In Befriending the Stranger Jean Vanier reflects on who we are and how we build our communities, and in particular asks, can we be truly compassionate towards others if we are not compassionate towards ourselves? In a series of six meditative pieces, he opens up God’s invitation to us today, in the midst of all the violence and corruption of the world, to create new places of belonging and sharing, of peace and kindness, where each one is loved and accepted with one’s own fragility, abilities and disabilities.
Jean Vanier is a philosopher and theologian. He is the founder of L’Arche International and the winner of the Templeton Prize 2015 which recognises outstanding contributions to spiritual writing and to the spiritual life.