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Ivan Illich was one of the most interesting thinkers of the twentieth century, profound and incapable of being pigeonholed. In this collection of writings one can trace the connection between Illich's radical critiques of bureaucratic, managerial modes of production in both church and state and his deep spiritual sense that vulnerability to God and to other people is necessary for a life that is truly alive. Illich's thought and spirit remain surprisingly relevant in the current cultural context. --William T. Cavanaugh, author of The Myth of Religious Violence: Secular Ideology and the Roots of Modern Conflict

We tend to normalize the teaching of the Gospels, but then someone like Ivan Illich comes along and shows us how radical it is. This collection offers a series of reminders of Illich's ability to surprise us and wrench us out of the ruts that our thinking easily slides into. Whether it is about the Kingdom, virginity, or death, and whether we agree or not, Illich's insights open up new avenues of understanding. --Charles Taylor, author of Multiculturalism and The Politics of Recognition Ivan Illich breaks through the haze of contemporary humanism and unabashedly affirms 'the autonomy of the ludicrous in face of the useful' and the 'spontaneous as opposed to the rationalized and planned.' Carefully read these idiosyncratic essays: they are a bracing antidote to your cherished ways of seeing--and living. --Jerry Brown, governor of California Ivan Illich was one of the most interesting thinkers of the twentieth century, profound and incapable of being pigeonholed. In this collection of writings one can trace the connection between Illich's radical critiques of bureaucratic, managerial modes of production in both church and state and his deep spiritual sense that vulnerability to God and to other people is necessary for a life that is truly alive. Illich's thought and spirit remain surprisingly relevant in the current cultural context. --William T. Cavanaugh, author of The Myth of Religious Violence: Secular Ideology and the Roots of Modern Conflict

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Ivan Illich (1926–2002), a philosopher, theologian, and historian, was considered one of the most important and lucid thinkers of the second half of the twentieth century. He was the author of several books, including Celebration of Awareness, Medical Nemesis, Gender, and In the Vineyard of the Text. He was Visiting Professor of Philosophy and of Science, Technology, and Society at Penn State University in the 1980s and 1990s.

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