teresa, St. John Paul II and Henri Nouwen. Jean Vanier is a man of complexity and formal philosophical training, a scion of a family of national pedigree, and one of the seminal religious and inspirational figures of our time. In this volume, Michael Higgins focuses on Vanier’s many interconnections—personal and conceptual—with the mighty and the humble, the pious and the secular, as well as the young and the seasoned.Tender to the World: Jean Vanier, L'Arche, and the United Church of Canada
By Carolyn Whitney-Brown. 2019
"What is the secret that allows L'Arche to exist? I'll tell you: pleasure!" explains Jean Vanier, founder of the international…
federation of L'Arche communities where people with and without intellectual disabilities share their lives. Vanier's spiritual vision and playful sense of humour shaped L'Arche, but the organization was also informed by its surprising history with the United Church of Canada. In Tender to the World Carolyn Whitney-Brown explores the connections between the two organizations through diverse critical insights from Julia Kristeva, Doreen Massey, and Mikhail Bakhtin, as well as Vanier's controversial articulation of the gift of weakness. Tracing the five-decade relationship between L'Arche and the United Church alongside evolving disability theories, Whitney-Brown examines both the fundamental importance of stories and the agency of people with intellectual disabilities. Inversion – a transformative overturning of expectations in social interactions – can be upsetting or exciting, challenging or inspiring, she argues. This book offers a fresh look at how L'Arche and the United Church have worked to break down walls of difference, illuminating how each tenders something unexpected to the other and to the world. At a time when many are seeking new visions for society, the long and complex relationship between Canada's largest Protestant denomination and L'Arche offers both encouragement and a deeper way to approach questions of living in diverse communities.Tender to the World: Jean Vanier, L'Arche, and the United Church of Canada
By Carolyn Whitney-Brown. 2019
"What is the secret that allows L'Arche to exist? I'll tell you: pleasure!" explains Jean Vanier, founder of the international…
federation of L'Arche communities where people with and without intellectual disabilities share their lives. Vanier's spiritual vision and playful sense of humour shaped L'Arche, but the organization was also informed by its surprising history with the United Church of Canada. In Tender to the World Carolyn Whitney-Brown explores the connections between the two organizations through diverse critical insights from Julia Kristeva, Doreen Massey, and Mikhail Bakhtin, as well as Vanier's controversial articulation of the gift of weakness. Tracing the five-decade relationship between L'Arche and the United Church alongside evolving disability theories, Whitney-Brown examines both the fundamental importance of stories and the agency of people with intellectual disabilities. Inversion - a transformative overturning of expectations in social interactions - can be upsetting or exciting, challenging or inspiring, she argues. This book offers a fresh look at how L'Arche and the United Church have worked to break down walls of difference, illuminating how each tenders something unexpected to the other and to the world. At a time when many are seeking new visions for society, the long and complex relationship between Canada's largest Protestant denomination and L'Arche offers both encouragement and a deeper way to approach questions of living in diverse communities.Called To Community: The Life Jesus Wants For His People
By Fyodor Dostoyevsky, C. S. Lewis, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Richard J. Foster, Thomas Merton, Dorothy Day, Mother Teresa, Søren Kierkegaard, Eugene H. Peterson, Henri J. M. Nouwen, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, Joan Chittister, Jean Vanier, David Janzen, Christine D. Pohl, John M. Perkins, Howard A. Snyder, Eberhard Arnold, Chiara Lubich, Saint Benedict, Charles E. Moore, S Ren Kierkegaard. 2016
Why, in an age of connectivity, are our lives more isolated and fragmented than ever? And what can be done…
about it? The answer lies in the hands of God's people. Increasingly, today's Christians want to be the church, to follow Christ together in daily life. From every corner of society, they are daring to step away from the status quo and respond to Christ's call to share their lives more fully with one another and with others. As they take the plunge, they are discovering the rich, meaningful life that Jesus has in mind for all people, and pointing the church back to its original calling: to be a gathered, united community that demonstrates the transforming love of God. Of course, such a life together with others isn't easy. The selections in this volume are, by and large, written by practitioners-people who have pioneered life in intentional community and have discovered in the nitty-gritty of daily life what it takes to establish, nurture, and sustain a Christian community over the long haul. Whether you have just begun thinking about communal living, are already embarking on sharing life with others, or have been part of a community for many years, the pieces in this collection will encourage, challenge, and strengthen you. The book's fifty-two chapters can be read one a week to ignite meaningful group discussion.