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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
“I know plenty of people who find God most reliably in books, in buildings, and even in other people. I have found God in all of these places too, but the most reliable meeting place for me has always been creation. Since I first became aware of the Divine Presence in that lit-up field in Kansas, I have known where to go when my own flame is guttering. To lie with my back flat on the fragrant ground is to receive a transfusion of the same power that makes the green blade rise. To remember that I am dirt and to dirt I shall return is to be given my life back again, if only for one present moment at a time.”
“What I noticed at Grace-Calvary is the same thing 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 the neighbor. As a general rule, I would say that human beings never behave more badly toward one another than when they believe they are protecting God. In the words of Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mohandas, 'People of the Book risk putting the book above people.”
“...I had arrived at an understanding of faith that had far more to do with trust than with certainty. I trusted God to be God even if I could not say who God was for sure. I trusted God to sustain the world although I could not say for sure how that happened. I trusted God to hold me and those I loved, in life and in death, without giving me one shred of conclusive evidence that it was so.”
“Stop for one whole day every week, and you will remember what it means to be created in the image of God, who rested on the seventh day not from weariness but from complete freedom. The clear promise is that those who rest like God find themselves free like God, no longer slaves to the thousand compulsions that send others rushing toward their graves.”
This is the fourth book I have read by Taylor. I have always found her writing helpful for my faith life. She is often writing about things I am thinking about already. I seem to pick up her books at just the right time. This book was written about 15 years ago, but it was the right book for me during this pandemic. I think many faithful people are experiencing this health crisis as a turning point in our churches.
I just read that a Pew study determined that only 65% of Americans presently identify as Christian. That number has been shrinking for decades and I believe COVID-19 has negatively affected that number. I believe that the political stance of some Christians has also adversely changed how many view the church. It is not appropriate to hijack my thoughts about Taylor’s book with a political rant, but I went into this book with concerns about where my church is headed. Taylor’s thoughts about her ministry are now whirling around in my head along with all my other concerns. I am grateful that she shared her doubts and concerns. There is no easy fix, but thanks to her I know I am not alone.
“What I noticed at Grace-Calvary is the same thing 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 the neighbor. As a general rule, I would say that human beings never behave more badly toward one another than when they believe they are protecting God. In the words of Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mohandas, 'People of the Book risk putting the book above people.”
“...I had arrived at an understanding of faith that had far more to do with trust than with certainty. I trusted God to be God even if I could not say who God was for sure. I trusted God to sustain the world although I could not say for sure how that happened. I trusted God to hold me and those I loved, in life and in death, without giving me one shred of conclusive evidence that it was so.”
“Stop for one whole day every week, and you will remember what it means to be created in the image of God, who rested on the seventh day not from weariness but from complete freedom. The clear promise is that those who rest like God find themselves free like God, no longer slaves to the thousand compulsions that send others rushing toward their graves.”
This is the fourth book I have read by Taylor. I have always found her writing helpful for my faith life. She is often writing about things I am thinking about already. I seem to pick up her books at just the right time. This book was written about 15 years ago, but it was the right book for me during this pandemic. I think many faithful people are experiencing this health crisis as a turning point in our churches.
I just read that a Pew study determined that only 65% of Americans presently identify as Christian. That number has been shrinking for decades and I believe COVID-19 has negatively affected that number. I believe that the political stance of some Christians has also adversely changed how many view the church. It is not appropriate to hijack my thoughts about Taylor’s book with a political rant, but I went into this book with concerns about where my church is headed. Taylor’s thoughts about her ministry are now whirling around in my head along with all my other concerns. I am grateful that she shared her doubts and concerns. There is no easy fix, but thanks to her I know I am not alone.
I really loved this story of leaving church, particularly how she remains connected to faith and to church too, even as she seeks the work of being fully human. A wonderful reminder to me, as someone in a helping profession, to be mindful of the perils of identifying with vocation over humanness.
Loved, loved, loved this book. She is an amazing writer.
Barbara Brown Taylor never ceases to amaze me with her ability to capture so many emotions surrounding her faith into words. I was skeptical of the book at first, because I am so tied to church and I didn't like the idea that she was "condoning" jumping ship, but that's not what she does here at all and I am glad I read Leaving Church. As a young minister, hearing her story is both encouraging and enlightening, while providing me with a healthy dose of fear for my future. Who knew 200 page book could accomplish so much?
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Brown Taylor's writing is gorgeous, and if I was rating on writing alone I would give this book at least 4 stars. I am not a fan of the title of this book because it feels unnecessarily dramatic and misleading-- this is not the memoir of a woman renouncing her Christian faith. It's the memoir of an ordained Episcopal priest leaving ministry. I thought Brown Taylor had many thought-provoking things to say throughout this book on the topics of faith, church, identity, work/rest, etc. I ended up with many quotes in my quote journal. That said, there were aspects of her theology that were concerning-- things that we generally think of as core tenets of Protestant Christianity. Through her beautiful language I gathered that she doesn't necessarily believe in the total inerrancy and divine inspiration of the Bible, she comes across at least at times as something of a universalist, and there were a few points when she was talking about sensing God's presence in nature that felt a little too close to a mild form of animism. I am also always personally troubled by Christians who feel comfortable leaving the church because the Bible is pretty clear that God is all about his church -- universal -- and I struggle with people who determine that because it's hard or they've been hurt, it's acceptable to just opt out. Nevertheless, I'm very glad to have read this book and will continue to read Brown Taylor's other work. I think she's gifted, and I find that as long as my personal filter is in tact I can appreciate her writing and her perspective.
This was good ... there are lots of good little nuggets of truth, and I really appreciated her candor and honesty. I found the end left me wanting something more. There didn't seem to be any resolution at all - and nothing really tied the beginning to the end. All in all, it was worth reading - and I definitely marked some places to return to for further reflection and thinking.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced