Relentless Tenderness of Jesus, The [Paperback]

Brennan Manning (Author), Larry Crabb (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2004

Undertakes the impossible task of explaining the two very different sides of the Son of God--his explosive power and his incredible tenderness--and calls us to "adopt the astonishing life of a committ

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

A God you can know

Is God a wrathful judge? A gentle healer? A father? Brother? Friend?

In The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus, Brennan Manning brings you to a deeper understanding of the true nature of God. Through poignant and unforgettable stories and challenging observations, Manning helps you stretch your mind and reject simplistic explanations of who God really is. With rich insights you'll see how God can at once be a roaring lion, pacing the globe and seeking you out; and simultaneously a tender lamb, there to comfort you in any time of need.

A unique experience, this book will forever change the way you think about God.


"As I read these honest, grace-saturated, humbly iconoclastic, distinctly un-sugarcoated but still somehow gentle words, I could taste familiar water, living water that only people who are thirsty for life can enjoy. Read it--and hope again!"
--from the foreword by Larry Crabb


Brennan Manning is a former Franciscan priest and author of a dozen books including the best-selling The Ragamuffin Gospel. He has lived a faithful life of service to others and to God and shares his intellect and love through the words found in this book.

About the Author

Brennan Manning is a best-selling author and spends more than half his time on the road in a ministry of evangelism, directing weeks of parish renewal, retreats and missions. Ordained a Franciscan priest in 1963, he makes his home in New Orleans.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Revell; Revised edition (February 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800793390
• ISBN-13: 978-0800793395
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #108,124 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Brennan Manning is a writer and speaker who leads spiritual retreats for people of all ages and backgrounds. He is the author of more than ten books, including Abba's Child , Ruthless Trust , The Ragamuffin Gospel , and Posers, Fakers, and Wannabes. A resident of New Orleans, he travels extensively in the U.S. and abroad to share the good news of the unconditional love of God.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Message July 20, 2004

By Michael Bird

Format:Paperback

The first comment I have to make is that this book isn't new. It's the ?Lion and Lamb? repackaged. I was part way into reading this when I had to ask myself ?gee, doesn't Brennan have any new stories?? Then, after reading about a prayer breakfast with Reagan, I went to check the copyright date and found that this book was first published back in the eighties. No wonder the stories seemed out of date and no wonder I kept asking myself ?haven't I read this before??

While it's true that there was some additional information added, I felt a bit cheated, after all, I got this book as a Fathers Day gift but I really didn't need it, I already had ?Lion and Lamb? in my collection. Oh well.

Ok, the book, whether we are talking about the current title, or the former, is a good insight into the burning desire the Father has for His children. You and me. Brennan Manning has a way of getting across the fact, over and over again, that God truly and deeply loves us, wants to be close to us, wants to be an intimate part of our daily lives.

There are several chapters here on the true meaning of Christmas. What the baby Jesus really means. What it really means to look at the Christ.

Brennan hits home on many things he says. You won't really read this book without stopping to ask yourself ?Why?? and ?How?? and then thinking it's all impossible at the same time noticing a bit of faith growing and sprouting.

To be fair I must review the writing and style not just the content. It isn't always easy reading, the author, in my opinion, tends to ramble a bit and he doesn't bother to make easy chapter and paragraph breaks and headers. I often get lost in reading his books. To be totally honest, I never finished ?Lion and Lamb? and perhaps that is why I found ?The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus? in my hands. I finished it and got something out of it. But it wasn't always easy.

The message, however, is A+ and 5+ stars. I've heard Brennan speak, and he's a true man of God, a leader, a mystic and a brother in Christ. He has something special to communicate and I highly recommend this and his other works.

19 of 23 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Great book, lousy publishing gimmick August 19, 2005

By Vincent R. Corvaia

Format:Paperback

Manning has never written a bad book, so this is no exception. However, I take great exception to Christian publishers' tactic of reissuing a book under a new title years later with no clue on the cover that this book has appeared before. This book was published as "Lion and Lamb" around 1986, and I didn't realize until I got home that what I was holding was a reissue. It also happened to me with John Guest's "In Search of Certainty" (original title), which was reissued as something else, and a book on contemporary Christian music. I've never seen this happen with secular books. Nevertheless, if you never read "Lion and Lamb," read this book. Manning is one of our sanest Christian writers.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book. March 28, 2005

By Caleb Osborne

Format:Paperback

This book was written by a Catholic Priest that finally discovered the incredible person behind his faith...Jesus!

Manning does a masterful job of describing the personality of Jesus and our relationship to him. He had a background as a writer as well, so his writing style is really a joy to read. (much better than my writing style (that is to say I have none) see my book Christ Through Me at ChristThroughMe.com for evidence) You can definitely tell that He has a lot of wisdom and experience in His spiritual walk.

This book really focuses on the love and (obviously) tenderness of Jesus. Something that I don't think many Christians understand and would do good to read about!

Another thing that I liked about this book was the short exercises at the end of each chapter. To get the most out of it, remember to follow along with the exercises as He suggests in the beginning of the book!