Radical Spirit: 12 Ways to Live a Free and Authentic Life

by Joan D. Chittister

Feeling burnt-out from life, strung-out from social media, and put out by a society that always wants more from you? Beloved nun and social activist Joan Chittister, who appeared on Oprah's Super Soul Sunday, offers a practical, character-building, and inspirational guide to help you take control of your emotional life and redirect your spiritual destiny.
Joan Chittister, whom Publishers Weekly calls "one of the most well-known and trusted contemporary spiritual authors," is a rabble-rousing force of nature for social justice, and a passionate proponent of personal faith and spiritual fulfillment. Drawing on little known, ancient teachings of the saints, Sister Joan offers a practical program to help transform our thinking and rebel against our fears, judgments and insecurities.
"Freedom from anxiety, worry, and tensions at home and work, comes when we give ourselves to something greater," she argues. "We need to seek wisdom rather than simply facts, to think before speaking, and in turn create respectful communities." With a series of twelve simple rules for healthy spiritual living, Chittister not only reminds us, but pleads with us, to develop enduring values by shifting our attention to how God wants us to live. This book will teach you how to accomplish this.

Genres: Spirituality, Christian

224 pages, Hardcover

Published April 25, 2017

About the author

Joan Daugherty Chittister, O.S.B., is an American Benedictine nun, theologian, author, and speaker. She has served as Benedictine prioress and Benedictine federation president, president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, and co-chair of the Global Peace Initiative of Women.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book digs deeply into the Rule of Benedict chapter on humility. I admire Sister Joan's wisdom and writing skill. At the same time I found myself wandering while reading, until I would discover a golden nugget. (Which says more about me than the book) Like this: "emotions are a communicable disease. We catch them from one another, but we are each responsible for our own." P. 188. Especially helpful was the summary reflection on each of the "steps" of humility found on Pgs. 198 to 200. So I continue to mine her books for the nuggets.

[Joseph Mole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book I’ll be re-reading for years to come (and I don’t do that often). If more people of faith, including myself, committed to even half of this list of 12 steps toward humility, the world would absolutely be a different place. This is Joan Chittister’s best and most accessible work to date.

[Craig Bergland · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's nice, it's okay, it's not going to shake anybody up. It's safe, and it's tepid, which is what I have come to expect from Joan Chittister. Nothing wrong with it, and it might be just what you need.

[heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Mark Hartland Blimling · Rating 4 out of 5]

fabulous book coming from a great sister that explains old time principles in a modern day thinking.

[Ann Werner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who are You, I God, and who am I?

In this work I have discovered the convergence of Benedictine and Franciscan spirituality.
Better yet, I have more clarity about littleness, about standing tall and remaining small.
I am encouraged to sit still in the midst of drama. Give it over. Trust. Take courage. This work of attaining humility is not for sissies.

[Valerie Campbell Ackroyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good advice

I took too much time reading short bits of this where I should have paid more attention. Thank goodness for highlights, I will be dipping back into this through 2025, re-reading the parts I probably skimmed over. I could never be a Benedictine nun but so much of what Sister Joan talks about is good advice for those of us in the secular world.

[Maria Guillen · Rating 3 out of 5]

read

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Benedictine wisdom from Joan

Humility - the 12 steps are so clearly explained in every day language for today's reader. Truly another great book by Chittister.

[Jean Marie Angelo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find Sister Joan Chittister's writing comforting and hopeful. She has helped to make the Rule of Benedict understandable and applicable to our lives. She also helps with our acceptance of God's grace. I use books like this as daily readers. I pick up in the morning and read a little bit to sustain my prayers and my actions throughout the day.