Metanoia: The Shape of the Christian Life

by John of Taizé

How can one live an authentically Christian life? Although many books and articles delineate the content of the Gospel message, the form or shape of an existence based on faith has not been studied as thoroughly. To use a language correctly, it is not enough to know the vocabulary; one must have a good grasp of its grammar. This book attempts to deepen our knowledge of the grammar of the Christian life starting from the notion of metanoia . Generally translated as “repentance” or “conversion,” the word has in fact a much richer it describes a total reorientation and transformation of our being, never accomplished once and for all, through the action of the Spirit of the risen Christ. Metanoia takes us out of our self-centered outlook and our limited and self-interested actions and brings us into God’s today, where we become witnesses to a real Presence, that of the universal Body of Christ.

92 pages, Paperback

Published June 22, 2021

Reviews

[Lou Florio · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book helped bring the Gospel alive in a tangible, acessible way. We often hear the Gospel call as commonly translated in Mark 1:15: “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (NIV translation) Yet, what if a better understanding was to turn back to God rather than a legalistic demand? How might our lives change if we understood this was a not to be a moment of decision but to lead to a liftetime of transformation by the Spirit? What if God didn't just want our desicison but all that we are? Generally translated as "repentance" or "conversion," the word metanoia in Greek has in fact a much richer significance, or so argues Br. John of Taize'. Our spiritual life is a journey with conversion points daily if not moment by moment. Br. John points us to Jesus and encourages us to follow in a hope filled way. I highly recommend this book. It was refreshing for my soul. (I've read it twice since I first picked it up, and I expect to read it again.) I believe it would be a welcome read for clergy and laypersons.

[Elisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5