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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
This was a re-read for me. Cannot recommend enough. Taylor is a wordsmith of the highest degree, a truth teller, a salve for the soul. Highly recommend.
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
I really enjoyed this memoir. I appreciated hearing Barbara’s expression of faith through the Episcopalian religion, and the more universalist/humanistic views that she came into through her experiences. There’s a lot of beautiful description and metaphor in here.
Taylor provides an honest account of her faith journey - from a relatively uninvolved childhood, through seminary and ordination, and finally, to her decision to step away from ordained minitry. For those considering the ministry, this book raises important questions about the life that is involved. Taylor is an excellent writer and a thoughtful woman of faith.
Interesting and well written story of a woman's journey into Episcopal priesthood, running a large city parish and then retreating to a country parish, only to fall victim to her own success again in regards to working around the clock, giving everything away while not feeding her own spiritual needs. It ends with her leaving being a parish priest for academia, seeing that as a more balanced life. It seems to me that is just leaving one world of work alcoholism for another, where she can just as easily take those same habits into the walls of the university, but we'll see. I've heard her next book, An Altar in the World, is an even more beautiful book, and sort of takes up where this leaves off - i.e. continuing in active faith out in the world.
challenging
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
I first heard about this author on Jen Hatmaker’s Podcast For The Love. She asks her guests at the end of almost every Podcast episode “Tell us what is saving your life now”. Barbara Brown Taylor shares that this isn’t her own creative sentence but one a host asked her at a church gathering awhile ago. I really like this question and so wanted to learn more about her.
This is her memoir about finding, losing, and keeping her faith. She at the beginning of the book shares with the reader her road traveled to becoming an Episcopalian priest. The second church she comes to lead Grace Calvary Episcopal Church in Clarkesville, GA and where that job takes her in her faith journey.
I put too much undue pressure on this author. I wanted her to help me answer my own faith questions. So I wanted more answers hence my only 4 stars- I know this is unfair to the author. I think she’d tell me that it is for me to find answers on my own. There were several great lines in this book. Here are a couple of my favorites.
Pg 106- ...I notice whenever people aim to solve their conflicts with one another by turning to the Bible: defending the dried ink marks on the page becomes more vital than defending their neighbor.
Pg 217. I know that nine times out of 10, the truth scripture tells is the truth about the human search for God.
This is her memoir about finding, losing, and keeping her faith. She at the beginning of the book shares with the reader her road traveled to becoming an Episcopalian priest. The second church she comes to lead Grace Calvary Episcopal Church in Clarkesville, GA and where that job takes her in her faith journey.
I put too much undue pressure on this author. I wanted her to help me answer my own faith questions. So I wanted more answers hence my only 4 stars- I know this is unfair to the author. I think she’d tell me that it is for me to find answers on my own. There were several great lines in this book. Here are a couple of my favorites.
Pg 106- ...I notice whenever people aim to solve their conflicts with one another by turning to the Bible: defending the dried ink marks on the page becomes more vital than defending their neighbor.
Pg 217. I know that nine times out of 10, the truth scripture tells is the truth about the human search for God.
Although nominally about faith, I found this to be really resonant career advice. I needed to read this book when I did.
inspiring
reflective
I absolutely loved this book. It perfectly captured so many of the emotions I had when I worked in a church and particularly when I left that work. People in positions of leadership in any faith tradition walk a slippery tight rope of setting an example and having all the answers, and yet knowing you can do neither to the level of expectation you place on yourself (and imagine others place on you). While I loved my work at times, I never felt I did enough or was "good" enough.
Taylor captures these struggles perfectly, but what she absolutely nails is the feeling of being untethered and confused when you leave church work. She writes of her journey back to God on a completely different and more honest level. I know that road, but thought I was the only one walking it.
She writes of a faith that makes complete sense to me even as it may not follow the path of traditional Christianity. It was so refreshing to read someone of such stature and respect speak in terms of believing in the mystery and the power while not quite accepting or understanding the details.
My book is heavily underlined and notated and will be a copy I hold on to. Can't wait to read more of her writing and hope she has much more to say on the subject.
Taylor captures these struggles perfectly, but what she absolutely nails is the feeling of being untethered and confused when you leave church work. She writes of her journey back to God on a completely different and more honest level. I know that road, but thought I was the only one walking it.
She writes of a faith that makes complete sense to me even as it may not follow the path of traditional Christianity. It was so refreshing to read someone of such stature and respect speak in terms of believing in the mystery and the power while not quite accepting or understanding the details.
My book is heavily underlined and notated and will be a copy I hold on to. Can't wait to read more of her writing and hope she has much more to say on the subject.