Abba's Child by Brennan Manning
Week 3: Chapter 3 — The Impostor
Read Chapter 3 of Abba's Child. Key Scripture: Luke 15:11–32; Colossians 3:3.
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Manning goes deeper here into the mechanics of the false self — how it forms, how it operates, and why it feels so much safer than the truth.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Manning draws on the work of Thomas Merton's concept of the "false self" — the self built on illusions of who we are apart from God. How does Manning's impostor relate to Merton's false self? What does it mean that the false self is not just a bad behavior but a counterfeit identity?
2.The impostor is often revealed not in moments of obvious sin but in moments of exposure or failure — when we are caught off guard and our carefully managed image cracks. Can you recall a recent moment when your impostor surfaced? What did it look and feel like?
3.Manning notes that the impostor can dress in religious clothing — we can perform spirituality, quote Scripture, and serve the church all while hiding from genuine encounter with God. How do you distinguish between authentic devotion and impostor-religion in your own life?
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