All Is Grace

A Ragamuffin Memoir

By: Brennan Manning

Narrated by: Maurice England

Length: 4 hrs

Publisher's Summary

It has been over twenty years since the publication of The Ragamuffin Gospel, a book many claim as the shattering of God's grace into their lives. Since that time, Brennan Manning has been dazzingly faithful in preaching and writing variations on that singular theme, Yes, Abba is very fond of you!

But today the crowds are gone and the lights are dim, the patches on his knees have faded. If he ever was a ragamuffin, truly it is now. In this his final book, Brennan roves back his past, honoring the lives of the people closest to him, family and friends who've known the saint and the sinner, the boy and the man. Far from some chronological timeline, these memories are witness to the truth of life by one who has lived it.

©2011 eChristian, Inc. (P)2011 eChristian, Inc.

shipwrecked at the stable door

I heard Manning speak at a Franciscan youth conference in the mid 1970s-- His message and delivery were technically brilliant, but completely undone by his obvious hung-over state; he was completely inauthentic to my then young ears at a time when I was looking for excuses to turn away from faith. A dozen years later I came across his small but powerful, "Jesus, Stranger to Self Hatred." Out of about 3000 books encountered in my life, it has to be in my top ten for its effect on me.

In many ways I disagree with Manning's theology, he repeated himself in too many books, and his prose can be pompously ragamuffin too -- but he communicates his utter confidence in the unconditional love of God so strongly that none of that matters. Maurice England narrates the memoir well, but I wish Manning could have spoken this, his final book. For me "All Is Grace" serves as closure to that despised performance I witnessed 40 years ago. God writes straight on many hearts through the crooked lines of Manning's life. This four hours is well worth listening, as the man who has described himself as "shipwrecked at the stable" sketches some of those lines.

Why would God love any of us better than others?

Would you try another book from Brennan Manning and/or Maurice England?

The reading of this story was wonderful. But the author's message is that God loves us as we are and NOT just as we should be. So then why doesnt God show each if us that love? Why would any of us have to settle for taking anybody else's word for it? The author might believe that he connected better to God than most but if that were so, than God wouldn't love us as we are. Manning seems to believe that he is entitled to God's special care since he was brutally abused by his mother. But many abused children's prayers for help go unanswered as his mother's did when she was a child, (evinced in his dream). The impact of abuse by his mother was more lasting than the author seem to grasp. He seems to have a low tolerance/ high discomfort around women. I understand he has a huge following but that doesn't change the fact that God does love all of us the same.

Would you ever listen to anything by Brennan Manning again?

Yes.

What about Maurice England’s performance did you like?

His cadence and tone was like warm water poured over my face.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Sadness. False hope.

Any additional comments?

I feel sorry for his exwife and stepchildren. They never had a chance with Manning. And I read that he saw to it that they were well taken care of financially. What about his neglect of them emotionally though? Doesn't he understand what he preaches? Money will take care of them? In light of what he values in his relationship with Jesus ( intimacy), how does he justify neglecting vows to family?

All is Grace

This book is refreshing because it shares the life of a man who has the courage and vulnerability to take off all religious masks and embrace his humanity while also sharing his heart's desire to know God and the grace that works powerfully in his life.

Forgiven hearts forgive

Everyone should read this book. Believe that God loves you just as you are not as you should be. Grace is for the messy.

Vulgar Grace

I say this simply for context but I have grown up in the church, first Protestant and now I’m a Catholic. I have never heard anyone else speak about the Love of God the way Brennan has. Never. It took a couple of times and several years for Ragamuffin Gospel to digest a little. At first I didn’t like it, couldn’t finish it. Then later I would read it and it was shocking. God loves me like that!? Really?! I could see it intellectually and biblically but my heart just couldn’t take it. I had to read it a little at a time, it was too overwhelming. Hearing a preacher say something similar would have been easy to blow off but not Brennan. Several of my friends have had similar experiences as well. In a lot of ways this book is similar. It’s darkness and light are natural and supernatural and not easy to experience. The first time I read the book I was troubled that a hero had lost his way so often. The next time, I saw a lot more of myself in Brennan’s story and saw more of God’s crazy love in our lives. And lately, listening to this book here, I’m more confident that I can have the experiences with God that Brennan had. That God’s vulgar grace is here and now even for sinners like Brennan and I.

All is Grace

Thank you Father for Brennan's life, his incredible story, and the courage to write it.
What is The Tell-Tale sign of a trusting heart.
All I have is thanks and gratitude.

Wonderful.

As a Jew always searching for the understanding of the “Love of Christ”, which I always interpreted as the “Love for Christ”, I felt a bit further down the path. And as a very flawed man, I was full of tears and full of grace. Thank you!

Incredible

Incredible story of a life of perseverance and hope through addiction. Absolute recommendation of this memoir

God's grace is sufficient

A Ragamuffin Memoir was a good read. It gave a great cross-denominational perspective of God's forgiveness and the power of His grace.

Thought Provoking

Reminded me of God's unconditional love and grace. Stirred many feelings. Could not put it down. Thank you Brennan Manning.

A devoted Catholic priest who was also an alcohol

An interesting story with really good narrative, A childhood without love haunted him throughout life

All is Grace is what we all need.

This book reminds us that what we always needed, always need, and forever and always will need is Grace. And this Grace is not only freely available but freely given even before we ask or are aware that we need it. What a Gospel. What a God.