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An Altar In The World: A Geography Of Faith (2009)

by Barbara Brown Taylor(Favorite Author)

4.3 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

0061370460 (ISBN13: 9780061370465)

languge

English

genre

Memoir & Autobiography

publisher

HarperOne

review 1: This was, in many ways, a game-changer for me. Learning how to slow down, actually see what's around me, and realize that all of it is from God-which makes it holy-is difficult to do in my day-to-day. And, yet. Such simplicity, in the encouragement to practice being. The recurring thought centered around the theme of "matter matters to God." This is a complicated statement because it is not a common belief in Western thought. Here is a perfect example: as BBT was discussing the idea of Benediction, she shares a housewarming prayer that is specifically directed to the bathroom. This seems so silly. And, yet. So, here it is: "O holy God, in the incarnation of your Son our Lord you made our flesh the instrument of your self-revelation: Give us a proper respect and reverence f... moreor our mortal bodies, keeping them clean and fair, whole and sound; that, glorifying you in them, we may confidently await our being clothed upon with spiritual bodies, when that which is mortal is transformed by life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."I mean, really, does God care about what really goes on in our bathrooms? Yes. I believe He does. When we are sick, cleaning, getting ready for bed, we should be aware of what our bodies are capable of and WHO created them. Amazing, right?
review 2: For as much as I enjoyed Leaving Church by Barbara Brown Taylor, I enjoyed this book even more. Here Taylor explores a dozen ways in which we "wake up to God" in our everyday lives. She maintains that we can find altars to worship God all around us if just take the time to recognize God's presence. Like Moses, we stand on holy ground when we see the hand of God before us. The topics she explores are vision, reverence, incarnation, groundedness, wilderness, community, vocation, sabbath, physical labor, breakthrough, prayer and benediction. Her ideas and insights are like a drink of cool water on a hot day - you linger over the ideas and consider how to apply these insights in your own life. I particularly liked her point that we experience God through our physical body and that "matter matters to God". Our experience of this world is first and foremost through it's physical reality and our physical senses. God loves our body so much that he plans to resurrect it. Greater appreciation of God's love for each of his children not only leads to greater love for ourselves but to greater love for every individual in our life and reverence for all of His creation. less

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