Shane Claiborne
The Simple Way
Philadelphia, PA USA
"The real secret is that as we give ourselves to something bigger than ourselves, there’s something in us that ignites."
Career Roadmap
Shane's work combines: Philosophy & Religion, Non-Profit Organizations, and Upholding a Cause and Belief
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
Even as an adult, I still get asked what I'm going to do when I grow up. This is such a pivotal question that's drilled into our society. But I believe it's the wrong question. Life isn't about what you're going to do—it's about who you're becoming. What you do is always changing. Who you're becoming is much more important. That's what people should be focusing on.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Sociology and Youth Ministry
Eastern University
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
I was raised in East Tennessee, which is part of the “Bible Belt,” so I grew up surrounded by religion and Christianity.
2.
Eventually, I realized that the church was more so teaching me what to believe rather than how to live, so I decided I wanted to venture away from home to learn more about truth and love.
3.
I moved to Philadelphia for college and attended Eastern University, where I studied sociology and youth ministry.
4.
Some friends and I travelled to Calcutta, India, to work alongside Mother Theresa—she taught us that there’s work that needs to be done everywhere, so we moved back home to help our own community.
5.
We bought a house in Philadelphia where we live together, share all resources, and do a lot of work to help our neighbors and community.
6.
Our small New Monasticism community grew into a local non-profit called The Simple Way.
7.
I wrote a book, “The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical,” which was published in 2006—it details my experiences and describes what I believe is the true Christian lifestyle.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Peers:
What are you going to do when you grow up?
How I responded:
Even as an adult, I still get asked what I'm going to do when I grow up. This is such a pivotal question that's drilled into our society. But I believe it's the wrong question. Life isn't about what you're going to do—it's about who you're becoming. What you do is always changing. Who you're becoming is much more important. That's what people should be focusing on.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
A fire destroyed our whole block along with The Simple Way house. We lost all of our possessions. It devastated the neighborhood but our community really came together to help each other out and rebuild.