Brennan Manning
Encyclopedia
Brennan Manning is an author, friar, priest, contemplative and speaker.
Born and raised in Depression-era
New York City
, Manning finished high school
, enlisted in the US Marine Corps, and fought in the Korean War
. When Manning returned to the United States, he enrolled at Saint Francis University
in Loretto, Pennsylvania
. Upon his graduation from the seminary in 1963, Manning was ordained to the Franciscan
priesthood.
In the late 1960s, Manning joined the Little Brothers of Jesus
of Charles de Foucauld
, a religious order
committed to an uncloistered, contemplative life among the poor. Manning transported water via donkey, worked as a mason's assistant and a dishwasher in France, was imprisoned (by choice) in Switzerland, and spent six months in a remote cave somewhere in the Zaragoza
desert.
In the 1970s, Manning returned to the US
and began writing after confronting his alcoholism
.
Singer-songwriter Rich Mullins
called his band A Ragamuffin Band
after one of Manning's books. Warren Barfield
's music is also often inspired by Manning, as is the work of singer-songwriter Matthew Perryman Jones
.http://www.myspace.com/mpjmusic
"The greatest single cause of atheism
in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus
with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle," Manning has said. "That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable." This quote appeared in the prelude to dc Talk
's song "What if I Stumble?" It also appeared on an intro track for the Christian metalcore band War of Ages
on its album Fire From the Tomb.
Manning writes of his relationship with his wife to illustrate the believers' need to accept their weaknesses. A person who has experienced the tenderness of God, Manning asserts, will pass that tenderness around to all, without any kind of discrimination.
Manning teaches a message of individualism within a context of Christ. "When I accept in the depth of my being that the ultimate accomplishment of my life is me -- the person I've become and who other persons are because of me -- then living in the wisdom of accepted tenderness is ... a way of life." When a person accepts himself as loved by God, he is liberated from conceptions of "the blood line, the nation, the church, money, ego, entitlement, sexual muscle, security, violence, and the paltry gods of modern life." He rejects the idea of teaching the love of God with limits. "I cling to the God of my experience, whose love beggars belief."
The Church as Mystery
Manning presents the Catholic Church's treatment of married priests. After citing examples, he says that he is "dismayed, infuriated, and heartbroken over its travesty of tenderness." He asserts that "church abuse isn't limited to one denomination." The institutional church, which exists to serve the people of God," he states, "is never to be confused with the church as mystery..." . The Church as Mystery, according to Manning is everyone who is Christ-centered, faithful to the Bible, tender and compassionate. It consists of those "who walk the talk." .
Jesus is the Human Face of God
Manning contrasts the brutality of the institutional church with Jesus treatment of the adulterous woman of John 8:1-11 and of his meeting of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:11-17). He proclaims Jesus as "the human face of God."
Born and raised in Depression-era
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Manning finished high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, enlisted in the US Marine Corps, and fought in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. When Manning returned to the United States, he enrolled at Saint Francis University
Saint Francis University
Saint Francis University is a four-year, coeducational Catholic liberal arts university in Loretto, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1847 and conducted under the tradition of the Franciscan Friars of the Third Order Regular...
in Loretto, Pennsylvania
Loretto, Pennsylvania
Loretto is a borough in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is officially part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area as recognized by the US Census Bureau, but local sources list it as part of the Altoona, Pennsylvania area due to its proximity to...
. Upon his graduation from the seminary in 1963, Manning was ordained to the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
priesthood.
In the late 1960s, Manning joined the Little Brothers of Jesus
Little Brothers of Jesus
The Little Brothers of Jesus is a religious congregation of brothers within the Catholic Church; it is inspired by the life and writings of Blessed Charles de Foucauld...
of Charles de Foucauld
Charles de Foucauld
Charles Eugène de Foucauld was a French Catholic religious and priest living among the Tuareg in the Sahara in Algeria. He was assassinated in 1916 outside the door of the fort he built for protection of the Tuareg and is considered by the Catholic Church to be a martyr...
, a religious order
Religious order
A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of its founder's religious practice. The order is composed of initiates and, in some...
committed to an uncloistered, contemplative life among the poor. Manning transported water via donkey, worked as a mason's assistant and a dishwasher in France, was imprisoned (by choice) in Switzerland, and spent six months in a remote cave somewhere in the Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
desert.
In the 1970s, Manning returned to the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and began writing after confronting his alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
.
Singer-songwriter Rich Mullins
Rich Mullins
Richard Wayne "Rich" Mullins was an American Contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter born in Richmond, Indiana. He had two sisters and two brothers....
called his band A Ragamuffin Band
A Ragamuffin Band
A Ragamuffin Band is a musical group founded by Rich Mullins in 1993, when he gathered friends from other bands to back him on his A Liturgy, A Legacy, & A Ragamuffin Band album. The band continued to record and tour with Mullins, and even carried on after his 1997 death...
after one of Manning's books. Warren Barfield
Warren Barfield
Warren Barfield is a Christian musician.- Personal life :Warren has been married to Megan Barfield since September 1, 2001...
's music is also often inspired by Manning, as is the work of singer-songwriter Matthew Perryman Jones
Matthew Perryman Jones
Matthew Perryman Jones is an American singer-songwriter who currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee.Jones began his career as a singer-songwriter in 1997, playing his first public performances at Eddie's Attic in Decatur, GA...
.http://www.myspace.com/mpjmusic
"The greatest single cause of atheism
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle," Manning has said. "That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable." This quote appeared in the prelude to dc Talk
Dc Talk
DC Talk , is a Grammy-winning Christian rock music trio. The group was formed in Lynchburg, Virginia in 1987 by Toby McKeehan, Michael Tait, and Kevin Max Smith. They have released five major studio albums together: DC Talk , Nu Thang , Free at Last , Jesus Freak , and Supernatural...
's song "What if I Stumble?" It also appeared on an intro track for the Christian metalcore band War of Ages
War of Ages
War of Ages is a Christian metalcore band formed during the summer of 2002 in Erie, Pennsylvania. They have five music videos: "All Consuming Fire", "Stand Your Ground", "Through the Flames", "Strength Within", and "Collapse". Aaron Harkness aka Aaron Martyr made an appearance in Stand your Ground...
on its album Fire From the Tomb.
Marriage
After describing the mistreatment of a married priest, Manning writes that his friends have urged him to seek accommodation from the Roman Catholic authorities regarding his marriage. He has refused to do so. He doesn't want to be a "silent conspirator" in what he considers a "corrupt and corrupting process."Manning writes of his relationship with his wife to illustrate the believers' need to accept their weaknesses. A person who has experienced the tenderness of God, Manning asserts, will pass that tenderness around to all, without any kind of discrimination.
Ideas
Christ-based IndividualismManning teaches a message of individualism within a context of Christ. "When I accept in the depth of my being that the ultimate accomplishment of my life is me -- the person I've become and who other persons are because of me -- then living in the wisdom of accepted tenderness is ... a way of life." When a person accepts himself as loved by God, he is liberated from conceptions of "the blood line, the nation, the church, money, ego, entitlement, sexual muscle, security, violence, and the paltry gods of modern life." He rejects the idea of teaching the love of God with limits. "I cling to the God of my experience, whose love beggars belief."
The Church as Mystery
Manning presents the Catholic Church's treatment of married priests. After citing examples, he says that he is "dismayed, infuriated, and heartbroken over its travesty of tenderness." He asserts that "church abuse isn't limited to one denomination." The institutional church, which exists to serve the people of God," he states, "is never to be confused with the church as mystery..." . The Church as Mystery, according to Manning is everyone who is Christ-centered, faithful to the Bible, tender and compassionate. It consists of those "who walk the talk." .
Jesus is the Human Face of God
Manning contrasts the brutality of the institutional church with Jesus treatment of the adulterous woman of John 8:1-11 and of his meeting of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:11-17). He proclaims Jesus as "the human face of God."