Richard Francis Xavier Manning, known as Brennan Manning (April 27, 1934 â€" April 12, 2013) was an American author, laicized priest, and public speaker. He is best known for his bestselling book The Ragamuffin Gospel.
Biography
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. After returning to the United States, he enrolled at Saint Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania. Upon his graduation from the seminary in 1963, Manning was ordained a Franciscan priest.
In the late 1960s, Manning joined the Little Brothers of Jesus of Charles de Foucauld, a religious institute 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 United States and began writing after confronting his alcoholism.
Singer-songwriter Rich Mullins named 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.
The following 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.
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. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.
Bibliography
- Manning, Brennan (1970), Gentle Revolutionaries .
- Souvenirs of Solitude, 1979
- Stranger to Self-Hatred, 1981
- Parable of William Juan, 1985
- Prophets & Lovers: In Search of the Holy Spirit, 1985
- Lion and Lamb/the Relentless Tenderness of Jesus, 1986
- The Signature of Jesus, 1988
- â€"â€"â€" (2005) [1990], The Ragamuffin Gospel .
- Abba's Child: The Cry of the Heart for Intimate Belonging, 1994 (NavPress)
- The Signature of Jesus, 1996
- The Boy Who Cried Abba: A Parable of Trust and Acceptance, 1996
- Reflections for Ragamuffins: Daily Devotions from the Writings of Brennan Manning, 1998
- Ruthless Trust: The Ragamuffin's Path to God, 2001
- Rich Mullins: An Arrow Pointing to Heaven, 2001 (foreword only)
- â€"â€"â€" (2002), The Wisdom of Tenderness: What Happens When God's Fierce Mercy Transforms Our Lives, New York: HarperOne, p. 179, ISBN 978-0-06-072446-7Â
- The Journey of the Prodigal: A Parable of Sin and Redemption, 2002 (b)
- A Glimpse of Jesus: The Stranger to Self-Hatred, 2003
- Posers, Fakers, and Wannabes: Unmasking the Real You, 2003
- The Importance of Being Foolish: How to think like Jesus 2006
- The Furious Longing of God, 2009
- Souvenirs of Solitude: Finding Rest in Abba's Embrace, 2009 (2nd Ed, NavPress)
- Patched Together: A Story of My Story, 2010
- All Is Grace: A Ragamuffin Memoir, 2011
Filmography
- Brennan, 2016
- Ragamuffin, 2014 (portrayed by Charles Lawlor)
References
External links
- Official website
- Brennan Manning Live At Woodcrest on YouTube
- Brennan Manning Sermon: Kingdom Works 1999 Video on YouTube
