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An Altar in the World: A Geography of Faith

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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.

In recent years, Christians have become more aware that theirs is a faith based in practices--the things we do in the world for the sake of God's beauty, justice and love. In this book, Barbara Brown Taylor opens the language of practice to extend far beyond the walls of the church and directs us to the practices that frame everyday human experience. She finds the divine in all things and invites her readers to intentionally participate in the interplay of the sacred in daily life. In many ways, it is a contemporary version of Brother Lawrence's classic book, "Practicing the Presence of God." As such, Barbara Brown Taylor models how theological reflection is not an arcane or ivory tower exercise. Rather, thinking theologically about our bodies, the ground on which we walk, the laundry that we do, is a holy calling for all people. This is a lovely book, one well-suited for personal growth and for reading groups.

In her memoir called Leaving Church; A Memoir of Faith (2006), Barbara Brown Taylor told her story of how after ministering for nine years on the staff of a large Episcopal church in urban Atlanta, where she had lived half of her adult life, she moved to Clarkesville in northeast Georgia, a town of 1,500 people and two stoplights. The prospect of serving Grace-Calvary Episcopal with its tiny sanctuary that seated 85 people was a dream come true for her, or so she thought. Her passion and competence spelled success, and after five years the church had expanded to four Sunday services. In the process she nearly lost her soul, and so she resigned, left church, and in 1998 took an endowed chair of religion at nearby Piedmont College. Since then she has lived with her husband on a working farm, become a regular speaker of note on the Christian circuit, and continued to write.

For those who might wonder, Taylor might have left church but she has by no means left the faith, and in this book she self-identifies as a Christian. This is an important point because her newest book is not exactly or particularly Christian. This is not a criticism but a simple observation. One of her goals is to abolish the distinctions we make between church and world, sacred and secular, spirit and flesh, body and soul. Any place or thing can mediate the sacred, and so we can make an altar in the world as well as in the church. Taylor draws upon her Christian experiences and tradition, but she also incorporates her knowledge and expertise from having taught a world religions course at Piedmont College for ten years--the Buddhist Eight-Fold Path, the Muslim notion of pilgrimage, rabbinic wisdom from Judaism, or the Sufi mystic poet Rumi. She uses the word "God," but also a semantic range of synonyms like the Real, the Really Real, the Sacred, the Holy, and the divine More.

From these sources and her own experiences Taylor commends twelve spiritual practices, but to call them "spiritual" can be misleading, for most of all she commends a fleshly, embodied spirituality. She writes one chapter each on vision, reverence, incarnation, groundedness, wilderness, community, vocation, sabbath, physical labor, breakthrough, prayer, and benediction. Taylor's book raised a cluster of interesting questions for me. Does an authentic Christian life look any different than a Muslim or Buddhist or deeply spiritual atheist? Should it? Beyond obvious similarities, what are the significant differences? People who follow these twelve spiritual practices will live richer lives, and if that's the case then what, exactly, does the Gospel offer them? More of the same, or something that they cannot hope for anywhere else? I appreciate whatever intention Taylor had to write a "cross-over" book to people who want to be spiritual but not religious, but in the end I wondered if this was just another self-help book by a deeply Christian pilgrim. "Welcome to your own priesthood," she says in her introduction, "practiced at the altar of your own life."

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This is probably the most beautiful book about spirituality I have ever read. The experience of moving through the gorgeous, delicious writing was pure joy. I cried at the end. I was profoundly moved.

The book discusses and the spiritual practices of living, of being alive, in a way that will speak to people of any and every faith, and most especially to people who are more spiritual than religious. Each chapter is a separate essay that can stand alone---written on such things as the Practice of Wearing Skin, the Practice of Getting Lost, the Practice of Pronouncing Blessings, and so much more.

This book will woo you away from being dry and dead and and stuck and bored and open you to being more alive. I seldom say this with such certainty, but I know that it will do the same for you.

Highest recommendation.
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In a recent talk at a book festival, Barbara Brown Taylor said this book was for those who were "church hurt," meaning people who are alienated or even wounded by traditional religion but who nonetheless are looking for spiritual expression and validation.

Those who are weary of empty religious rituals, doctrinal infighting, and exclusive claims to truth will find a sympathetic voice and a reliable guide to an alternative spirituality in Brown's book.

Brown's message that God and spirituality can be found in the practices of everyday life is not new. Her unique perspective comes from having been an Episcopal parish priest and a professor of religion at a small Georgia college. The reader gets the feeling that he is talking with a wise friend in these pages who is descriptive about her own journey rather than prescriptive. Brown does not so much criticize traditional religion (in fact she borrows heavily from her own Christian experience) as much as offer a related but alternative path to some of the same fruit. Thus, a walk in the woods can be as holy as sitting in a church bathed in the glow of stained glass. The strength of the book comes from elevating our awareness, gratitude, and reverence for "everydayness" to that of any traditional worship.

Each chapter,(with titles such as "Reverence," "Community," and "Physical Labor"), is meant to be a set of practices for realizing the divine in ordinary life.

This book succeeds as a warm, wise, and humble reassurance that, as Brown explains, we can find the red X that marks holy ground because we are already standing on it. "An Altar in the World" helps us discover what we are standing on.

Barbara Brown Taylor is a magnificent writer. Her previous book was one of the best ever. It was a deep look into living the called life of a minister. It was called "Leaving Church." Every minister would relate to her. This book is not as good as "Leaving Church" but it is a great one. It deals with spiritual disciplines, but not the major ones that everyone talks about. It deals with the art of slowing down, the goal of blessing others, of taking walks and doing dishes. It is a book of reflective thought on the Christian life. The book deals with the common to make it an uncommon experience of walking with God. Not more time away from life, but more time placing God in life. You routine will be sanctified through this book. Her words have air to them and her thoughts can melt away years of forced spirituality. I love sitting in a corner and reading from this woman.

For anyone reflecting on what it means to practice Christianity in modern times, Altar in the World, An: A Geography of Faith is a must-read. In language that is nearly poetic, Barbara Brown Taylor speaks from the heart on her personal experiences and reflections as a person of faith. In reading the book cover-to-cover (twice), I was mesmerized, transformed.

I always love Barbara Brown Taylor's writing style and this book was no exception. It was thoughtful, witty, honest and engaging. In general, I appreciated what she had to say. However, within the first few pages I was thinking to myself that I could tell this book was written by an introvert. The disciplines she covered were mainly meant to be experienced alone. Even her chapter on community was mostly about the desert fathers, hermits who spent most of their time alone! As a strong extrovert, the book did not resonate as deeply with me because of this aspect, although I still enjoyed reading and thinking about the ideas presented.

I loved the book. It is very direct, very accessible and quietly thrilling. Each chapter focuses on a different spiritual practice; but these involve simple, everyday acts--like walking, hanging laundry or saying hello to someone at the store. This book takes you on a walk through life that makes everything look new--the tedious imbued with value, the mundane an opportunity to transcent. The idea is not entirely new to me, but her practical, specific examples and her stress on learning what you need to know through your spiritual practice, whatever it is, made it all so much more real to me. Practice, and see where it takes you.

This book has stayed with me--creeping in to make me rethink how quickly I move through my tasks every day, checking them off and moving on with as little thought as possible. I question the way I run from one entertainment to the next--always a radio or television on, and maybe a book in my hand at the same time.

My plan is to reread the book more slowly now, with a journal alongside, and take time to focus on each spiritual practice she discusses. There is nothing too mystical or demanding here, just the chance to transform your life by paying attention to it.

This is the type of book that I borrowed from a friend, then bought my own copy to loan out myself. This book could change one's spiritual journey. Those of us who get bogged down in "religious" terms, expectations and tradition could really benefit from having these distractions removed. Barbara Brown Taylor does a great job of simply finding God where she is. By reading and experimenting with some of the spiritual "practices" that she recommends, I have found God in unexpected places, people and circumstances. I also found that reading her book "Leaving the Church" gave me a better understanding of where she was coming from on some of her ideas. I don't think it's necessary to read "Leaving" first, but it would be helpful and keep you from getting distracted by her language and references.