From beloved writer and renowned preacher Barbara Brown Taylor comes a new collection of stories and sermons of faith, grace, and hope. Taylor, author of the best-selling books Holy Envy and An Altar in the World, among others, finds that when you are the invited guest speaking of faith to people you don't know, one must seek common ground: exploring the central human experience. Full of Taylor's astute observations on the Spirit and the state of the world along with her gentle wit, this collection will inspire Taylor’s fans and preachers alike as she explores faith in all its beauty and complexity.
In this long awaited follow-up to the best-selling An Altar in the World, Barbara Brown Taylor explores ‘the treasures of darkness’ that the Bible speaks about. What can we learn about the ways of God when we cannot see the way ahead, are lost, alone, frightened, not in control or when the world around us seems to have descended into darkness?
In these sermons, Barabra Brown Taylor walks us through the church year from the expectancy of Advent to the fires of Pentecost and beyond. Her themes arise not only from a particular feast or fast, but out of the perennial questions of faith: doubt, grace, anger, and jubilation. These sermons are simply great stories well told.
Published in the UK for the first time, Mixed Blessings is one of Barbara Brown Taylor’s earliest books which helped to establish her reputation as one of the finest spiritual writers in the English language. In a series of reflections on scripture, she considers the startling reality of what it means to be the people of God.
Gospel medicine is Barbara Taylor's metaphor for the healing power of God seen in the active and ongoing restoration of this broken world. In this new collection of sermons she practices the old-fashioned art of gospel home remedies like a true evangelist, summoning with piercing clarity and wit the Old and New Testament stories that have the power to mend our spirits, strengthen our weaknesses, and restore us to wholeness. Scripture comes to life in the contemporary people and places of which Taylor speaks. Georgia apple-growers become God's sharecroppers of the gospel parable; through Mary's embracing of her role as God-bearer we are dared to take risks in our own discipleship; in Jonah's angry stand-off with God we see reflections of our own struggles with a God who is more forgiving than we want him to be; with tender awe after years of waiting Sarah wipes her hands on her apron and goes to tell Abraham she is to bear a child. Through the stories of Scripture, Taylor addresses with moving simplicity the contemporary wounds of anger, abandonment, fear of judgment, and a longing for home, healing, and mercy.
Tells how a renowned preacher left her ministry to rediscover the authentic heart of her faith. A moving reflection on keeping faith amidst the relentless demands of modern life.
“Reading of God's silence in the Bible gives me courage to explore the practice of restraint in preaching—not as a deliberate withholding of God's word nor, I hope, as a rationale for my own reticence, but as a sober reaching for more reverence in the act of public speaking about God.” In these 1997 Lyman Beecher Lectures in Preaching delivered at Yale Divinity School, Barbara Brown Taylor focuses on the task of those who preach and those who hear sermons in a world where people thirst for a word from God. How may we approach this seemingly silent God with due respect, proclaiming the Word without violating the silence, by speaking with restraint? Her first chapter examines the late twentieth-century language with which we talk about God in theology and speak to God in prayer. The second chapter addresses the question of God's communication in Scripture and how the “voice of God” was heard less and less in the land as the centuries progressed. Finally, Taylor explores what the silence of God means for Christians and how we may exercise “homiletical restraint” in speaking of the divine.
Like Annie Dillard's The Writing Life, Taylor emphasizes the holy dimensions of ordinary life and describes the essentials of faith with insight and humor, touching on the vocations, imagination, worship, sacraments, ministry and the Bible as they relate to the life of faith.
As the Israelites received manna as they made their way through the wilderness, so too is God made known to us in the simple things that sustain our lives. With humour and an eye for human stubbornness, Barbara Brown Taylor reflects on moments of divine providence and encounter in the Bible, from the stories of Moses and Daniel to the Book of Acts.
In this highly acclaimed and lyrical modern classic, bestselling author Barbara Brown Taylor reveals the countless ways we can discover divine depths in the small things we do and see every day. While people will often go to extraordinary lengths in search of a 'spiritual experience', she shows that the stuff of our everyday lives is a holy ground where we can encounter God at every turn. For her, as for Jacob in the Genesis story, even barren, empty deserts can become "the house of God and the gate of heaven", places where a ladder of angels connects heaven to earth and earth to heaven. An Altar in the World reveals concrete ways to discover the sacred in such ordinary occurrences as hanging out the washing, doing the supermarket shop, feeding an animal, or losing our way. It will transform our understanding of ourselves and the world we live in, and renew our sense of wonder at the extraordinary gift of life.
If Only You Knew (My Story) is a personal memoir written by Barbara Brown-White who shares her story of how God supplies all of her daily and spiritual needs. She shares with her readers how God brought her though many of life's crises. What might have portrayed to those in her daily surroundings as public smiles were often private tears. In our lives everyone at one time or another will face difficult moments. In her book she offers encouragement to those who have gone though or experiencing difficult moments in their lives. She shared how God has enriched her life by bringing her through many difficult obstacles such as battling a brain tumor for years and loosing loved ones. Also being able to obtain A. A. in Business, Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and a M. A. in Secondary Education she did not let anything deter her from her goals. She shares with her audience how God placed many caring individuals in her life to help her get through the most difficult moments. She also explains how going through difficult times helped her to grow spiritually. She shares how she has learned to trust and depend on God for all of her needs. She gives all praise and glory to God.
“In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." â€"Matthew 2:1â€"2 This enchanting Christmas story by beloved author and preacher Barbara Brown Taylor follows the three wise men on their world-changing journey to Bethlehem. In this beautiful retelling of their adventure, Taylor captures the power of one very special star and gives readers a new perspective on the three wise men and their encounters with King Herod, Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus. Home by Another Way: A Christmas Story features breathtaking artwork from illustrator Melanie Cataldo and is perfect for gift-giving. Ideal for children ages 8-10.
The renowned Christian preacher and New York Times bestselling author of An Altar in the World recounts her moving discoveries of finding the sacred in unexpected places while teaching world religions to undergraduates in Baptist-saturated rural Georgia, revealing how God delights in confounding our expectations. Christians are taught that God is everywhere--a tenet that is central to Barbara Brown Taylor's life and faith. In Holy Envy, she continues her spiritual journey, contemplating the myriad ways she encountered God while exploring other faiths with her students in the classroom, and on field trips to diverse places of worship. Both she and her students ponder how the knowledge and insights they have gained raise important questions about belief, and explore how different practices relate to their own faith. Inspired by this intellectual and spiritual quest, Barbara turns once again to the Bible for guidance, to see what secrets lay buried there. Throughout Holy Envy, Barbara weaves together stories from her classroom with reflections on how her own spiritual journey has been challenged and renewed by connecting with people of other traditions--and by meeting God in them. At the heart of her odyssey is her trust that it is God who pushes her beyond her comfortable boundaries and calls us to "disown" our privatised versions of the divine--a change that ultimately deepens her relationship with both the world and with God, and ours.
In Speaking of Sin, Barbara Brown Taylor brings her fresh perspective to words that often cause us discomfort and have widely fallen into neglect: sin, damnation, repentance, penance, and salvation. In recovering this lost language in our worship and individual lives, she shows how we can take part in the divine work of redemption.
With her customary grace, intelligence and wit, Barbara Brown Taylor wonders why science and faith have become polarized in the popular imagination. She explores what quantum physics, the new biology and chaos theory can teach people of faith and why scientists sound like poets and why physicists use the language of imagination, ambiguity, and mystery that is also found in scripture. In explaining why the church should care about the new insights of science, Taylor suggests ways we might close the gap between spirit and matter, between the sacred and the secular, and celebrate our shared life in the “web of creation” where nothing is without consequence, where all things coexist, where faith and science together seek to discover the same truths about the universe.
Gospel medicine' is Barbara Brown Taylor's metaphor for the power of God's word to heal and mend a broken world. In this searingly beautiful collection, she practises the oldfashioned art of gospel home remedies, drawing strength and piercing insight from biblical stories that can help us confront our weaknesses, revive our spirits and restore us to lasting wholeness.
Jim Logan and his wife, Bernie, move into their dream house in Long Beach, California. Although the house needs work, Jim is a construction superintendent and is happy to live there and take on the responsibility. When hes not fixing up his house, he works two hours away in San Diego, where he hires Diana to be his office manager for the current project. Diana is beautiful, intelligent, and young. She seems innocent enough, but her arrival comes with unexpected consequences. Jim and Bernie soon realize their home is haunted and that somehow Diana is connected to it. Dianas nearness to the house makes her desperate for attention, and Jim finds himself a victim of her charms. Whats more, it appears that Jims San Diego construction site might also have a ghost. He recruits experts to unravel the lands mysterious past. Meanwhile, the ghosts of his home are closing in on Bernie, now pregnant, and no ghost hunter can foresee the terror these spirits have in store for the young couple.
To speak of God in pain is to consider no only the biblical accounts of Christ's suffering and death, but also to proclaim that God is present in our pain. Barbara Brown Taylor explores the eternal mystery of suffering from human and divine perspectives with her characteristic grace, sensitivity and profound biblical insight. In this collection of addresses, she explores pain experienced both in life and around death, with subjects including: • The Gift of Disillusionment; • Learning to Hate Your Family; • Feeding the Enemy; • The Triumphant Victim; • The Myth of Redemptive Violence; • May He Not Rest in Peace.
Clearly organized and simply presented, The Low Vision Handbook for Eyecare Professionals, Second Edition offers an introduction to all aspects of low vision, including a short history of low vision and the basic optics of magnifiers. Updated and revised this second edition of The Low Vision Handbook for Eyecare Professionals provides practical material on assessing low vision patients, the psychology of visual loss, and ways to alleviate patients' common fears. Additionally, Barbara Brown explores current optical, nonoptical, and electronic devices and their appropriate uses for various patients. Additional features include: Case histories to explain some differences among patients at varying levels of vision loss Key points and study icons that highlight topics of interest for paraprofessionals studying for their certification exams Addresses and websites for vendors of low vision aids and devices Contact information for rehabilitation centers and support agencies to benefit visually impaired patients Multiple references and resources for further study The Low Vision Handbook for Eyecare Professionals, Second Edition is perfect for students of the ophthalmic and optometric sciences, introductory-level assistants and other medical office staff, as well as more experienced technicians. The easy-to-read format, user-friendly terminology, and resource information make it an invaluable book for all who assist low vision patients.
Previously unpublished in the UK, The Seeds of Heaven originated as a series of radio broadcasts reflecting on stories and events from Matthew’s Gospel. In the skilled hands of Barbara Brown Taylor these each become stories of our own time, resonating deeply with the hopes, fears and questions of contemporary readers as she finds and then brings to life timeless truth in the words and on the pages of the Bible. However much the pressing questions of our shared, public life change, here is an attempt to speak the truth of the Christian faith in a way that honours both the holiness of scripture and the holiness of people’s real lives here on earth. These timeless stories of seeds, weeds, doubt, risk, family fights, shame and glory will speak deeply to many readers and enable them to discover God’s truth in their own lives.
In The Practice of Saying No, beloved author and preacher Barbara Brown Taylor reflects on the meaning of keeping the Sabbath: of saying no to work and doing, but instead celebrating stopping, resting on the porch, and taking the time to recognize our interconnectedness. The Practice of Saying No will appeal to anyone seeking more meaning and spirituality in their everyday lives. Barbara Brown Taylor, acclaimed author of Leaving Church and An Altar in the World (from which this eSelect is taken), writes with the honesty of Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love) and the spiritual depth of Anne Lamott (Grace, Eventually) and reveals how to encounter the sacred as a natural part of everyday life.
In the United States, people of color are disproportionally more likely to live in environments with poor air quality, in close proximity to toxic waste, and in locations more vulnerable to climate change and extreme weather events. In many vulnerable neighborhoods, structural racism and classism prevent residents from having a seat at the table when decisions are made about their community. In an effort to overcome power imbalances and ensure local knowledge informs decision-making, a new approach to community engagement is essential. In Resilience for All, Barbara Brown Wilson looks at less conventional, but often more effective methods to make communities more resilient. She takes an in-depth look at what equitable, positive change through community-driven design looks like in four communities—East Biloxi, Mississippi; the Lower East Side of Manhattan; the Denby neighborhood in Detroit, Michigan; and the Cully neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. These vulnerable communities have prevailed in spite of serious urban stressors such as climate change, gentrification, and disinvestment. Wilson looks at how the lessons in the case studies and other examples might more broadly inform future practice. She shows how community-driven design projects in underserved neighborhoods can not only change the built world, but also provide opportunities for residents to build their own capacities.
We have been honored to work with a multitude of gifted thinkers, writers, and editors. We present these essays as their offering-and ours-to the blessed ministry of preaching." -From the introduction by David L. Bartlett and Barbara Brown Taylor --Book Jacket.
The Rev. Barbara Brown Taylor is widely considered one of the best preachers in the United States. This slender volume contains twelve of her sermons based on the Gospel of Matthew that were first heard on the radio during the Episcopal Series of the Protestant Hour. As you read them, you will walk with the preacher into ""the spacious land of God's abiding presence with us all.
Perhaps the most significant event in twentieth-century American Protestant churches has been the entry of tens of thousands of women into the church's ordained ministry. How are these women's experiences as ministers different from those of their male counterparts? What are their callings and careers like? What are their prospects for employment, income, and satisfaction? Based on a wealth of statistical data as well as in-depth personal interviews, this book offers the most authoritative information ever about the real experiences of clergy women (and men), along with anecdotes that show what the life of American clergy today is really like.
Colonial and National Beginnings" examines the Congregational and German Reformed traditions as they developed in Colonial America until the era of the Civil War. Edited by Elizabeth C. Nordbeck and Lowell H. Zuck. Series editor Barbara Brown Zikmund.
In this second volume, Dr. Zikmund continues the untold stories in the formation of the United Church of Christ (UCC). Volume 1 focused on those ethnic groups, or ecclesiastical movements, often overlooked by UCC historical orthodoxy. This second book of essays does two things: it provides additional information about groups not covered in the original collection, and it explores the sources of some principles and practices important to the UCC identity. Volume 2 invites readers to enhance their knowledge of history as an important source of spiritual strength for these times. It also examines more deeply what it means for the UCC to celebrate its "unity in diversity." It explores such areas as Lutheran and Reformed Cooperation; German Evangelical Protestants; Origins of the Christian Denomination in New England; Evangelical Pietism and Biblical Criticism; Women's Mission Structures and the American Board; Religious Journalism; Philip William Otterbein and the United Brethren; from German Reformed Roots to the Churches of God; The Congregational Training School for Women; and Chinese Congregationalism. Contributors include: J. Martin Bailey, Dorothy C. Bass, Curtis Beach, Thomas E. Dipko, Matthew Fong, J. Harvey Gossard, Rose Lee, Elizabeth C. Nordbeck, Horace S. Sills, Priscilla Stuckey-Kauffman, Dorothy Wong, Barbara Brown Zikmund, and Lowell H. Zuck.
This is a story of a young woman who, with her husband and her baby, made a brave decision in 1923 to travel from her country of origin, Hungary/Romania. She left her extended family behind to start a new life in America. Part of the story is based on a fictionalized account of Vilma Weisz’s early life, and part is based on authentic research by the author and her team of relatives. Vilma’s decision was a critical choice in her life and the lives of her future children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
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