Barefoot Disciple —— Walking the Way of Passionate Humility -- The Archbishop of Canterbury's Lent Book 2011

The subject of Barefoot Disciple is humility - and what a tricky subject that is. Even to presume to talk about humility seems a little arrogant. And yet, in our very avoidance of the subject, in our dance of I-won't-presume-don't-look-at-me, we betray a deep misunderstanding of what humility really is. It is not the same thing as humiliation; in fact, it is something deeply to be desired. Stephen Cherry opens Barefoot Disciple with an interesting and challenging reflection on that very topic - and an assessment of just how important humility is. Yes, it's important enough to risk be called proud for daring to write a book about it! How is it even possible for us to grow in humility? Cherry approaches that key question in a roundabout way, by first challenging some of our preconceptions about humility. There's a lot more to humility than meets the eye (how appropriate, right?) For one thing, he shows us that humility helps us to achieve more, because it helps us be resilient and try again after a setback: "it is precisely those with a humble attitude who will not be as damaged by failure as those arrogant enough to believe that they should expect to be successful at the first attempt." The challenge, then, that he issues is for us to grow in humility. How is this possible, you might well ask? Certainly not by sheer willpower or direct effort: "For growth in humility does not come through a kind of sanctified self-help programme. Rather it comes from the realization that in the deepest, most important and fundamental matters we do not have the capacity to sort ourselves out. Growth in humility happens through a process not of instruction or education as such, but through openness and vulnerability." Perhaps what I find most intriguing and exciting about Cherry's reflection on humility is his use of the adjective "passionate." At first, "passionate humility" seems like an oxymoron, but Cherry makes a convincing case that humility has depths and power to it that we too often disregard: "Passionate humility is humility with attitude, humility with edge. Passionate humility implies radical openness and costly vulnerability... This sort of humility is assertive and bold... Its concern is not to be modest but to be honest, not to be diffident but to be fully present, not to present the self but to put the self on the line for the kingdom of God." Barefoot Disciple is a book that contains surprises - it doesn't tell you the same old things you expect to hear about humility, but instead guides the reader to look at a very important and too-often-disregarded virtue in a fresh way. A book like this could too easily be abstract, but because Cherry focuses on the practical, with real examples to illustrate his points, the book is very useful as well as interesting. Reading it won't make you humble, but it will help you find ways to open up your heart and your life to allow for the formation of that virtue.

This book follows on very nicely from Barefoot Prayers - written so as to understand and to make the reader think without being too wordy and too intellectual.

This book is a must read. Well written. Powerful. Inspiring. Thank you Dr Cherry!

Very good reflections from different angles of understanding humility from the heart and mind. Some good quotes and research. Gets a little redundant and even off track from the topic in middle and end. Overall I'm glad I have in my library. I learned from it and that is why I purchased and read.

A gem of a book.

I thought the book was very interesting but started very slow. As i continue to read the book, I found many part which were interesting to read, and for me, as a Christian, they challenged me to grow in my faith. At time, though, I also found it boring and filled with cliches. I wish Mr. Cherry would have sought more depth to his analogy of bare foot Christianity.

What a good book! Such a difficult topic to write about without sounding arrogant or self satisfied, and he manages to avoid both, with an admirable degree of honest self-reflection at the outset. He certainly got my sympathy on this in the first chapter. From there on I found it painful reading for several chapters, because while showing how easy it is to fall short, he certainly makes it clear how and why this happens, and one cannot help but cringe in reflection of one's own failures and failings. At least one begins to understand them better. There's an excellent chapter on grumbling - what is really going on when we grumble, and why it is so corrosive of our relationships, and so self-destructive. Ouch! I think this is really well done - no criticism of the reader or the reader's possible attitudes, just a gentle but firm analysis of what grumbling is and what happens when you do it. There is a lovely exploration of seeing the new - in people, places, cultures and ideas - beautifully connected to the awareness of who we are as people and how we pay attention and open ourselves to new possibilities, and how we change and enlarge ourselves in the process. I loved the stories he wove through the text of his own experiences - these were so helpful, and I resonated with so many of them. The luggage on the bus and the anxiety about losing it, and what a burden one lugs around with one worrying about all one's possessions. How painfully true. I thought this was a really excellent book and am so pleased to have found it, and feel I have grown just a little by being challenged and made to think about bits of myself I am not very proud of. Looking forward to his next book now!

Love the book!! This is a book for savoring every word and thought, which will take one deeper into soul searching. Highly recommend.

World of Books is always excellent

This book is great in Lent. It is good to read a chapter and discuss what you have found and learnt from the book. What surprised you an what disturbed you.

The subject of Barefoot Disciple is humility - and what a tricky subject that is. Even to presume to talk about humility seems a little arrogant. And yet, in our very avoidance of the subject, in our dance of I-won't-presume-don't-look-at-me, we betray a deep misunderstanding of what humility really is. It is not the same thing as humiliation; in fact, it is something deeply to be desired. Stephen Cherry opens Barefoot Disciple with an interesting and challenging reflection on that very topic - and an assessment of just how important humility is. Yes, it's important enough to risk be called proud for daring to write a book about it! How is it even possible for us to grow in humility? Cherry approaches that key question in a roundabout way, by first challenging some of our preconceptions about humility. There's a lot more to humility than meets the eye (how appropriate, right?) For one thing, he shows us that humility helps us to achieve more, because it helps us be resilient and try again after a setback: "it is precisely those with a humble attitude who will not be as damaged by failure as those arrogant enough to believe that they should expect to be successful at the first attempt." The challenge, then, that he issues is for us to grow in humility. How is this possible, you might well ask? Certainly not by sheer willpower or direct effort: "For growth in humility does not come through a kind of sanctified self-help programme. Rather it comes from the realization that in the deepest, most important and fundamental matters we do not have the capacity to sort ourselves out. Growth in humility happens through a process not of instruction or education as such, but through openness and vulnerability." Perhaps what I find most intriguing and exciting about Cherry's reflection on humility is his use of the adjective "passionate." At first, "passionate humility" seems like an oxymoron, but Cherry makes a convincing case that humility has depths and power to it that we too often disregard: "Passionate humility is humility with attitude, humility with edge. Passionate humility implies radical openness and costly vulnerability... This sort of humility is assertive and bold... Its concern is not to be modest but to be honest, not to be diffident but to be fully present, not to present the self but to put the self on the line for the kingdom of God." Barefoot Disciple is a book that contains surprises - it doesn't tell you the same old things you expect to hear about humility, but instead guides the reader to look at a very important and too-often-disregarded virtue in a fresh way. A book like this could too easily be abstract, but because Cherry focuses on the practical, with real examples to illustrate his points, the book is very useful as well as interesting. Reading it won't make you humble, but it will help you find ways to open up your heart and your life to allow for the formation of that virtue.

Very good reflections from different angles of understanding humility from the heart and mind. Some good quotes and research. Gets a little redundant and even off track from the topic in middle and end. Overall I'm glad I have in my library. I learned from it and that is why I purchased and read.

I thought the book was very interesting but started very slow. As i continue to read the book, I found many part which were interesting to read, and for me, as a Christian, they challenged me to grow in my faith. At time, though, I also found it boring and filled with cliches. I wish Mr. Cherry would have sought more depth to his analogy of bare foot Christianity.

What a good book! Such a difficult topic to write about without sounding arrogant or self satisfied, and he manages to avoid both, with an admirable degree of honest self-reflection at the outset. He certainly got my sympathy on this in the first chapter. From there on I found it painful reading for several chapters, because while showing how easy it is to fall short, he certainly makes it clear how and why this happens, and one cannot help but cringe in reflection of one's own failures and failings. At least one begins to understand them better. There's an excellent chapter on grumbling - what is really going on when we grumble, and why it is so corrosive of our relationships, and so self-destructive. Ouch! I think this is really well done - no criticism of the reader or the reader's possible attitudes, just a gentle but firm analysis of what grumbling is and what happens when you do it. There is a lovely exploration of seeing the new - in people, places, cultures and ideas - beautifully connected to the awareness of who we are as people and how we pay attention and open ourselves to new possibilities, and how we change and enlarge ourselves in the process. I loved the stories he wove through the text of his own experiences - these were so helpful, and I resonated with so many of them. The luggage on the bus and the anxiety about losing it, and what a burden one lugs around with one worrying about all one's possessions. How painfully true. I thought this was a really excellent book and am so pleased to have found it, and feel I have grown just a little by being challenged and made to think about bits of myself I am not very proud of. Looking forward to his next book now!

Love the book!! This is a book for savoring every word and thought, which will take one deeper into soul searching. Highly recommend.