Altar in the World, An: A Geography of Faith
by Barbara Brown Taylor
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Book Summary Information
Author: Barbara Brown TaylorEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-02-10
ISBN: 0061370460
Number of pages: 240
Publisher: HarperOne
Book Reviews of Altar in the World, An: A Geography of Faith
Book Review: Getting To "No": The Joy Of Reading Barbara Brown Taylor
Summary: 5 Stars
Barbara Brown Taylor, Episcopal priest, professor of religion, and author of LEAVING CHURCH, a book that resonated with many of us, in her latest work, AN ALTAR IN THE WORLD, does what she does so well: she gives advice and counsel to those both inside and outside the church on how to become more human and have a richer spiritual life. She reminds us that we need not travel to the shrines of seers in foreign lands but rather that we cannot see the red X that will free us because we are standing on it. In 12 chapters the author covers vision, reference, the Sabbath, physical labor, vocation, prayer-- a different topic for each chapter. One of the things so endearing about Taylor's writing is that she is so brutally honest about herself, revealing details about her life that many people would never talk about: that she shakes hands like a man, that she may like Bombay Sapphire gin martinis too much, that she is a "rotten" godmother, for instance. The most surprising thing I learned about her is that Taylor considers herself an introvert. I would never have suspected that. In addition to her forthrightness, Taylor, an English major somewhere in her studies, always writes eloquently so it is easy to wallow in her words. She is just as much at home quoting Wendell Berry or Rumi as the Old Testament character Job. There are so many beautiful passages here chockfull of truths: her account of when she was seven, watching falling stars with her father from whom she learned reverence as well as her description of the first church she loved, in the Ohio countryside, where the pastor "was the first adult who looked me in the eyes and listened to what I said. He was the first to tuck God's pillow under my head." (You can tip your hat to that image as it is so beautiful!) Many of us were fortunate to have such a person in our lives as well. And we could pick out of a church lineup-- or maybe not-- the lone woman Taylor encountered polishing silver in the sacristy at a church in Alabama merely by Taylor's description of her as a "pulled-together woman."
Although the author gives a whole litany of the things that Episcopalians bless ("The Episcopalins are fools for blessing things"), she left off pets and fleets of ships. (I'm not sure, however, that I'm ready to bless my bathroom or read a poem aloud to a tree yet.) But Taylor is not about words but practices, encouraging her readers to get off the porch-- except on Sabbath-- and do something. She is dead on in her comments that we should at least make eye contact with the grocery store cashier (we don't have to invite her to dinner) and learn to say "no," in my favorite chapter: "The Practice of Saying No: Sabbath." Her admonishment that we do absolutely nothing on the Sabbath, not even driving our cars or turning on our computers, is well worth trying to do. We are so busy that we miss what is really important. Finally, Taylor via Brother David Steindl-Rast, an Austrian Benedictine, "recognizes the sacramental value of a homegrown tomato sandwich." For that statement alone, they both can be my spiritual advisors.
Whether you worship within a community or, in the words of Emily Dickinson, "keep the Sabbath staying at home"-- or keep the Sabbath not at all-- you will find much truth here, that if followed, should make you come closer to being a human being, or as Taylor says, "should "give you more meaning, more feeling, more connection, more life."
AN ALTAR IN THE WORLD cries out to be mulled over again and again. Of course reading this writer is always a joy.
Summary of Altar in the World, An: A Geography of Faith
In LEAVING CHURCH, we followed Barbara Brown Taylor as she left full-time ministry to become a university professor, a decision that allowed her to discover new ways to -keep the faith- outside the orthodox Christian box. Now, in AN ALTAR IN THE WORLD, Taylor shares how she developed new skills for encountering God far beyond the walls of the church. From simple practices (walking, working, getting lost) to deep meditations (on prayer, giving blessings, and on having skin), each chapter reveals meaningful ways to find the sacred in the small things we do and see. Through her expert guidance, we learn to live with purpose, pay attention, slow down, and revere the world we live in. As proven by the success of books like Eat, Pray, Love, Grace (Eventually), and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, American women crave personal stories about finding oneself in the world. AN ALTAR IN THE WORLD speaks directly to this audience and Taylor-s delicate, thought-provoking prose will appeal to anyone seeking more meaning and spirituality in their everyday lives.Episcopalian Books
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