An Altar in the World: A Geography of Faith - Softcover

Taylor, Barbara Brown

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0061370479 ISBN 13: 9780061370472

Publisher: HarperOne, 2010

Synopsis

Paperback. Pub Date: 2010 02 Pages: 240 in Publisher: HarperOne In her critically acclaimed Leaving Church (a beautiful. Absorbing memoir - The Dallas Morning News) Barbara own Taylor wrote about her experience leaving full-time ministryto become a professor. a decision that stretched the boundaries of her faith. Now. in her stunning follow-up. An Altar in the World. she shares how she learned to encounter God far beyond the walls of the church.Taylor reveals meaningful ways to discover the sacred in the small things we do and see. from simple practices such as walking. working. and prayer. Something as ordinary as hanging clothes on a clothesline becomes an act of meditation if we pay attention to what we're doing and take time to notice the sights. smells. and sounds around us. Making eye contact with the cashier at the grocery store becomes a moment of true human connecti...

About this title

Review:

"Taylor writes fluently, with an eye and ear for the striking image and memorable phrase. Many readers, especially the vast numbers of the "unchurched" but "spiritual," will find support and useful counsel."--Library Journal

"Leaving Church settled it for me that Taylor, as thinker and stylist, ranks with the best. The new book confirms that. . . . This book is not a page-turner. It's a page-lingerer. I wore out a highlighter marking passages I want to read again."--Dallas Morning News

"Taylor serves up beefy soul food.. . . Though she did not write the book to speak to the economic crash, those suffering from lost jobs, homes and status will find plenty to feed thought and faith."--Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"Barbara Brown Taylor is a favorite among church members who struggle to connect the sacred and secular, the heavenly and the earthly. These readers appreciate the candor with which she writes about it."--Raleigh News and Observer

"The author seems simply incapable of writing a bad book. . . . Taylor is a great gift to the Christian church. And this volume, which focuses on spiritual practices, simply adds to her growing reputation."--Kansas City Star

"Taylor's spiritual reflections are original, bringing fresh air to her topics because her spirituality is steeped in everyday life while illuminated by the ancient Christian spiritual tradition."--National Catholic Reporter

"Without denigrating altars in churches, Brown helps us discover and honor all the 'altars in the world'--the red Xs that mark the spot, but that we cannot see because we are standing on them. She does so with a depth that readers will appreciate and savor."----U.S. Catholic

"She's deliberately exploring the turf where our feet hit the floorboards each morning - and where the day takes us into the world. Even if you're not a Christian, you'll find a wise friend in Barbara's book."--Read the Spirit

"[A] lovely book. One of the best-known preachers in the country offers equal amounts of wisdom and erudition spent longing for more meaning, more feeling, more connection."--Booklist

"An Altar in the World is a delight to the eyes, mind and heart, a book I will certainly return to again at a later time, if only to remind myself of the spirituality of everyday living."--America Magazine

From the Back Cover:

In her critically acclaimed Leaving Church ("a beautiful, absorbing memoir"--The Dallas Morning News), Barbara Brown Taylor wrote about her experience leaving full-time ministryto become a professor, a decision that stretched the boundaries of her faith. Now, in her stunning follow-up, An Altar in the World, she shares how she learned to encounter God far beyond the walls of the church.

Taylor reveals meaningful ways to discover the sacred in the small things we do and see, from simple practices such as walking, working, and prayer. Something as ordinary as hanging clothes on a clothesline becomes an act of meditation if we pay attention to what we're doing and take time to notice the sights, smells, and sounds around us. Making eye contact with the cashier at the grocery store becomes a moment of true human connection. Allowing yourself to get lost leads to new discoveries. As we incorporate these practices into our daily lives, we begin to discover altars everywhere we go, in nearly everything we do. Through Taylor's expert guidance and delicate, thought-provoking prose, we learn to live with purpose, pay attention, slow down, and revere the world we live in.

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperOne
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0061370479
• ISBN 13: 9780061370472
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240