Brennan Manning was a popular Christian author, speaker, and former priest who inspired many people with his message of God’s grace for the broken and messy. He wrote several books, including his bestseller The Ragamuffin Gospel, which challenged the religious and legalistic views of Christianity. He also had a personal friendship with singer Rich Mullins, who named his band after Manning’s book.
However, Manning also had a long and painful struggle with alcoholism, which affected his health, his marriage, and his ministry. He was honest about his failures and weaknesses, and he often said that he was a ragamuffin who needed God’s mercy every day.
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What is Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome?
Manning died on April 12, 2013, in New Orleans at the age of 79. According to Wikipedia, he died of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that is caused by a deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B1) in the brain. This condition can be triggered by chronic alcohol abuse, which prevents the body from absorbing enough thiamine from food.
Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome has two stages: Wernicke’s encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s psychosis. The first stage affects the nervous system and causes symptoms such as confusion, lack of coordination, and eye problems. The second stage affects the memory and causes symptoms such as amnesia, confabulation (making up stories), and apathy.
According to Mayo Clinic, Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome can be treated with thiamine injections or oral supplements, but the damage to the brain may be irreversible. Some people may recover partially or fully, while others may need long-term care or assistance.
How Did Manning Cope with His Alcoholism?
Manning admitted that he was an alcoholic in his memoir All Is Grace, which was published in 2011. He wrote that he started drinking when he was a teenager, and that he continued to drink throughout his life, even after becoming a priest and a writer. He said that he used alcohol to cope with his loneliness, insecurity, and depression.
Manning also wrote that he tried to quit drinking several times, but he always relapsed. He entered rehab at the Hazelden Foundation in Minnesota in 1975, but he did not fully face his addiction or his lying tendencies. He had two more relapses in 1980 and 1993, which cost him his marriage and his reputation.
Manning said that he was sober for the last ten years of his life, but he also said that he was dying of a disease caused by his alcoholism. He called it “wet brain”, which is another name for Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.
Despite his alcoholism and its consequences, Manning never gave up on his faith or his ministry. He said that he experienced God’s love and grace in a personal way, and that he wanted to share it with others who felt unworthy or unloved. He said that God loves us as we are, not as we should be.
Manning wrote many books that explored the themes of grace, forgiveness, trust, and intimacy with God. Some of his most famous books are The Ragamuffin Gospel, Abba’s Child, The Signature of Jesus, and Ruthless Trust. He also traveled around the world to speak at churches, conferences, and retreats. He influenced many Christian musicians and authors, such as Michael Card, Philip Yancey, Brennan Manning – Wikipedia, DC Talk, War of Ages, and many others.
Manning was known for his honesty, humility, humor, and passion. He often quoted this statement from his book The Ragamuffin Gospel: “The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips then walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.”
What Can We Learn from Brennan Manning?
Brennan Manning was not a perfect Christian. He was a flawed human being who made many mistakes and suffered many consequences. He was a ragamuffin who needed God’s grace every day.
But he was also a beloved child of God who experienced God’s grace every day. He was a faithful servant of God who shared God’s grace with others. He was a ragamuffin who loved God with all his heart.
We can learn from Brennan Manning that we are all ragamuffins who need God’s grace every day. We can learn that God loves us as we are, not as we should be. We can learn that God’s grace is not cheap, but free, and that it can transform our lives. We can learn that God’s grace is for everyone, even for the broken and messy.
We can also learn from Brennan Manning that we should be honest about our struggles and weaknesses, and that we should seek help when we need it. We can learn that we should not judge others or ourselves by our performance or appearance, but by God’s love and acceptance. We can learn that we should not hide our faults or failures, but confess them and receive God’s forgiveness and healing.
We can also learn from Brennan Manning that we should share God’s grace with others, especially with those who feel unworthy or unloved. We can learn that we should not be ashamed of the gospel, but proclaim it with joy and conviction. We can learn that we should not be afraid of the world, but love it with compassion and courage.
Brennan Manning died of a rare brain disorder, but he lived by a powerful message of grace. He was a ragamuffin who died in the arms of his Abba. He was a ragamuffin who showed us how to live by grace.
