Low Anthropology

The Unlikely Key to a Gracious View of Others (and Yourself)

By: David Zahl

Narrated by: David Zahl

Length: 6 hrs

Publisher's summary

Many of us spend our days feeling like we're the only one with problems, while everyone else has their act together. But the sooner we realize that everyone struggles like we do, the sooner we can show grace to ourselves and others.

In Low Anthropology, popular author and theologian David Zahl explores how our ideas about human nature influence our expectations in friendship, work, marriage, and politics. We all go through life with an "anthropology"—an idea about what humans are like, our potentials and our limitations. A high anthropology—thinking optimistically about human nature—can breed perfectionism, anxiety, burnout, loneliness, and resentment. Meanwhile, Zahl invites listeners into a biblically rooted and surprisingly life-giving low anthropology, which fosters hope, deep connection with others, lasting love, vulnerability, compassion, and happiness.

Zahl offers a liberating view of human nature, sin, and grace, showing why the good news of Christianity is both urgent and appealing. By embracing a more accurate view of human beings, listeners will discover a true and lasting hope.

©2022 David Zahl (P)2022 eChristian

A perspective rocking read

Challenges your ideas on how we look at others and ourselves. I enjoyed this audiobook so much that I purchased a hard copy to mark up and go back to review.

The top of the must read for 2022

This makes the top nonfiction book I’ve read this year. Encouraging
Thought provoking
Grounding
Humbling
Exhilarating
Freedom
Grace
There isn’t anything not to love about this book.

Ahhhh, freedom!

I could feel the tightness in my shoulders give way and my jaw unclench as I read David’s words!

Incredible, deeply humble, honest and insightful.

David Zahl helps to re-examine the true church and the human soul’s relationship to God through grace. This book has the potential to help people to connect to others and establish new kinship in nearly every avenue of life through humbleness born of recognition of Grace in one’s most broken moments and how that enables one to see such commonality in others in a fresh new way.

Excellent

Both engaging and lighthearted this book brings big headed academic talk down for the masses. Zahl brings the reader along showing how grace covers the failures of human nature, and mankind’s fallen proclivities, He uses the the perspective of a low anthropology to explain why the Christian view of grace is the needed balm in todays world.

Much-needed paradigm shift

This book is light and hope in a world of stress and pressure. The idea of low anthropology has changed how I see the world, others, and myself- all for the better. Well worth the read.

Optimistic and hopeful without being Pollyanna-ish

Liked the optimism the author provides on how to look at those with whom we may vehemently disagree. I hope more people read this book and apply
to their lives.

Thought provoking

I listened to this in preparation for the author coming to my city tonight to speak about this book and I must say it was well done. I enjoyed the authors examples and openness in arguing his point of how a “low anthropology” is beneficial to one’s life, mental health, and spiritual health. This was a well thought out book that was easy to listen to. I found myself frequently thinking of how his argument could or does apply to my own life. Give it a listen!

Desperately Needed

David Zahl beautifully reminds us that we should never get away from recognizing our desperate need for grace and that everyone else has that need, too.

A really long sermon.

I just didn't jive with this and was bored. not sure if I just couldn't get past the word anthropology, but it seemed like one good idea worth a 20 minute sermon. But it went on and on and on. I got pretty bored about 1 hour in.
Maybe I was lucky enough to be raised surrounded by grace that I didn't understand half the arguments and viewpoints he raised. Maybe useful in a pastoral sense,.